Amazon has initiated layoffs within its Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) division, which is focused on developing strong artificial intelligence — systems capable of independently learning and performing a wide range of tasks at or above the level of human intelligence.
The company has not disclosed how many employees were affected by the cuts.
Amazon confirmed to Reuters that it still views the development of large AI models as one of its key business priorities, but is reassessing its focus areas. According to a company spokesperson, resources will now be redirected toward projects that deliver the greatest value to customers, which has necessitated eliminating certain roles within the AGI unit.
The restructuring has been underway for several months. At the end of last year, Rohit Prasad, who had been leading the AGI division, left Amazon. In February, David Luan, head of the AGI Lab, also departed. In December, the division was placed under the leadership of Senior Vice President Peter DeSantis, who also oversees the development of the company’s own processors and quantum technologies. According to employee reports, the layoffs have impacted teams reporting to Vice Presidents Adeeb Shanaa and Vishal Sharma.
This is not the first round of job cuts at Amazon over the past year. In January, the company laid off approximately 16,000 employees worldwide. Meanwhile, just a month ago, Amazon announced significant investments in a new unit called Forward Deployed Engineering, which helps major corporate clients integrate AI services into their business processes.
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