Amazon layoffs 2023: Amid a renewed focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Amazon is laying off ‘hundreds of employees’ from its Alexa division, including in India. According to Amazon’s email, the cuts will affect hundreds of employees who work for Alexa.

furlough of several hundred employees

Daniel Roush, vice president of Alexa and Fire TV, said the company is eliminating several hundred roles. We are changing some of our efforts to better align with our business priorities. We know this is what matters most to customers. This involves maximum focus of our resources and efforts on generic AI. These changes are leading us to discontinue some of our initiatives. As a result several hundred rolls are getting exhausted. He said the company would talk to affected colleagues in India next week.

Layoffs in Equipment and Service Division last year

The report said Amazon did not provide further details regarding the closure of the initiative. The e-commerce giant had made layoffs in its devices and services division as part of company-wide cutbacks last year. Daniel Roush said the investment in generative AI is “bringing us closer to our vision of an intuitive, intelligent, and useful Alexa than ever before.”

The memo further states that we will reach out to colleagues in the US and Canada who are affected by these role cuts. Notification emails will be sent soon, and we expect all notifications in the US and Canada to be complete this morning (Pacific Time).

package to affected employees

The company is providing affected employees a package that includes severance payments, transitional health insurance benefits, external job placement assistance and paid time off to conduct a job search. Dave Limp, in charge of the Devices and Services division at Amazon, announced his departure from the company in August. He has been replaced by former Microsoft executive Panos Panay. Former Microsoft executive Panos Panay replaced him.