Amazon pledges more than $1 billion to communities with data centers

Amazon promised on Friday to invest more than $1 billion over the next five years in U.S. communities that host its data centers, in a new effort by the tech giant to address growing opposition from residents to the boom in infrastructure construction driven by artificial intelligence.

The program, called Built Together, was unveiled by Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services (AWS), in a blog post of about 3,000 words. The initiative includes funding for free community college degrees, vocational training and energy-efficiency upgrades in schools and homes.

Amazon also announced a "Commitment to Data Centers," through which it guarantees that its facilities will not increase local electricity bills and pledges to publish annual data on its energy and water consumption.

As part of the commitment, Garman stated that AWS will stop using non-disclosure agreements with government agencies on its projects—a practice that has become one of the main points of contention for groups opposed to the expansion of data centers.

Microsoft took a similar step in March, becoming the first major tech company to do so.

Amazon defends data centers as a matter of national security

Garman framed the expansion of digital infrastructure as a national security imperative and compared it to the construction of the U.S. interstate highway system during the 1950s.

The executive warned that there are more than 100 local moratoriums on data centers under consideration across the country and argued that the United States could fall behind in the race for artificial intelligence if construction is halted.

He also challenged several arguments used by critics of data centers. Garman dismissed the claims that these facilities increase electricity costs, deplete water resources, or generate high levels of pollution through their diesel generators, as false. 

Regarding criticism of the expansion of data centers, Garman stated, citing "widespread reports," that some countries are deliberately spreading disinformation in the United States to slow down construction. The same argument has been advanced by the Trump administration.

President Donald Trump, a staunch advocate for infrastructure construction, has warned that communities that reject these facilities "will end up being left behind and poor."