Amazon Announces Built Together Program for Data Center Communities

Amazon on October 2, 2026 announced Built Together, a community investment framework that will add more than $1 billion over five years to the company’s existing spending in US communities where it builds and operates data centers. The commitment came in an About Amazon post written by Amazon Web Services CEO Matt Garman, which also introduced a codified Amazon Data Center Commitment covering how the company builds and operates those facilities.

Garman opened by likening the AI-driven data center buildout to the Interstate highway system begun in 1956, and wrote that the buildout is urgent because the countries that lead in AI will shape it. He stated that more than 100 data center moratoriums are being considered across the country. Amazon said it contributed more than $1 billion over the past three years to US communities where it has a meaningful data center presence.

Built Together is organized around three pillars the company said communities identified as most important: education and workforce pathways, energy affordability and water solutions, and flexible funding for local priorities. Under the education pillar, Amazon said…