AWS Launches Blackwell-Powered Instances, Expands Cloud Services in Early 2026
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AWS continues to aggressively expand its cloud capabilities, kicking off 2026 with the release of new GPU instances and a suite of service enhancements designed to boost performance, security, and developer productivity. The updates, announced this week, underscore the companyS commitment to providing cutting-edge infrastructure for demanding workloads like artificial intelligence and data analytics.
Next-Generation GPU Power with NVIDIA Blackwell
A key highlight of this week’s announcements is the availability of new graphics and AI inference instances powered by NVIDIA’s latest Blackwell architecture. These instances promise a important leap in performance for GPU-intensive applications. Specifically, the Amazon EC2 G7e instances, now generally available, deliver up to 2.3 times better inference performance compared to their predecessors, the G6e instances.
According to a company release, the G7e instances boast twice the GPU memory and support for up to 8 GPUs, providing a total of 768 GB of GPU memory. This expanded capacity enables the execution of medium-sized AI models – up to 70 billion parameters – with FP8 precision on a single GPU. These instances are ideally suited for generative AI inference, spatial computing, and scientific computing workloads, and are currently available in the US East (N. Virginia) and US East (Ohio) regions.
Enhanced Security and Developer Tools
Beyond GPU advancements, AWS has focused on bolstering security and streamlining the developer experience. Amazon Corretto, AWS’s distribution of OpenJDK, received quarterly security and critical updates in January 2026. Versions 25.0.2,21.0.10, 17.0.18, 11.0.30, and 8u482 are now available, ensuring Java developers have access to the latest protections.
For containerized applications, Amazon Elastic Container Registry (ECR) now supports cross-repository layer sharing.This feature leverages blob mounting to allow common image layers to be reused across repositories, resulting in faster image pushes and reduced storage costs.
Expanded Regional Availability and Smart Insights
AWS is also extending the reach of its services to new regions. amazon CloudWatch Database Insights‘ on-demand analysis capabilities are now available in Asia Pacific (New Zealand), Asia Pacific (taipei), Asia Pacific (thailand), and Mexico (Central). This service utilizes machine learning to pinpoint performance bottlenecks in databases and offers targeted remediation advice.
Furthermore, Amazon Connect has been enhanced with conditional logic and real-time updates to step-by-Step Guides.This allows managers to create dynamic, adaptive guided experiences for agents, tailoring user interfaces and data based on user interactions and current information.
upcoming AWS Events for 2026
AWS customers and cloud enthusiasts have several opportunities to engage with the company in the coming months. The Best of AWS re:Invent virtual event will be held January 28-29, offering a curated selection of announcements and sessions from the annual conference. AWS VP and Chief Evangelist Jeff Barr will deliver opening remarks. Sessions will be offered at 9:00 AM PT for AMER, 9:00 AM SGT for APJ, and 9:00 AM CET for EMEA.
Additionally, the 11th edition of AWS Community Day Ahmedabad will take place on February 28, 2026, in Ahmedabad, India. This community-driven conference will feature expert-led technical sessions, real-world use cases, and networking opportunities.
AWS encourages developers to explore the AWS Builder Center for learning resources and upcoming events in their area.
These latest updates demonstrate AWS’s ongoing commitment to innovation and its dedication to providing a comprehensive and powerful cloud platform for businesses of all sizes.
