Amazon to stop using NDAs in data center negotiations with local governments

Amazon announced it will stop using non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) when negotiating data center deals with local governments. The move follows a similar decision by Microsoft earlier in the year. The shift aims to address rising community opposition to AI infrastructure projects, which has led to hundreds of proposed and enacted moratoriums in cities such as New York and San Francisco.

The decision reflects broader concerns about secrecy in AI infrastructure development. Local governments and communities have increasingly pushed back against data center projects due to perceived lack of transparency, with opposition contributing to moratoriums and delays.

Meanwhile, a wave of startups is pursuing business models that rely on consumer trust, seeking access to personal data such as inboxes, files, and credit card information for AI agents. These startups argue that transparency and privacy protections are central to their value proposition as they attempt to integrate AI agents into everyday consumer workflows.

The episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast discussing this topic also touched on the White House’s plans to establish a new entity called the Super Intelligence Force, as well as several funding and business developments, including a reported $4 billion raise by Lambda and Uber’s $2.3 billion acquisition in the office catering space.