Amazon Employees Describe Effects of Layoffs, AI Use, and Five-Day Office Return

Business Insider interviewed 12 current and former Amazon employees about changes at the company following layoffs, an increased focus on AI tools, and a five-day return-to-office requirement. Several employees said they now use AI agents for a large portion of their software development tasks.

One engineer in New York City stated that AI has become central to daily work and that he cannot imagine completing a workday without it.

Employees reported varying commute times and views on the office mandate. A data scientist in Seattle said his five-minute walk to the office allows more time for career development and informal meetings with leaders. Another employee in San Francisco noted that the office requirement improves work-life separation but reduces time for cooking meals.

Some workers described stricter attendance tracking. One employee in Seattle said the monitoring of office hours felt infantilizing and that he now stays later to handle urgent tasks, extending his evening commute.

Multiple employees referenced recent layoffs.

A product manager in Los Angeles said he received an early-morning email notifying him of his layoff last October and that the cuts appeared aimed at reducing management layers. A program manager who left the company in December 2024 said he was placed on a performance improvement plan after believing his role was secure.

Employees also noted that some remote or hybrid workers were affected by layoffs, though office attendees were not fully protected. One engineer observed that friends who came in regularly still lost their jobs. Several employees said they are now seeking roles with more flexibility or fully remote arrangements at other companies.