Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Amazon’s $20b AI spend in Australia will help seize tech future

Anthony Albanese has said a new $20 billion Amazon deal will help Australia embrace AI, enhance national resilience and drive job creation.

The artificial intelligence and data centre agreement was announced by the US tech giant’s chief Matt Garman alongside the Prime Minister during his visit to Seattle on Sunday.

It will expand Australia’s network of data centres to boost AI capabilities and cloud technology.

As it stands Amazon Web Services operates three data centre zones across Melbourne and Sydney.

Mr Albanese said it would help drive productivity by allowing existing businesses to adopt or accelerate new technology use and give startups confidence to commercialise their ideas.

The $20 billion investment over five years by AWS, builds on the $9.1 billion they have injected into Australia since 2012 and is the largest by any tech firm down under.

Mr Albanese said it was important to be on the frontfoot of emerging technologies so Australia shaped its own future rather than “have the future shape us”.

“My government wants to make sure that Australia seizes the opportunities that are presented by AI,” he said.

“It will boost Australia’s economic growth, our resilience and our productivity.

“We want to make sure as well that Australians are better prepared to capitalize on the opportunities of AI, while making sure that we secure ourselves against its risks.”

Perth-founded graphic design platform Canva, financial institution CommBank, and software company Atlassian have also harnessed AI through AWS.

Mr Garman said while AWS has supported Aussie businesses it also helped the Australian National Swimming Team finesse their performance ahead of the Paris Olympics.

“AI is changing everything that we see, from sports to industry to the economy,” he said.

Industry and Innovation Minister Tim Ayres on Sunday labelled Amazon’s investment as “very significant” and a “pointer to the future” for Australia.

“This is absolutely in our economic interest (and) absolutely in our security and broader geopolitical interest in a fast moving and less secure world,” he told Sky News.

He said it presented “an enormous opportunity” for Australia to boost productivity.

The PM said the investment comes ahead of his recently announced productivity roundtable which Treasurer Jim Chalmbers will hold in August. Dr Chalmers is expected to reveal more about the summit when he speaks at the National Press Club on Wednesday.

Mr Garman said boosting cloud computing technology would be a “huge gateway” to new business and job creation.

“We estimate that technology over the next decade will drive over $600 billion increases in Australia’s GDP out of the year 2030,” Mr Garman said.

As part of the investment the tech giant is also expanding their renewables energy investment to help fuel their initiatives.

“We’re announcing the creation of three new large solar farms, two in Victoria and one in Queensland. This will add to the eight renewable projects that we already have running in Australia,” Mr Garman said.

Mr Garman noted that while the US backs nuclear energy to support AI’s power needs, it would consider renewable investments depending on national preferences.

While in Seattle, Mr Albanese also addressed key industry players from startups to larger more well-known companies at a technology and business reception.

He pitched Australia as a safe and stable base to reach the Indo-Pacific’s growing population to American investors.

He also stressed the importance of Australia’s free trade ties with the US, appearing to lay the groundwork for his upcoming meeting with President Donald Trump at the G7.

“We bring a lot to the table. We will continue to advocate for free and fair trade, for the jobs it creates and the investment it drives,” he said.