Verizon Business has announced a new Verizon AI Connect deal with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to provide resilient high-capacity, low-latency network infrastructure essential for the next wave of AI  innovation. As part of the deal, Verizon will build new, long-haul, high-capacity fiber pathways to connect AWS data center locations. This will enable AWS to continue to deliver and scale its secure, reliable, and high-performance cloud services for customers building and deploying advanced AI applications at scale.

These new fiber segments mark a significant commitment in Verizon’s network buildout, to enable the AI ecosystem to intelligently deliver the exponential data growth driven by generative AI. The Verizon AI Connect solution will provide AWS with resilient network paths that will enhance the performance and reliability of AI workloads underpinned by Verizon’s award-winning network. The Verizon-AWS collaboration also encompasses joint development of private mobile edge computing solutions that provide secure, dedicated connectivity for enterprise customers. These existing collaborations have delivered significant value across multiple industries, from manufacturing and healthcare to retail and entertainment, by combining Verizon’s powerful network infrastructure with AWS’s comprehensive cloud services.

“AI will be essential to the future of business and society, driving innovation that demands a network to match,” said Scott Lawrence, SVP and Chief Product Officer, Verizon Business. “This deal with Amazon demonstrates our continued commitment to meet the growing demands of AI workloads for the businesses and developers building our future.”

“The next wave of innovation will be driven by generative AI, which requires a combination of secure, scalable cloud infrastructure and flexible, high-performance networking,” said Prasad Kalyanaraman, vice president, AWS Infrastructure Services. “By working with Verizon, AWS will enable high-performance network connections that ensure customers across every industry can build and deliver compelling, secure, and reliable AI applications at scale. This collaboration builds on our long-standing commitment to provide customers with the most secure, powerful, and efficient cloud infrastructure available today.”

This initiative strengthens Verizon’s long-standing strategic relationship with AWS. The companies have already established several key engagements, including Verizon’s adoption of AWS as a preferred strategic public cloud provider for its digital transformation initiatives.  Previous engagements have targeted use cases across sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, retail and media, pairing Verizon’s network capabilities with AWS’s cloud stack.  It should be noted, however, that AWS also uses other major carriers and dark fiber providers, such as Lumen Technologies, Zayo, AT&T, and others, to ensure a highly redundant and diverse global network.

This deal highlights how telecommunications companies are becoming critical enablers of the AI-driven economy by investing in the foundational fiber optic infrastructure required for large-scale AI processing.

References:

https://www.verizon.com/about/news/verizon-business-and-aws-new-fiber-deal

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