Google to invest $13 billion in new US offices, data centres

SAN FRANCISCO — Google said today it will invest more than $13 billion in building data centres and offices across the U.S in 2019.

The Mountain View, California-based company emphasized its new locations in the Midwest and South in a blog post announcing the investment . Analyst Scott Kessler of CFRA Research said an increased presence in non-coastal parts of the country might help the company curry favour with federal legislators and officials.

Congress has paid more attention to Google and other big tech companies in the past year; several lawmakers have introduced privacy bills that would regulate the companies.

Google is also expanding along the coasts, including in Seattle, the San Francisco Bay Area and New York.

The company will have a physical presence in 24 states by the end of the year.

Rachel Lerman, The Associated Press