An article summarized by Newsweek:
Amazon Web Services announced a $1 billion investment over the next five years in communities across the U.S. where Amazon operates data centers. The “Built Together” program will let local communities help determine how the money is used, with Amazon focusing on education, job training, energy affordability, water and energy conservation, and other local priorities.
The program comes as data centers face growing criticism over their electricity and water consumption, environmental impact, and effects on nearby communities. Amazon says the initiative will fund community-college and vocational training for jobs such as electrical engineering, IT, manufacturing and health care. It also plans to provide grants for energy- and water-efficiency improvements in homes, schools and public buildings, including insulation, heating systems, batteries and solar installations.
Amazon’s announcement follows growing public skepticism toward data-center expansion. A September Pew Research survey found that 54% of Americans viewed data centers as mostly bad for the environment, while half said they were mostly bad for household energy costs. A May Gallup poll found seven in 10 Americans opposed building AI data centers in their local area. Amazon CEO Matt Garman disputed several criticisms, saying claims about data centers driving up energy costs, using excessive water and providing few local benefits are “myths.”
