Amazon is getting set to make cuts of 10,000 jobs, it is being reported. The news came as boss Jeff Bezos revealed his intention to give away his $124bn (£107bn) fortune in his lifetime.
The reported losses were first mentioned by the New York Times, citing sources with inside knowledge. They added that the roles under review are reportedly in the devices unit, home of Alexa, as well as retail division and human resources.
The reported losses would represent about 3% of its corporate staff, the Times reported. Amazon follows Meta, Twitter and Microsoft Corp in announcing swingeing job cuts as the economic downturn hits.
Meanwhile, in an interview, company founder Bezos told news network CNN that his considerable wealth will fight climate change and reduce inequality. Previously the father-of-four has been criticised for not pledging his fortune to charity.
In his first move to give away the billions he has made through his online business, Bezos donated $100m to singer and philanthropist Dolly Parton to use for charitable causes. Asked by CNN if he intends to give away most of his wealth within his lifetime, Bezos told the network: "Yeah, I do."
He declined to provide details on where he would spend or donate the money, but said: "The hard part is figuring out how to do it in a levered way."
He previously pledged $10bn to the Bezos Earth Fund, which he launched in 2020 to help fight climate change. Bezos became one of the richest people on the planet after founding Amazon in 1994.
Last year saw him step down as CEO, but he remains chairman of its board. He also owns the Washington Post and space tourism company Blue Origin.
