AWS CEO Says US Must Win AI Race, Pledges Over $1 Billion for Data Center Communities

Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman published a memo on Oct. 2, calling the race for AI dominance "one America cannot afford to lose" and pledging more than $1 billion in additional funding over five years to support communities hosting its data centers.

The 3,100-word memo says the money will go toward education, workforce training, water conservation and other local priorities. Garman also addressed concerns about environmental impact, energy prices and job creation, saying Amazon no longer uses non-disclosure agreements related to data centers and will publish an annual report on resource use and energy efficiency.

The memo comes as data center projects face growing local opposition. Amazon has said it plans $220 billion in capital expenditures in 2026, mostly for data centers. Garman compared AI infrastructure to the interstate highway system and warned that some proposed bans would mean the U.S. "choosing to lose this race."

In March 2026, Microsoft said it would stop using NDAs with local governments for proposed data center projects. Meta set up a $1 billion fund in August 2026 to support host communities. Amazon's global public policy chief David Zapolsky said continuing to require NDAs "no longer makes sense."