The one thing N. Lee Plumb knows for sure about being laid off from Amazon last week? It wasn’t because he resisted artificial intelligence.
Plumb, head of AI enablement, was actually one of Amazon’s top users of its new AI coding tool. If anything, his productivity caught the company’s attention—proof that embracing AI doesn’t always guarantee job security.
Amazon announced 16,000 corporate layoffs last week. This made headlines. CEO Andy Jassy linked the cuts to efficiency gains from AI. Plumb and others have found it challenging to determine if AI truly influenced the decision. It is unclear if it was merely the message companies wanted to send to Wall Street.
The story isn’t just about numbers; it’s about the uncertainty of modern work. AI can make you both indispensable and expendable. Sometimes being on top of the latest tool isn’t enough. It may not keep your place in the game.
Because in 2026, embracing innovation might just mean learning how to embrace ambiguity too.
by Jarvus Ricardo Hester