On October 28, 2025, Amazon announced the layoff of roughly 14,000 corporate employees, amounting to about 4% of its white-collar workforce. While Amazon leadership pointed to artificial intelligence (AI) investment and streamlining as justifications, industry observers argue that the real drivers are more conventional: cost-cutting, stagnant sales, and shareholder demands. Amazon's official statements frame AI as a necessity for future growth, but the scale and immediacy of these cuts suggest they're driven by urgent financial pressures rather than technological advances. Blaming AI risks obscuring broader structural issues like over-hiring, operational inefficiencies, and internal politics. Critics argue that using AI as a convenient scapegoat erodes employee and investor trust, as the underlying business motivations become evident. This narrative might offer short-term PR protection but could have lasting repercussions, damaging morale, making recruitment harder, and undermining Amazon's reputation for innovation and honesty. The real story is about traditional business pressures, not a sudden technological leap. Transparency and clear communication are crucial if Amazon wants to maintain trust among workers, consumers, and investors in the long run.