Amazon says it will no longer use non-disclosure agreements when it negotiates data center deals with local governments. Microsoft made a similar move earlier this year, so Amazon is the latest big tech company to change how it handles these negotiations.
The shift comes as secrecy around these projects has fueled community backlash against AI infrastructure. That opposition has led to hundreds of proposed and enacted moratoriums, in places ranging from New York to San Francisco. The source also notes that a wave of startups is betting consumers will give AI agents access to their information, but the provided text cuts off before explaining further.
Why it matters
- Communities may get more visibility into data center plans that affect their local area, since negotiations with local governments will no longer be covered by NDAs at Amazon.
- Businesses planning AI infrastructure may face stronger local scrutiny, given that backlash has already produced hundreds of proposed and enacted moratoriums.
- Greater openness from Amazon and Microsoft could shape whether the public trusts the rapid buildout of the infrastructure that powers AI products, though the source questions whether it will be enough.
Source
- Amazon and others are done keeping data center deals secret. Is it enough to build trust? — TechCrunch AI, 09 Oct 2026
Summary written by FoxaMind with AI assistance from the source above. Check the original for full details.