Amazon has announced plans to invest $20 billion in the state of Pennsylvania (USA) to build two new data centers as part of its efforts to expand artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. While the exact locations have not yet been finalized, Salem Township and Falls Township are leading candidates, with other communities in the state also under consideration.
This move is the latest in an ongoing race among tech giants to scale up their AI capabilities. Earlier this year, Meta was reported to be planning a new AI-focused data campus, while OpenAI announced a massive $500 billion investment over the next four years to develop AI infrastructure.
Beyond data center construction, Amazon is collaborating with local educational institutions and workforce organizations in Pennsylvania to launch training programs, particularly in cloud computing. These programs will include data center technician training, fiber optics workshops, and STEM education initiatives for K-12 students.
Amazon emphasized that this investment is part of its long-term strategy to maintain the U.S.’s leadership in the fast-evolving AI space. “Our strategic investments in advanced computing infrastructure and specialized AI hardware are laying the technological foundation for the next generation of generative and agent-based AI, while strengthening the U.S.’s position at the forefront of global innovation,” the company stated.
Earlier, on June 4, Amazon also announced a $10 billion investment to expand AI and cloud computing infrastructure in North Carolina, signaling a broader push by U.S. tech companies into AI development.
Other tech giants are also accelerating their AI initiatives. Meta recently signed an agreement to develop AI-powered virtual and augmented reality devices for the U.S. military. Nvidia is focusing on advancing agent-based AI, while Microsoft has announced plans to build two AI centers in Abu Dhabi.
Interestingly, cryptocurrency mining firms are also pivoting toward AI. Riot Platforms, Hive Digital, Hut 8, and Iris Energy have begun shifting parts of their operations to high-performance computing (HPC) to support AI workloads. In October, TeraWulf sold a Bitcoin mining facility stake for $92 million to fund AI data center development.
According to asset management firm VanEck, if publicly traded Bitcoin miners shift 20% of their energy capacity to AI and HPC by 2027, they could collectively earn an additional $13.9 billion in annual profits over the next 13 years.
