Amazon’s $10 billion AWS data center expansion in Richmond County represents a sophisticated integration of high-performance computing, energy-efficient design, and workforce cultivation.
More than just adding servers, expanding this data center includes rows of advanced processors—NVIDIA’s H100 GPUs alongside Amazon’s own Trainium and Inferentia chips—tasked with the enormous demands of training and serving artificial intelligence models. Much like a legion of micro-supercomputers, each will work in tandem to sift through terabytes of data, learn patterns, and generate insights in real time. The data center also features a 100 Gbps leaf-spine networking and innovative liquid-cooling systems (Amazon, 2025).
However, raw compute power is not the sole focus; Amazon is also incorporating custom networking to ensure that thousands of these GPUs communicate seamlessly without a hitch. When one node needs to share model updates with another, it happens at blistering 100 Gbps speeds, so training jobs that once took days now happen in hours.
Of course, squeezing all that compute into a room generates a tremendous amount of heat. Instead of relying solely on air conditioning, Amazon uses liquid cooling: coolant circulates through cold plates attached directly to each GPU, efficiently transferring heat to evaporative towers or chillers. This approach allows the facility to pack more computing power per square foot without collapsing under high temperatures. However, liquid cooling requires substantial water, so Amazon has engineered its systems to recirculate coolant and minimize evaporation—drawing extra water only when absolutely necessary. In other words, the center can run at peak efficiency without draining local reservoirs.
On paper, Richmond County offered ample land and an attractive menu of state tax credits. But the true appeal lies within North Carolina’s deep focus on tech and a data center-savvy workforce. The state’s community colleges and technical schools have developed curricula that align with data center needs (fiber-optic splicing, server maintenance, network design), all while K–12 STEM programs have laid the groundwork for future tech talent. When Amazon says it aims to hire at least 500 data center engineers, network specialists, and security experts, it’s tapping into an existing pool of graduates already fluent in rack-mounted servers and fiber cables.
In the next few years, Amazon (and its peers) are expected to explore bolder cooling methods—possibly immersing entire servers in specialized dielectric fluids that eliminate the need for water entirely. AI‑driven infrastructure tools will predict both compute demand and renewable energy availability, throttling nonessential workloads to match periods of ample green power.