Under the Verizon AI Connect deal, the carrier will construct new long-haul, high-capacity fibre routes connecting AWS data centre locations in key regions of the US.
The bespoke build is intended to deliver resilient, low-latency connectivity to underpin cloud-hosted generative AI environments and training clusters, which require high-bandwidth, deterministic performance and secure transport between facilities.
Verizon said the programme represents a meaningful investment in next-generation network architecture as AI drives exponential data growth and reshapes enterprise requirements.
The fibre routes will form part of a multi-path, high-availability design that supports large-scale data movement, distributed compute, and the growing footprint of hyperscale campuses.
“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.”
AWS echoed the importance of network performance in enabling the next wave of cloud-based AI applications.
“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.”
The deal deepens an existing strategic partnership, which already includes Verizon’s use of AWS as a preferred public cloud provider and joint private mobile edge computing solutions for enterprise customers.
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.
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