Amazon Cuts 121 Washington Jobs Amid Robotics Shift

Amazon.com Inc. is laying off 121 employees across Washington state, with termination dates scheduled between October 1 and October 27, 2026. According to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filed with the Employment Security Department of Washington, the cuts affect corporate staff in Seattle and Bellevue—including applied scientists, entry-level software engineers, and a legal department vice president—as well as 32 workers at a fulfillment center in Sumner.

Company officials linked the reductions to an increased reliance on artificial intelligence and robotics to replace human labor in warehouses. Amazon currently utilizes 1 million automated machines, including Digit humanoid robots for repetitive tasks. CEO Andy Jassy stated the company aims for robots to perform 80 percent of fulfillment center tasks by 2035.

This represents the fourth round of layoffs for the company this year. While affected staff received 90 days' notice and the option to apply for internal transfers, the company clarified that the action is not the result of relocating or contracting out its Washington operations. Separately, the company announced plans to expand its Prime Air drone delivery service to nearly 500 U.S. cities and towns by the end of 2026.