Jersey Hired Issues Urgent Call for National Dialogue on AI and Employment Following Amazon’s Latest Mass Layoffs

JERSEY CITY, N.J., Jan. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Following the announcement that Amazon will slash an additional 16,000 jobs globally to "streamline operations" and pivot toward AI-driven infrastructure, Jersey Hired, New Jersey’s leading hyper-local job board and talent platform, is calling for an immediate and serious national conversation regarding the role of Artificial Intelligence in the modern workforce.

The latest round of cuts, which brings Amazon’s total layoffs to 30,000 in just four months, signals a disturbing trend where human capital is being systematically traded for algorithmic efficiency. While Amazon continues to invest billions into data centers and AI capabilities, the very workers who fueled the company’s meteoric rise are being shown the door.

Richard Eib, Group Managing Director of Local Talent Group, parent company of Jersey Hired, released the following statement regarding the layoffs and the broader implications for New Jersey’s workforce:

"We are witnessing a seismic shift in the world of work, and frankly, it’s a reckoning we aren't prepared for. AI has the potential to innovate, but right now, it is being used as a tool for mass displacement. If we do not have a serious, transparent conversation about the ethics of AI integration before sweeping harm is caused, we are looking at a future of permanent mass unemployment that will hollow out our communities. We cannot allow 'efficiency' to become a euphemism for the destruction of the American middle class."

The impact of Amazon’s business model has long been felt on the "Main Streets" of New Jersey and beyond. After decades of aggressive expansion that decimated local retail and crushed small businesses, the e-commerce giant is now turning its back on its own internal workforce.

"There is a bitter irony here," Eib continued. "Amazon spent years destroying the local Main Street shops that were the backbone of our towns. Now, having monopolized the market, they are disposing of the very people who built their empire in favor of servers and code. This isn't just 'streamlining', it’s a betrayal of the labor force that Amazon relied upon to achieve its dominance."

Jersey Hired remains committed to supporting New Jersey’s talent by connecting workers with local opportunities that value human expertise. However, the platform warns that without legislative oversight and a social contract regarding AI, the local economic fabric of the state remains at risk.

Jersey Hired is urging policymakers, business leaders, and labor advocates to join in a summit to discuss "The Human Cost of Automation" to ensure that the technological advancements of tomorrow do not come at the expense of our neighbors' livelihoods today.

About Jersey Hired:

Jersey Hired is a leading recruitment marketing and talent acquisition platform dedicated to the New Jersey business community. A subsidiary of Local Talent Group, Jersey Hired provides a suite of solutions, including premium job postings, contingent search, contract and temporary staffing and the newly launched Shortlist On-Demand service.

Media Contact:

Richard Eib

Group Managing Director

Email: pr@localtalentgroup.com

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