Microsoft has made a huge $2.2 billion commitment over four years in Malaysia to boost cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) services, marking it the largest single investment commitment in the 32-year history of the country.
The focus of this investment lies in building robust cloud and AI infrastructure, providing AI skilling opportunities for 200,000 individuals, and supporting the growth of local developers.
This initiative will be further amplified through the establishment of a national AI Centre of Excellence in collaboration with the Malaysian government, alongside enhancing the nation’s cybersecurity capabilities.
The prime minister of Malaysia Anwar Ibrahim stated “Microsoft’s development of essential cloud and AI infrastructure, together with AI skilling opportunities, will significantly enhance Malaysia’s digital capacity and further elevate our position in the global tech landscape.”
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella emphasized, during his visit to Kuala Lumpur “We want to make sure we have world-class infrastructure right here in the country so that every organization and startup can benefit.”
Research by global consulting firm Kearney suggests that AI could contribute a staggering $1 trillion to Southeast Asia’s GDP by 2030, with Malaysia set to capture around $115 billion of that.
Microsoft is actively expanding its support for AI development worldwide. Just this week, Nadella announced a $1.7 billion investment in neighboring Indonesia and revealed plans for Microsoft’s first regional data center in Thailand.
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