Amazon Pledges To Give Up NDAs, Give Back $1 Billion To Communities In Data-Center Buildout

Amazon Web Services pledged to spend $1 billion over the next five years upgrading heat and water systems in schools, homes and other municipal buildings, among other projects, as part of an effort to win over local communities who fear data centers.

AWS also promised to stop requiring local governments to sign nondisclosure agreements covering the company’s data center arrangements. Critics, such as Democratic congressman Jamie Raskin have accused Amazon of using NDAs to hide their involvement with data center projects early in their development.

AWS CEO Matt Garman announced the commitments Friday where he defended the company’s data center expansion as part of “a race our nation can’t afford to lose” related to AI. Garman also argued that Amazon data centers use far less water than critics allege, work with utilities to improve the grid and do not uniformly drive up energy rates, and use polluting backup diesel generators infrequently.