Amazon is investing $10 billion to build a major AI and cloud data center campus in Richmond County, North Carolina. The facility will support AWS’s growing artificial intelligence operations and create at least 500 high-skilled jobs. Announced alongside Governor Josh Stein, the initiative aims to transform the region into a digital innovation hub. The data center will power large-scale AI workloads and cloud computing, further solidifying North Carolina’s role in next-gen tech infrastructure. With additional investments in local education, broadband, and workforce training, Amazon is positioning AI at the heart of its long-term U.S. expansion strategy.
Driving AI Infrastructure and Economic Transformation
Amazon’s North Carolina data center will be central to its AI growth strategy. The facility is designed to handle massive compute workloads required by generative AI and machine learning systems. With cloud-based AI models demanding real-time performance, Amazon’s investment supports future-facing applications from natural language processing to computer vision. This expansion will also create ripple effects across the local economy. Together with the 500 employees, the project will also support thousands of construction and supply chain workers. Richmond County, which was once based mostly on textiles, is now ready for a lift in its economy. Gaining skilled employees is a main emphasis of the project.
Amazon is joining with community colleges and universities to provide data center technician training, workshops on fiber optics splicing, and cloud infrastructure apprenticeships. They are intended to provide people with the abilities important for AI-based work. The company created the Richmond County Community Fund and supports STEM education, sustainability, and projects to address workforce needs. The way Amazon invests in technology and helps the community reflects its efforts to grow AI in a responsible way. Amazon is encouraging the growth of cloud and AI innovation across the state by adding AI at the infrastructure stage and developing native talent.
AI Talent Pipeline and Strategic Workforce Initiatives
Amazon is establishing training pipelines aligned to data center operations and cloud-based AI careers to meet the rising demand for AI expertise. Programs include AWS’s pre-apprenticeship curriculum and workshops for educators on digital infrastructure. These efforts connect learners directly to high-demand roles, ensuring local participation in the AI economy. The new campus will serve as a regional training hub. Amazon is working with educational institutions to design industry-aligned programs in AI infrastructure, fiber optics, and data center management. From middle school STEM curricula to university-level training, the goal is to build a comprehensive ecosystem of AI-ready talent.
Amazon’s AI strategy isn’t just about hardware. The company is integrating real-world applications, such as AI-driven diagnostics, logistics, and content delivery, into its operations. These systems rely on scalable infrastructure like the one planned in Richmond County. As AI transforms work and business models, Amazon’s investment provides a blueprint for how technology companies can localize their AI growth in partnership with communities. The initiative brings together advanced cloud infrastructure, economic opportunity, and education access, key ingredients for building an inclusive AI future. By prioritizing workforce inclusion and hands-on skill development, Amazon is addressing the global AI talent shortage while accelerating digital transformation in underserved regions.
A Long-Term AI Vision for North Carolina
This move by Amazon will have a major impact on North Carolina’s technology development. Settling in Richmond County allows the company to contribute to the area’s economy, schools, and technology in the future. Not only is it a data center, but it also serves as a platform for AI innovation, prepares people for the workforce, and helps change the region. State support, as well as that of local institutions, is helping Amazon transform a rural area into a digital center. With AI shaping many industries, such projects help demonstrate how properly investing in infrastructure can give rise to opportunities, strengthen economic resilience, and equip workers for the future in intelligent technologies.
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