Amazon revealed plans to spend $12 billion on new data centers in Louisiana to support rising AI and computing needs.
The new centers are set to be built in the state’s northwest Caddo and Bossier parishes, marking Amazon’s first large-scale data center presence in the state.
The tech giant said the project will create 540 full-time data center jobs, and support 1,710 additional positions such as electricians and operations managers.
“Amazon … will build next-generation data center campuses to support AI and cloud computing, ensuring opportunities for local communities,” David Zapolsky, Amazon’s chief global affairs and legal officer, said in a release. “We’re creating hundreds of high-paying jobs and making substantial investments in local infrastructure to serve customers.”
The development comes as tech vendors race to expand AI infrastructure to meet surging data processing needs, Meta, Microsoft, Google, OpenAI and others have each committed hundreds of billions of dollars toward new data centers globally, although many are seeing community backlash due to anticipated water and energy consumption.
To respond to local concerns, Amazon said it will invest up to $400 million in local water infrastructure and pay for its own energy and utility infrastructure at the new campuses.
The company added that the facilities will use verified surplus water, or water exceeding current community needs, limiting usage to a portion of that supply to avoid straining local resources.
Additionally, Amazon has invested in solar energy projects in Louisiana, bringing up to 200 megawatts of new carbon-free energy onto the grid. The vendor also established a $250,000 community fund to support STEM education and local projects in the region.
“Investments of this magnitude put Louisiana at the center of operations relied on across the country and connect our communities to jobs that power how Americans live, work and do business,” Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry said in a release.
