CEO Andy Jassy says Amazon’s 14,000 layoffs weren’t about cutting costs or AI taking jobs: ‘It’s culture’; Fortune, November 1, 2025

MARCO QUIROZ-GUTIERREZ, Fortune; CEO Andy Jassy says Amazon’s 14,000 layoffs weren’t about cutting costs or AI taking jobs: ‘It’s culture’

[Kip Currier: Nah...I'm not buying this "culture-washing" rationale.

Are you?

I wonder if the 14,000 displaced Amazon workers are buying it.]

[Excerpt]

"Speaking during the company’s quarterly earnings call Thursday, CEO Andy Jassy said laying off those employees was about a mismatched cultural fit—and nothing else.

“The announcement that we made a few days ago was not really financially driven, and it’s not even really AI-driven, not right now at least,” he said about the job cuts. “It’s culture.”

The job cuts this week, which mostly affected middle managers, follow a June memo in which Jassy said Amazon will need fewer employees thanks to the “efficiency gains” brought on by AI. In a separate memo announcing this week’s layoffs, Amazon’s senior vice president of people said the layoffs were about adapting to “transformative technology.” 

'AI models in Vogue?' Guess ad sparks uproar; USA TODAY, July 28, 2025

Taijuan Moorman,USA TODAY; 'AI models in Vogue?' Guess ad sparks uproar

 "Vogue and Guess are under fire for the label's use of an AI model in an advert within the magazine's latest issue.

In Vogue's latest issue, a two-page Guess ad features a model sitting at a table while wearing a pale blue romper detailed with creme floral mesh appliqué, and the same model leaning against a wall in a black-and-white chevron-patterned maxi dress, with a coordinating handbag. In fine print in the corner of the ad reads: "Produced by Seraphinne Vallora on AI."

Reactions to the use of an artificial intelligence-generated model has been swift. Social media commentary have been harsh, especially toward Vogue, with calls to discontinue support for the magazine."