The directive targets idle EC2 instances, the virtual servers that form the backbone of AWS’s cloud infrastructure. With AI workloads devouring GPU capacity at an accelerating rate, even the world’s largest cloud provider is feeling the squeeze. Roughly 65% of EC2 instances maintain average CPU utilization below 20% over 30-day measurement windows. AdvertisementAmazon CEO Andy Jassy disclosed that AWS added over 3.8 gigawatts of power capacity in the previous year. EC2 Capacity Blocks for machine learning saw a roughly 15% price increase in January, followed by another hike of approximately 20% by July.