In early 2026, Amazon disclosed plans to eliminate approximately 16,000 corporate roles worldwide as part of a broader cost-reduction effort. This follows roughly 14,000 positions cut in October 2025, bringing total job reductions to 30,000 in just five months. While the company cited an ongoing shift toward high-margin businesses—such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) and advertising—as a key driver, internal sources suggest that an elevated capital expenditure trajectory, particularly in fulfillment automation and data center expansion, has strained free cash flow and prompted these workforce adjustments.

Analysts project that Amazon’s fourth-quarter revenue will approach $211.3 billion, representing year-over-year growth of approximately 12 percent. Earnings per share are estimated near $1.97, driven by continued reacceleration at AWS, which is forecast to generate around $35 billion in revenue, up 21–22 percent from the prior year. If realized, these results would propel Amazon’s full-year revenue past the $700 billion mark for the first time, underscoring sustained strength in cloud and advertising segments despite the current macroeconomic headwinds and elevated capital spending plans.

Amazon recently named Amit Agarwal, Senior Vice President of International Stores, as the new head of Selling Partner Services, one of the company’s fastest-growing divisions. Concurrently, Dharmesh Mehta, the outgoing Selling Partner Services leader, will assume the role of Technical Advisor to CEO Andy Jassy starting in March. Historically, shadow advisors have advanced to CEO-level roles—Jassy himself served in that capacity under Jeff Bezos—making Mehta’s new appointment a potential indicator of future executive elevation and continuity in Amazon’s strategic priorities.

Building on the launch of its AI Studio last summer, Amazon MGM Studios will initiate a closed beta of proprietary AI tools in March, collaborating with industry partners such as Robert Stromberg and Kunal Nayyar. The initiative focuses on character consistency, scene composition, and automated pre- and post-production workflows. Amazon anticipates sharing preliminary results by May and emphasizes that these tools aim to augment creative teams and reduce production timelines—350 AI-generated shots featured in season two of “House of David” illustrate the technology’s current scope and potential efficiency gains.