Amazon is promising a huge $20billion (or around US13 billion) Aussie-dollar shot in the arm to Australia’s artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing over the coming decade – at least if it gets its way. According to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese “$20 billion, which will be the largest investment in technology in Australia’s history, will make our country a world leader in this field.
Following the centrepiece of the support being the financial injection via Amazon Web Services (AWS), the funds were earmarked to develop and operate string of data centre space in Sydney and Melbourne.
The move is aimed at addressing the increasing demand for cloud computing and AI services, and driving the adoption and development of AI across Australian businesses, regardless of their size.
One of the key legs of this ambitious drive is sustainability. Amazon is set to invest in three new solar projects in Victoria and Queensland, which will provide more than 170 megawatts of additional renewable power capacity. The new projects will add to Amazon’s operating eight solar and wind farms in Australia.
Combined, the projects will produce over 1.4 million megawatt-hours of clean, renewable energy each year, enough to power more than 290,000 Australian homes. This is part of Amazon’s global commitment to power its facilities and operations with 100% renewable energy and achieve net-zero carbon by 2040.
Apart from infrastructure, Amazon is also pumping heavy investment into growing Australia’s AI workforce. AWS has already trained over 400,000 people in digital skills since 2017, and with new programs like “AWS AI Spring Australia” adoption of AI is only set to increase. Initiatives like the AWS Generative AI Accelerator for startups and AWS AI Launchpad for enterprises demonstrate Amazon’s commitment to growing a strong AI ecosystem.
Prime Minister Albanese praised the investment and highlighted its capacity to drive economic opportunity, skilled jobs, and secure and resilient infrastructure for AI and supercomputing capabilities. Trajectory for the future The Australian Department of Industry, Science and Resources estimates AI and automation will provide for up to AU$600 billion of Australia’s GDP annually by 2030 – an objective that Amazon’s own investment seems well placed to assist in fulfilling.
