Amazon.com announced plans to invest approximately $11 billion through its Amazon Web Services (AWS) division to bolster its infrastructure in Georgia. This investment will support the growth of cloud computing and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.
The move underscores the increasing demand for robust data centers and advanced infrastructure, vital for supporting AI-driven innovations and cloud services. This investment follows a similar announcement from Microsoft, which plans to invest around $80 billion in constructing data centers to train AI models and deploy AI and cloud-based applications.
AI applications, including machine learning and generative models, require substantial computing resources. This demand has fueled the need for specialized data centers capable of connecting thousands of chips in clusters. Amazon stated that the investments in Butts and Douglas counties are anticipated to generate “at least 550 new high-skilled jobs” and will amplify Georgia’s position as a hub for digital innovation.
The surge in AI and cloud computing has also translated to a significant rise in U.S. electricity consumption. According to an analysis by the Electric Power Research Institute in May, data centers could use up to 9% of the total electricity generated in the U.S. by the end of the decade, influenced by AI and technology adoption rates.
To meet its power needs, Amazon has established agreements with several U.S. utilities to supply power to its data centers across the nation, including partnerships with Talen Energy in Pennsylvania and Entergy in Mississippi.
