AWS Says U.S. Cloud Computing Infrastructure Investment Exceeds $108 Billion
In its AWS Economic Impact Study (EIS) released yesterday, Amazon Web Services states that since 2011, it has invested over $108 billion into its cloud computing infrastructure in the United States.
In his letter introducing the study, AWS Chief Executive Officer Adam Selipsky noted how that investment alone has contributed nearly $38 billion in gross domestic product (GDP) to the U.S. economy, including a myriad of economic benefits associated with empowering innovation across the company's customer base of rapidly growing startups, large enterprises and SMBs, government agencies, and nonprofits.
AWS said the EIS is based on the premise that when the company "constructs, connects, maintains, and operates AWS data centers, it invests in communities."
"This investment is felt through job creation and retention, renewable energy projects, access to cloud training and education, community engagement, and long-term financial stability for individuals," added the company.
The Numbers
According to the study, total investment by AWS in the construction of its cloud computing infrastructure in the U.S. from 2011 through 2022 came in at $92.04 billion.
AWS noted the total investment as recorded by the EIS includes: capex on construction labor, materials, services, manufacturing, and supply chain operations; as well as recurring opex on employee and contractor compensation, utility fees, and facilities and rental costs.
Also during the time period, AWS said it purchased an estimated $35.42 billion in goods and services from U.S. suppliers to support its data centers. The EIS revealed that every $1 of this local spending generated an additional $0.84 in output for U.S. businesses.
The company contends its U.S. investment during the timeframe created an estimated total output of $65.15 billion for local businesses. Estimated output generated at local businesses in the U.S. by AWS data center construction during the timeframe was pegged at $38.55 billion.
Local Spending Lifts Workforce
Meanwhile, during the time period, AWS said its local spending on data center construction in the U.S. totaled $18.30 billion.
The company said the economic impact of this local spending lifted American jobs in the skilled trades, including electricians, fiber-optic technicians, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) technicians.
The estimated annual average number of full-time equivalent jobs supported at businesses in the U.S. by the AWS investment was counted at 29,800. The estimated annual average number of full-time equivalent jobs supported at businesses in the U.S. by AWS data center construction during the time period was seen at 19,900.
AWS CEO Selipsky added, "We have dedicated resources to engage in what matters most to our neighbors, providing new educational opportunities at local schools, helping to develop the next generation of workforce, and always keeping sustainability and our net-zero carbon commitment to The Climate Pledge front of mind."
How AWS Data Center Investment Affects U.S. GDP
The study prepares what AWS describes as a conservative estimate of the value added to the U.S. GDP by its investment, which evaluates only the economic impact of the portion of that investment that is spent locally.
Estimated output generated at local businesses in the U.S. by AWS data center operations was placed at $26.14 billion for the time period.
Estimated value added to the U.S. GDP by AWS investment in its data center operations rang in at $15.97 billion.
Labor income supported at businesses in the U.S. by AWS data center operations for the timeframe was estimated at $8.75 billion.
Meanwhile, the EIS estimated the annual average of full-time equivalent jobs supported at businesses in the U.S. by AWS data center operations from 2011-2011 at 9,700.
Local Spending Reflects Long-Term Operational Goals
In terms of the raw economic impact of AWS data center operations, the company said that from 2011 to 2022, its local spending on data center operations in the U.S. totaled $17.01 billion.
The company noted this number involves purchases of utilities, leases of real estate and networking infrastructure, and compensation paid to related AWS employees and contractors support the continuous operation of data centers.
The EIS also charts the economic impact of AWS manufacturing and supply chain operations, and the totality of AWS infrastructure investment across the U.S. from 2011–2022 in its four major geographic locations of California, Ohio, Oregon, and Virginia, while also purchasing goods and services from nearly all 50 states.
"At AWS, we take a long-term view. We are building a business that will outlast us all," said AWS CEO Selipsky.
He added, "We bring this same long term consideration to our investment choices. We think deeply about where we are investing as well as the impact it will have on the communities where we live and work."
Read the full AWS Economic Impact Study.
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About the Author
Matt Vincent
Matt Vincent is Editor in Chief of Data Center Frontier, where he leads editorial strategy and coverage focused on the infrastructure powering cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and the digital economy. A veteran B2B technology journalist with more than two decades of experience, Vincent specializes in the intersection of data centers, power, cooling, and emerging AI-era infrastructure. Since assuming the EIC role in 2023, he has helped guide Data Center Frontier’s coverage of the industry’s transition into the gigawatt-scale AI era, with a focus on hyperscale development, behind-the-meter power strategies, liquid cooling architectures, and the evolving energy demands of high-density compute, while working closely with the Digital Infrastructure Group at Endeavor Business Media to expand the brand’s analytical and multimedia footprint. Vincent also hosts The Data Center Frontier Show podcast, where he interviews industry leaders across hyperscale, colocation, utilities, and the data center supply chain to examine the technologies and business models reshaping digital infrastructure. Since its inception he serves as Head of Content for the Data Center Frontier Trends Summit. Before becoming Editor in Chief, he served in multiple senior editorial roles across Endeavor Business Media’s digital infrastructure portfolio, with coverage spanning data centers and hyperscale infrastructure, structured cabling and networking, telecom and datacom, IP physical security, and wireless and Pro AV markets. He began his career in 2005 within PennWell’s Advanced Technology Division and later held senior editorial positions supporting brands such as Cabling Installation & Maintenance, Lightwave Online, Broadband Technology Report, and Smart Buildings Technology. Vincent is a frequent moderator, interviewer, and keynote speaker at industry events including the HPC Forum, where he delivers forward-looking analysis on how AI and high-performance computing are reshaping digital infrastructure. He graduated with honors from Indiana University Bloomington with a B.A. in English Literature and Creative Writing and lives in southern New Hampshire with his family, remaining an active musician in his spare time.
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