Amazon to invest $11 billion in Georgia datacentres

Amazon is poised to significantly expand its datacentre presence in the US state of Georgia with a proposed investment of $11 billion. This announcement comes in the context of the company’s substantial capital expenditure plans, which reached approximately $75 billion in 2024, as disclosed by CEO Andy Jassy to financial analysts in October. Jassy noted that the company is prepared to increase its financial commitment in the upcoming calendar year.

The Register reports that a substantial portion of the announced investment will be channeled towards Amazon Web Services (AWS), affirming that rising demand for cloud computing and generative AI capabilities is the impetus behind this expansion. According to Amazon’s Global Infrastructure map, the Atlanta area currently hosts an AWS edge location, but the new investment is concentrated in Butts and Douglas counties. The specifics regarding whether this will entail newly developed sites or enhancement of existing infrastructure remain unclear, prompting inquiries for further clarification from Amazon.

Amazon has specified that its datacentres are designed to accommodate various workloads, particularly those necessitating graphics processing units (GPUs) for artificial intelligence and machine learning models. The company anticipates that this advanced infrastructure will position Georgia as a burgeoning hub for technological innovation, a sentiment echoed by Roger Wehner, Vice President of Economic Development at AWS. Speaking to The Register, Wehner stated, “AWS’s ongoing infrastructure investments across the United States demonstrate our relentless commitment to powering our customers’ digital innovation through cloud and AI technologies.”

Local officials have expressed their support for the development. Russ Crumbley, Chairman of the Butts County Board of Commissioners, commented, “We are pleased and proud that Amazon Web Services, a world technology leader, has chosen to locate new datacentres in Butts County.” He noted that this investment is set to be the most significant in the county’s history.

Georgia is already established as a significant player in the datacentre industry, with over 50 facilities currently housing operations for major companies such as Facebook and Google, according to data from Georgia’s Department of Economic Development. The US leads the world in the number of datacentres, with upwards of 5,000 in existence and further developments on the horizon, particularly driven by demands in cloud and AI services.

In a concurrent move, Microsoft has announced an investment of $80 billion in datacentre infrastructure this year, with more than half of that funding earmarked for sites within the US. Additionally, reports indicate that a Dubai-based property developer plans to invest $20 billion to establish datacentres in the US over an unspecified timeframe.

Meanwhile, Amazon has indicated plans for a £8 billion ($10.4 billion) investment in datacentres across the UK by 2028, part of a global trend towards the rapid establishment of AI-focused datacentre infrastructures. This rapid escalation in datacentre projects brings with it discussions regarding the associated environmental and energy impacts, as the world increasingly tilts towards AI technology solutions.

Source: Noah Wire Services