Amazon has made a series of new public commitments to communities where it’s building data centers, including making an official announcement that it no longer uses nondisclosure agreements in its arrangements with county officials.
\n\nIn a blog post published Friday, CEO Matt Garman detailed the steps the company says it’s already taking around data centers. In addition to stopping the use of NDAs, Garman says $1 billion will be invested over the next five years in communities that house the company’s data centers. The money will go toward free community college programs, workforce training, and energy efficiency upgrades for schools, homes, and community buildings.
\n\nIn the post, Garman acknowledged how the fierce backlash against data centers across the country is hampering the AI buildout.
\n\n“Right now there are over 100 data center moratoriums being considered across the country,” he wrote. “If these measures are enacted, the U.S. could be writing its own losing ticket to [the AI] race, and the consequences would last generations. As a country, we can’t afford to find ourselves in that position.”
\n\nNondisclosure agreements have become a key point of contention amid the massive data center buildout. Typically, local officials who sign NDAs with data centers…
Original source: https://www.wired.com/