Amazon is trying to win over data center critics with a pledge to be more transparent and invest in the communities where it builds its facilities. But it also warns that if the backlash continues, it could have major consequences for the U.S.
Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman said in a blog post Friday that today’s massive data center buildout is similar to the mid-century construction of the nation’s interstate highway system, which helped transform the U.S. economy.
But Garman argued that the stakes could be even higher this time around, as countries around the world are racing to take the lead in AI and reap the economic and national security benefits that come with it.
The blog post comes as data centers face growing opposition in communities around the country over concerns about rising electricity bills and pollution. Data Center Watch recently reported that local opposition has blocked or delayed at least 120 U.S. data center projects worth nearly
