SEATTLE — In what corporate communication experts are calling "a catastrophic outbreak of transparency," Amazon on Tuesday accidentally informed employees about upcoming layoffs before anyone had prepared the appropriate collection of euphemisms, according to an email viewed by sources who weren't supposed to view it.
The email, sent by AWS Senior Vice President Colleen Aubrey and quickly recalled, referenced "Project Dawn"—a code name that industry analysts confirmed follows the time-honored tradition of naming mass terminations after natural phenomena that sound inspirational on PowerPoint slides.
"We immediately recognized the error," said an Amazon spokesperson, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't sure if they still had a job. "Employees briefly experienced what experts call 'situational awareness,' and we deeply regret any confusion this may have caused."
The incident occurred just hours after Amazon announced it would shutter its Fresh supermarkets and Go convenience stores to focus on Whole Foods, a decision that CEO Andy Jassy described as "making deliberate choices"—a phrase that HR confirmed is on the approved list of things you can say when the other thing you're saying is "you're fired."
Amazon's cloud computing and stores divisions are among those expected to be affected by layoffs that could come as soon as this week. The company previously announced 14,000 corporate layoffs in October 2025, at which time leadership indicated cuts would continue as it found "additional places we can remove layers."
| Project Code Name | Euphemism Used | Actual Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Project Dawn | "Organizational changes" | Layoffs |
| Project Sunrise | "Rightsizing initiative" | Also layoffs |
| Project Horizon | "Future-focused restructuring" | Layoffs with a podcast |
| Project Phoenix | "Talent optimization" | Layoffs but optimistic |
| Project Aurora | "Strategic alignment" | Layoffs in colorful lighting |
Jassy, who has spoken extensively about reducing "management layers and bureaucracy," reportedly assured remaining staff that AI-driven efficiency gains would eventually shrink the workforce in a gradual, organic way that wouldn't require embarrassing email mishaps.
"The difference between an accidental layoff announcement and a planned one is approximately $47 million in severance negotiation leverage," explained Dr. Patricia Henshaw, professor of Corporate Communication at Stanford. "By sending that email, Amazon briefly transferred information asymmetry from management to labor. Wall Street hates that."
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The "canceled" notation in the subject line, which IT experts confirmed means "recalled after everyone already saw it," has sparked intense speculation about what other internal communications might exist under similarly ominous code names.
"We have Project Twilight, Project Dusk, Project Eventide, and Project That-Time-Between-Day-And-Night-That-Feels-Liminal," said one former employee who was terminated during Project Gloaming. "They're very thorough about their celestial metaphors."
HR Chief Beth Galetti, whose post was referenced in the recalled email, has become something of a legendary figure at Amazon—employees report that receiving a communication referencing her name triggers the same physiological response as hearing your full legal name called at the doctor's office.
The grocery restructuring announcement, which will see Amazon shutter Fresh stores and Go convenience marts, was presented by grocery executive Jason Buechel as needing to make "deliberate choices to win over customers." Analysts noted that "winning over customers" apparently does not include the customers currently shopping at stores that will no longer exist.
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Industry observers noted that the accidental email represents a rare break from Amazon's typically airtight communication strategy, which normally involves announcing layoffs through carefully orchestrated leaks to business media followed by internal memos written in a font specifically chosen to appear both sympathetic and inevitable.
"The mistake wasn't sending the email," explained crisis communications consultant Rachel Mendez. "The mistake was sending an email that said what was actually happening. The proper protocol is to send seven emails that say nothing, followed by one email that says everything but in a way that requires a glossary."
Amazon's stock dipped 0.3% following the email incident before recovering after investors realized that accidentally telling employees things doesn't actually affect quarterly projections.
The company is expected to report fourth-quarter earnings on February 5, at which time analysts will ask pointed questions about efficiency gains while carefully avoiding eye contact with any actual efficiency measures.
As of press time, Amazon employees were reportedly refreshing their inboxes every 30 seconds, a practice the company's wellness team has identified as "proactive career monitoring" rather than "anxiety-induced hypervigilance."
Representatives from Amazon did not respond to requests for comment, though sources confirmed this was intentional rather than a result of their communications team being part of Project Dawn.
Comments 19
Translation: "AI will make fewer of you necessary."
Also Jassy: "Why is morale low?"