AWS CEO Warns US Could Fall Behind in AI Race as Data Center Projects Face Pushback

AWS CEO Matt Garman warned in a blog post that growing opposition to data center construction across the US could cause the country to lose its edge in the global AI race. He said more than 100 measures to pause data center construction are being discussed nationwide, and if implemented, the US could push itself into defeat.

Garman compared the current data center building wave to the US highway system built after World War II, calling it the largest infrastructure buildout since then. He noted that shopping, banking, stock trading, streaming entertainment, and even disease prevention and treatment all depend on data centers, and the next generation of businesses, hospitals, schools, and critical defense systems will also rely on AI.

Garman announced Amazon will invest over $1 billion in communities hosting its data centers over the next five years. Data from research project Data Center Watch shows that in the first half of 2026, at least 120 US data center projects were delayed or blocked due to local opposition, with an estimated total value of $198 billion.