Amazon Announces Landmark Investment in Australian Tech Infrastructure
Amazon.com Inc has unveiled a significant A$20 billion investment in Australia’s technology and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, marking the largest investment of its kind in the country’s history. The five-year plan, announced during Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to Seattle, aims to solidify Australia’s position as a global leader in AI and cloud technology.
The investment will focus on expanding Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centre infrastructure in Sydney and Melbourne, providing Australian industries with access to cutting-edge AI and cloud computing capabilities. “This significant investment will offer Australian industries the ability to take advantage of the revolutionary opportunities provided by artificial intelligence,” Prime Minister Albanese stated during the visit, ahead of the G7 summit in Canada.
The expansion will incorporate advanced networking, storage, and analytics capabilities, enabling Australian businesses to innovate and scale with world-class AI and cloud technologies. AWS’s growth will directly support Australia’s vision of boosting productivity through AI innovation. The Australian Government has projected that AI and automation could contribute up to $600 billion annually to the nation’s GDP by 2030.
In line with its commitment to renewable energy, Amazon will power its expanded data centres with renewable energy sources. The company will develop three new solar farms in Victoria and Queensland, adding over 170 megawatts of capacity and enhancing the sustainability of its operations in Australia. Amazon currently operates eight solar and wind projects across the country, helping reduce the carbon footprint of its data centres.
The investment is expected to generate substantial economic benefits, creating thousands of skilled jobs in areas such as data centre operations, AI development, and cloud computing. According to AWS, the expansion will support up to 2,000 Australian jobs. The company will also continue to support initiatives like the AWS Generative AI Accelerator and the AWS AI Launchpad, designed to foster AI innovation and startup ecosystems.
“This planned investment deepens our long-term commitment to supporting the growth and development of Australian organisations of all sizes and helping them harness the enormous opportunity that generative AI offers,” said Matt Garman, AWS CEO. “AI is a once-in-a-generation transformation, and Amazon is pleased to be empowering all Australians to innovate at scale through this investment.”
