Amazon is set to invest more than $1 billion over the next five years into programs in U.S. regions where it is building and operating data centers.
The funding will focus on education, workforce training, energy efficiency, and water conservation, addressing increasing criticism regarding the expansion of AI infrastructure in the United States.
Matt Garman, CEO of Amazon Web Services, introduced the initiative in an article titled "A Race Our Country Can’t Afford to Lose, Plus New Commitments from Us and a Package of Investments in Local Communities."
New Guidelines for Data Centers
The program, named Built Together, will allocate resources towards education, vocational training, reducing energy consumption, and water conservation, with priorities set by local communities.
As part of this initiative, over 300,000 students will gain access to free community college education within five years, focusing on fields related to the operation of data centers and infrastructure, including electricians, HVAC specialists, fiber optics technicians, and IT personnel.
Additionally, the Modular Training Centers will be expanded — training sites located near data centers. Currently, there are three centers operational, with six more under construction. Plans include adding 16 more locations, which will enable training for up to 100,000 individuals annually by the end of 2028.
Investments in Energy and Water
Another key area of focus will be grants for schools, community buildings, and residences, which can be utilized for installing heat pumps and HVAC systems, insulation, solar panels, batteries, and other solutions aimed at reducing energy costs.
Over five years, the program is expected to impact more than 300 schools and community buildings, as well as over 30,000 homes, with the company estimating an average savings of about $700 per household per year.
There will also be dedicated investments in the energy and water infrastructure necessary for the operation of new facilities.
Increased Transparency in Construction
Alongside this program, Amazon unveiled the Amazon Data Center Commitment — a set of principles for the construction and operation of data centers.
These principles include the elimination of non-disclosure agreements with government entities, public meetings with local residents, and earlier disclosures of planned projects. Amazon also commits to publishing annual reports on energy consumption, efficiency, water usage, and the proportion of carbon-free energy.
The document specifies that the costs associated with upgrading energy grids required for data centers should not be passed on to local consumers.
Amazon Responds to Data Center Criticism
This initiative comes amid growing debates surrounding the construction of data centers, which are necessary for increasing computational power for AI but raise concerns about electricity and water consumption, infrastructure strain, and impacts on utility rates.
Amazon contends that its data centers use significantly fewer resources than commonly perceived. According to the company, the average facility consumes less than approximately 49,200 liters of water daily, compared to an industry average of about 643,500 liters. The company also claims its global energy efficiency metric, PUE, was 1.14 in 2025, against an industry average of 1.25.
Furthermore, Amazon stated that by 2030, its data centers will return more water to the communities than they consume.
It is worth noting that in July, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order imposing the first state-level moratorium in the U.S. on the construction of large-scale data centers.