Amazon, the global leader in online retail and cloud computing, has announced plans to invest over $13 billion in Australia’s artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure.
The company revealed on Saturday that it will invest 20 billion Australian dollars (approximately $13.4 billion USD) by 2029 to enhance the nation’s AI and cloud capabilities—marking the largest publicly declared tech investment in Australia by a multinational firm.
The funds will be used to expand, operate, and maintain Amazon Web Services (AWS) data centers across the country.
“This is the largest investment our country has seen from a global technology provider,” said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. “It’s an exciting opportunity to strengthen Australia’s AI capabilities with secure and resilient infrastructure.”
“The investment will generate economic opportunity for Australians, including skilled jobs and infrastructure that can support complex AI and supercomputing applications.”
As part of its $13 billion investment in Australia, Amazon will fund the construction of three new renewable solar farms in Victoria and Queensland, bringing its total number of renewable energy projects in the country to 11.
These new solar farms are expected to produce approximately 1.4 million megawatt-hours of carbon-free energy annually—enough to power around 290,000 Australian homes.
Amazon entered the Australian market in 2012 with the launch of its Amazon Web Services (AWS) Asia Pacific region in Sydney. In July 2024, AWS partnered with the Australian government to deploy a “Top Secret” cloud infrastructure designed to support national security and defense operations.
More recently, on June 11, Amazon teamed up with Talen Energy to secure nuclear power for its AWS data centers and AI infrastructure in Pennsylvania, with the agreement extending through 2042.
The partnership was announced just two days after Amazon revealed its plans to invest $20 billion in AI infrastructure in Pennsylvania, reflecting a broader trend among tech companies increasingly shifting their focus toward developing advanced AI capabilities.
AI and Automation Projected to Boost Australia’s GDP by $400 Billion by 2030
Ongoing investments in AI services and automation are poised to significantly strengthen Australia’s economy.
According to the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, advancements in AI and automation are projected to contribute $400 billion annually to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030.
Between 2020 and 2022, Amazon has already invested more than $312 million in renewable energy projects across Australia.
