Amazon's AWS Chief Remains Bullish on Middle East Despite Conflict

Matt Garman says Amazon is 'extremely bullish' on the region's long-term potential despite recent data center attacks.

Apr. 9, 2026 at 8:25pm

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A highly detailed, glowing 3D illustration of a futuristic data center server rack, with neon cyan and magenta lights illuminating the complex circuitry and components, conceptually representing the advanced, high-tech infrastructure powering cloud computing and the vulnerabilities of such critical systems in conflict zones.Glowing digital infrastructure powers Amazon's cloud services, even as regional conflicts threaten the resilience of critical tech assets.NYC Today

Despite recent attacks on Amazon Web Services data centers in the Middle East, AWS CEO Matt Garman says the company remains 'extremely bullish' on the region's long-term potential. Garman acknowledges the 'conflicts going on' have dampened short-term prospects, but believes the cloud model allows customers to quickly shift operations to avoid prolonged downtime during conflicts. Garman also discusses Amazon's efforts to improve its Trainium AI chips, including partnerships with AI companies like Anthropic and OpenAI to help optimize the software.

Why it matters

The Middle East has become an increasingly volatile region for tech companies with critical infrastructure, as evidenced by the recent attacks on AWS data centers. Garman's comments highlight how major cloud providers are rethinking their security strategies and business continuity plans to adapt to the new global reality of heightened geopolitical tensions and conflict. Additionally, Amazon's push to improve its Trainium chips reflects the intense competition in the AI semiconductor market as companies race to meet the surging demand for compute power.

The details

In early March, two AWS data centers in the United Arab Emirates were directly struck by drones, while one in Bahrain was damaged by a nearby strike. The hits caused structural and water damage, forcing Amazon to work with local authorities on recovery efforts and advise customers to migrate data to other regions. Last week, Iran's Revolutionary Guard also claimed to have targeted an Amazon data center in Bahrain. Despite these recent troubles, Garman says Amazon remains 'extremely bullish' about its partnerships in the Middle East and the region's long-term potential. Garman acknowledges the 'conflicts going on' have dampened short-term prospects, but believes the cloud model allows customers to quickly shift operations to avoid prolonged downtime during conflicts. Garman also discusses Amazon's efforts to improve its Trainium AI chips, including partnerships with AI companies like Anthropic and OpenAI to help optimize the software after initial performance issues.

  • In early March, two AWS data centers in the UAE were directly struck by drones, and one in Bahrain was damaged by a nearby strike.
  • Last week, Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed to have targeted an Amazon data center in Bahrain.

The players

Matt Garman

The CEO of Amazon Web Services, who rose from intern to become the head of the cloud computing division.

Amazon Web Services

The cloud computing division of Amazon, which operates data centers around the world and is a leading provider of cloud infrastructure services.

Anthropic

An AI research company that is a customer of Amazon's Trainium AI chips.

OpenAI

An AI research company that has a $50 billion deal with Amazon to consume 2 gigawatts of compute on Trainium chips.

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What they’re saying

“We continue to be extremely bullish about our partnerships in the Middle East and about the long term potential of the region.”

— Matt Garman, CEO, Amazon Web Services

“The world went through a long period, starting before the Ukraine war, of not really having a lot of conflict between nations. And we see some of that ramping up.”

— Matt Garman, CEO, Amazon Web Services

What’s next

Amazon is working closely with local authorities in the Middle East to recover from the recent data center attacks and ensure its cloud infrastructure remains secure and resilient in the face of ongoing regional conflicts.

The takeaway

The Middle East has become an increasingly risky region for tech companies with critical infrastructure, forcing cloud providers like Amazon to rethink their security strategies and business continuity plans. However, Amazon remains committed to the region's long-term potential, leveraging the flexibility of the cloud model to help customers avoid prolonged downtime during conflicts.