Amazon and others are done keeping data center deals secret. Is it enough to build trust?
Amazon says it will stop requiring local governments to sign non-disclosure agreements when negotiating data center deals, according to TechCrunch. The move follows a similar commitment from Microsoft earlier this year. The change targets the secrecy that has surrounded siting and incentive talks for AI infrastructure.
That secrecy has fed community backlash. Opposition to data centers has led to hundreds of proposed and enacted moratoriums, spanning from New York to San Francisco, the report says. The excerpt also notes a wave of startups betting consumers will give AI agents access to something further, though the supplied text cuts off before specifying what.
Why it matters: Developers and product teams planning AI capacity should expect more public scrutiny of where and how data centers get built. If NDAs fade, project timelines and local negotiations may become more visible, which could slow some deals while reducing the distrust that has fueled moratoriums. The practical effect on cost and siting is still unclear from what has been announced.
Based on reporting from the original publisher. Visit the source for full context and later updates.
Publisher excerpt
Amazon says it will stop using NDAs when negotiating data center deals with local governments, following a similar move from Microsoft earlier this year. Secrecy has fueled community backlash against AI infrastructure, with opposition leading to hundreds of proposed and enacted moratoriums from New York to San Francisco. Meanwhile, a wave of startups is betting that consumers will hand AI agents access […]