Amazon comes out swinging against data center moratoriums, warning the 'consequences would last generations'

Amazon Web Services (AWS) CEO Matt Garman has warned that data center moratoriums could have lasting consequences for the United States in the AI race. According to a blog post, the US could be putting itself at a disadvantage in the AI race if it enacts data center construction bans. Garman cited World War II as an example of when the US learned the importance of national infrastructure development, likening the current data center boom to the modern-day equivalent of that era's transportation system.

He stated that data centers are the backbone of modern life and that AI will power the next generation of businesses, hospitals, schools, and critical defense systems. The Amazon CEO also announced plans to invest over $1 billion in the next five years in communities hosting its data centers, in an effort to address concerns raised by opponents of data center projects, including water use, electricity demand, and pollution.