Amazon will invest approximately $10 billion in new artificial intelligence data centre infrastructure in North Carolina, marking one of the largest corporate investments in the state’s history, company and state officials announced Wednesday.

The expanded AI data centres will be located in Richmond County, a rural area about 70 miles east of Charlotte, and will support Amazon Web Services (AWS), the company’s cloud-computing division.

The project is expected to create at least 500 high-skilled jobs, including positions for data centre engineers and network specialists.

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein described Amazon’s commitment as “among the largest in state history” and emphasised it would provide “an economic boost to Richmond County.”

The investment adds to Amazon’s growing presence in the state, where the company has invested $12 billion since 2010.

“This investment will position North Carolina as a hub for cutting-edge technology, create hundreds of high-skilled jobs, and drive significant economic growth,” said David Zapolsky, Amazon’s chief global affairs and legal officer.

He added that the company looks forward to partnering with state and local leaders, suppliers, and educational institutions to develop future talent.

Amazon will also implement new training programs focused on data centre operations and fibre optics as part of the investment package.

The initiative reflects the company’s broader strategy to expand AI infrastructure to maintain competitive positioning in the rapidly evolving technology sector.

The announcement comes as Big Tech companies pour billions into AI infrastructure to maintain competitive positioning in the rapidly evolving technology sector.

Under CEO Andy Jassy’s leadership, Amazon has signalled plans to spend $100 billion in capital expenditures this year, much of it directed toward AI and cloud computing capabilities.

The investment aligns with broader national efforts to boost domestic AI infrastructure.

President Trump has promoted increased corporate commitments within the United States, including the announcement of “Project Stargate,” a $500 billion collaboration between OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle to build AI data centres nationwide.

Richmond County’s selection for the data centre locations reflects Amazon’s strategy of utilising rural areas that offer cost advantages and available land for large-scale infrastructure projects while providing economic opportunities to less developed regions.

Amazon shares remained flat in Wednesday trading following the announcement.

The company’s continued expansion of data centre infrastructure supports its position as a leading cloud services provider while addressing growing demand for AI computing capabilities from businesses and organisations worldwide.

The North Carolina investment represents Amazon’s commitment to scaling AI infrastructure domestically while creating high-paying techology jobs in regions that have traditionally relied on other industries for economic growth.