亚马逊正对美国各地日益强烈的反对数据中心建设的社会呼声发出警告，称这种情况可能导致美国在全球人工智能竞赛中落后。在周五发布的一篇长达3000多字的博客文章中，亚马逊云业务负责人马特·加曼指出，如果美国大规模叫停数据中心建设，“其后果将影响数代人”。这位亚马逊云科技首席执行官写道：“当前推进数据中心建设刻不容缓，因为并非只有美国意识到人工智能对经济和国家安全的巨大价值。那些在人工智能领域领先的国家将主导这一技术的发展，并在短期和长期内从中获得最大收益。”
Amazon is sounding the alarm over mounting public pushback to data center development across the United States, warning that it could cost the nation ground in the global AI race. In a more than 3,000-word blog post published on Friday, Amazon cloud chief Matt Garman argued that the "consequences would last generations" from a widespread halt to data center construction in the US. "There is urgency to this data center buildout because we aren't the only country that sees the benefits of AI for the economy and national security, and the countries that lead in AI will shape it and get the most from it in the short and long run," the CEO of Amazon Web Services wrote.
他补充道：“我们今天做出的选择将决定最终结果，倘若美国在这方面失去专注或决心，就可能陷入落后局面，甚至这种落后可能难以挽回。”
He added, "The choices we make today will determine that outcome, and a lapse in our nation's focus or resolve could put us behind, and potentially irreparably so."
加曼透露，目前全美有超过100个地区正在考虑实施数据中心建设禁令；一旦这些措施付诸实施，美国“很可能在这场竞赛中败下阵来”。他写道：“作为一个国家，我们绝不能让自己陷入这种境地。”
Garman said that more than 100 data center moratoriums are being considered across the country, and if the measures are enacted, the US "could be writing its own losing ticket to this race." "As a country, we can't afford to find ourselves in that position," wrote Garman.
加曼还强调，数据中心建设具有极其重要的地缘政治意义，因此有诸多报道称，一些国家故意在美国散布有关数据中心的虚假信息，企图诱使美国放慢建设步伐。
The Amazon chief argued that the data center build-out "is so important geopolitically that there are widespread reports of various countries intentionally seeding misinformation in the US about data centers to trick us into slowing down."
在这篇长文的开篇，加曼首先提到了美国从二战中汲取的“重要经验之一”——即建设国内交通体系的重要性。他写道，美国现代交通体系的建立“彻底改变了国家的经济与生活方式”；而当前的数据中心建设热潮在某种意义上正是这一进程的延续。“70年后的今天，我们正经历着自高速公路建设以来规模最大的基础设施建设——那就是数字基础设施。”加曼如此说道。
Garman opened his lengthy post by pointing to what he called "one of the big lessons" that the United States learned from World War II — "the need for national transportation back home." The construction of America's modern transportation system "transformed the US economy and way of life," Garman wrote, casting the current data center boom as its modern-day equivalent. "Seventy years later, we're in the midst of the largest infrastructure buildout since the highways—our digital infrastructure," Garman wrote.
加曼指出，数据中心为人工智能系统的运行提供了必要的计算能力，如今已深度融入现代生活的方方面面——从购物、银行业务到股票交易、旅游预订、流媒体娱乐，乃至疾病的预防与治疗。这位高管写道：“虽然人工智能的发展仍处于早期阶段，但它已经以几年前我们难以想象的方式改变着企业、行业以及消费者的体验。”
Garman said data centers, which provide the computing capacity needed to run AI systems, already enable much of modern life, from shopping and banking to stock trading, travel booking, streaming entertainment, and the prevention and cure of disease. "It's still very early, yet AI is already transforming businesses, industries, and customer experiences in ways we couldn't have imagined just a few years ago," the executive wrote.
他接着表示：“未来，人工智能还将驱动新一代企业、医院、学校及其他重要公共服务机构的发展，同时助力国防系统、情报分析、网络防御及卫星运营。为促成这一切，各类新型技术岗位也将应运而生。”
He continued, "AI will power the next generation of businesses, hospitals, schools, and other critical public services, as well as critical defense systems, intelligence analysis, cyber defense, and satellite operations—and new kinds of skilled jobs will be created to help make it all possible."
此外，加曼的这篇帖子旨在回应反对人工智能数据中心项目的人士所提出的诸多担忧，比如水资源消耗、电力需求激增及环境污染等问题。同时他也承认，亚马逊理解为何“一些正在建设数据中心的社区会心生顾虑”。他还宣布，未来五年内亚马逊将向设有数据中心的各个社区投入逾10亿美元。“这并非亚马逊单方面决定社区需要什么，而是亚马逊提供资源，由社区自行决定如何运用，”加曼说道。
Meanwhile, Garman's post sought to rebut many of the common concerns raised by opponents of AI data center projects, such as water use, electricity demand, and pollution, while acknowledging that Amazon understands why there is "apprehension in some communities where data centers are being built." He also announced that Amazon will invest more than $1 billion over the next five years in the communities where it operates data centers. "This is not Amazon deciding what communities need—it is Amazon providing resources and letting communities decide," said Garman.