Amazon Pledges $1 Billion for Data Center Communities, Ends NDAs With Local Governments

Amazon (AMZN) said Friday it will spend more than $1 billion over five years on towns and counties hosting its data centers, launching a program called "Built Together" as it seeks to counter rising local opposition to AI infrastructure. The pledge funds free community college for an estimated 300,000 students, workforce certification centers expanding to 25 sites by the end of 2028, and energy upgrades for over 30,000 homes and 300 public buildings, with Amazon projecting roughly $700 in average annual household savings. AWS CEO Matt Garman warned that more than 100 data center moratoriums under consideration nationwide could cost the U.S. its lead in artificial intelligence. Separately, Amazon said it has stopped using nondisclosure agreements with government agencies on data center projects, following congressional scrutiny from Rep. Jamie Raskin into such agreements at Amazon, Google, Meta and Oracle. Microsoft ended the practice in March.