Microsoft announced on Thursday that it will invest $2.2 billion in cloud computing and artificial intelligence in Malaysia to support the development of the AI infrastructure in that nation.
CEO of the IT giant Satya Nadella is currently touring three countries in Southeast Asia, namely Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia, in order to unveil a number of investments in cloud services, artificial intelligence, and data centers.
“Today, Microsoft announced it will invest $2.2 billion over the next four years to support Malaysia’s digital transformation the single largest investment in its 32-year history in the country,” it said in a statement released as CEO Satya Nadella gave a keynote speech in Kuala Lumpur.
It said the cash would help to build AI and cloud infrastructure in Malaysia, creating an AI centre of excellence and giving AI training to as many as 200,000 Malaysians.
“We are committed to supporting Malaysia’s AI transformation and ensure it benefits all Malaysians,” Nadella said in the statement.
“Our investments in digital infrastructure and skilling will help Malaysian businesses, communities, and developers apply the latest technology to drive inclusive economic growth and innovation across the country.”
In his keynote address, he further reaffirmed the investment, stating that he was “really pleased” to announce the expansion.
The commitment follows his announcement this week of a $1.7 billion investment to strengthen cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure in Indonesia and Thailand’s first data center region.
