Amazon calls for support for AI data centre construction

On 2 October 2026, The Verge reported that Amazon publicly called for support for AI data centre projects, warning that local obstruction would harm the US economy and national security. AWS CEO Matt Garman, in a blog post of more than 3,000 words, addressed concerns about jobs, power demand and environmental impact, saying more than 100 data centre bans are under consideration across the US, and announced under a "Data Center Commitment" a pledge to invest over $1 billion in surrounding communities and avoid pushing up local electricity prices. On 4 October, TechCrunch reported that Garman said the company no longer uses non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) when working with government agencies on data centre projects, and rejected claims that data centres use too much water, saying their direct water use accounts for only 0.5% of US industrial water use; he said Amazon has invested more than $1 billion over the past three years in US communities with data centres. More than 100 data centre bans are currently under consideration nationwide, and New York has announced a one-year pause on permits for large data centres.

Written by AI from the reports · updated 12 d ago