(Reuters) -Amazon.com said on Wednesday it would invest $10 billion in North Carolina to expand its artificial intelligence infrastructure, deepening its presence in the state as it moves to cement its position in the fast-growing technology.

The planned investment in Richmond County would create at least 500 high-skilled jobs, including data-center engineers and network specialists, Amazon ( AMZN ) said.

The tech giant already employs about 24,000 full- and part-time staff in the state.

The move is the latest in a series of outlays Amazon ( AMZN ) has pledged in the past few years, as Big Tech companies race to build data centers needed to power AI applications.

Amazon ( AMZN ) said it has invested $12 billion in North Carolina since 2010.