Amazon Web Services plans to invest more than $1 billion over the next five years in communities across the United States that host its data centers, launching a new initiative as the company faces growing resistance to the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure.

AWS CEO Matt Garman announced the “Built Together” program Friday, saying the additional funding will supplement money Amazon already spends in communities where it operates data centers. The company says local communities will have a major role in determining how the new money is used.

The program will focus on three primary areas: education and workforce training, energy affordability and water preservation, and projects selected in coordination with local officials, nonprofit organizations and residents.

Amazon plans to provide funding for community college programs and vocational training in fields including electrical trades, heating and cooling, fiber optics, information technology, health care and advanced manufacturing. The company says the program aims to connect more than 300,000 students with free community college opportunities and train up to 100,000 people annually for skilled jobs.

The company also plans to fund energy-efficiency improvements at more than 30,000 homes and more than 300 schools and public buildings. Projects could include insulation, heating systems, batteries and solar installations, with Amazon estimating that the upgrades could reduce energy costs by 20% to 40%, although actual savings will vary.

The announcement comes as data-center development has faced opposition from residents, activists and some elected officials across the country. Critics have raised concerns about the amount of electricity and water large facilities can require, along with questions about whether surrounding communities receive enough economic benefit from the projects.

Reuters reported that more than 100 data-center moratoriums are being considered nationwide amid the growing debate over their environmental and economic effects.

Amazon has pushed back against several of the criticisms. Garman argued that data centers are being blamed for problems that don't reflect their actual resource use, while the company says it is committed to protecting local ratepayers and investing in infrastructure and water conservation.

Amazon has also pledged to become water-positive by 2030, meaning it intends to return more water to communities than its data centers consume. The company says it is already 75% of the way toward that goal.

The debate has also taken on a national-security and economic dimension as the Trump administration pushes for rapid development of artificial intelligence infrastructure to compete with China. President Donald Trump has repeatedly defended data-center expansion, arguing that slowing the projects could undermine American competitiveness in AI.

Trump has also criticized opposition to data centers, saying communities should not reject the facilities if they want to remain economically competitive.

Amazon's announcement follows a Sept. 29 White House meeting between Trump and major technology executives, where the administration backed expanded data-center construction as part of the broader effort to maintain U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence.

With the “Built Together” initiative, Amazon seeks to show that the communities hosting its expanding data-center network can benefit directly from the AI infrastructure boom while the debate over its costs and local impact continues.