Amazon to Invest $10 Billion to Expand AI Infrastructure

Amazon plans to invest $10 billion in North Carolina, specifically in Richmond County, to expand its artificial intelligence infrastructure and strengthen its presence in the state as it seeks to consolidate its position in the fast-growing technology sector.

Amazon expects to create at least 500 highly skilled jobs as a result of this investment, including positions for data center engineers and network specialists, according to Reuters.

The tech giant already employs about 24,000 full- and part-time employees in North Carolina, where it is also expanding its retail operations and plans to open several new last-mile facilities in the region.

This is the latest in a series of investments Amazon has made in recent years, as major tech companies race to build the data centers needed to power artificial intelligence applications, investing hundreds of billions of dollars worldwide.

Amazon’s total capital expenditures reached about $25 billion in the first quarter, and the company said it expects to maintain this level of spending for the rest of the year. This planned spending by the company comes amid concerns that major tech companies may scale back their large investments, following reports of Microsoft’s data center lease cancellations, which indicated excess capacity. Companies have confirmed their commitment to large-scale investments, with Amazon CEO Mark Zuckerberg stating earlier this year that billions of dollars in investments in artificial intelligence are necessary to maintain competitiveness.