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<\/p>\nAmazon is investing $1 billion over the next five years into communities where it operates data centers for education, job training, water preservation projects and other local priorities as it reacts to a growing backlash from politicians and consumers to the tech industry\u2019s rollout of the massive centers.<\/p>\n
According to a blog post on Friday by Matt Garman, Amazon\u2019s CEO of its cloud computing arm, Amazon has already spent more than $1 billion in communities with a large data center presence over the past three years.<\/p>\n
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FILE \u2014\u00a0An Amazon data center in Boardman, Ore., on April 2, 2026. Many of the data centers across Oregon rely on diesel generators to provide backup power–which, if used, could release massive amounts of diesel pollution into nearby communities.<\/p>\n
Saskia Hatvany \/ OPB<\/p>\n
Garman also said that Amazon is no longer using nondisclosure agreements with government agencies it works with on its projects, and it said it hosts open houses in communities where it operates to share information about what it\u2019s doing. He also warned against the spread of what he believes is misinformation about data centers\u2019 impact on the environment and energy rates \u2014 and he cited the dangers of over 100 moratoriums<\/a> against these centers being considered across the country.<\/p>\n \u201cIf these measures are enacted, the U.S. could be writing its own losing ticket to this race, and the consequences would last generations,\u201d he wrote. \u201cAs a country, we can\u2019t afford to find ourselves in that position. There is urgency to this data center build out because we aren\u2019t the only country that sees the benefits of AI for the economy and national security.\u201d<\/p>\n Garman\u2019s pledge comes as data centers, which power artificial intelligence and cloud computing, have become a hot political issue<\/a> heading into the midterms as tech giants race to invest more money in expanding these infrastructures. <\/p>\n Amazon said in July that it now expects to spend $220 billion<\/a> in capital expenditures in 2026, including on data centers and other technology investments. That\u2019s up from its prior estimate of $200 billion.<\/p>\n