Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman published a roughly 3,000-word post on October 2 arguing that local opposition to data center construction threatens America's position in the AI race. He said $68 billion worth of data center projects were blocked in the second quarter of 2026 alone, and warned that roughly 100 pending moratoriums nationwide could cause lasting economic and national security harm. Garman also outlined Amazon's 'Built Together' program meant to offer more benefits to host communities and sought to rebut common objections to data center buildouts, including concerns about water and power use.
tomshardware.com
· 2026-10-05
Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman announced a five-year, $1 billion-plus initiative called Built Together to fund local priorities—education, job training, energy affordability, and water conservation—in towns hosting its data centers. Garman said Amazon will also stop using nondisclosure agreements with government partners and will hold open houses to increase transparency about its facilities.
techspot.com
· 2026-10-05
Amazon unveiled a program called Built Together, committing over $1 billion over five years to communities hosting its data centers. AWS CEO Matt Garman said the funds will target education and job training, energy affordability and water solutions, and flexible local priorities, with residents deciding how money is spent. Amazon says it has already arranged free associate's degree access with community colleges for up to 300,000 students and plans to fund trade certifications for up to 100,000 workers annually.
tomshardware.com
· 2026-10-03
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