BANGKOK, THAILAND – 2024/05/01: Satya Nadella, Executive Chairman and CEO of Microsoft Corporation, speaks during the “Microsoft Build: AI Day” event at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre. Satya Nadella announced that Microsoft Corporation plans to invest in its first data center, a cloud first platform, in Thailand. (Photo by Pirapon Boonyakiat/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
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Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella on Wednesday announced “significant commitments” to build a new regional data center in Thailand, among other initiatives, as the US tech giant doubles down on Southeast Asia.
The firm said it would also commit to AI skills training for more than 100,000 people and support local developers, but did not disclose the investment amount.
A day earlier, Nadella had said the company would invest $1.7 billion in Indonesia over the next four years to build new cloud and AI infrastructure.
“Thailand has an incredible opportunity to build a digital-first, AI-driven future,” Nadella said in a statement on Wednesday. He said the investment will boost impact and growth in Thailand’s public and private sectors.
Microsoft said there is growing demand for cloud computing services from its companies in Thailand and the commitments will allow the country to harness the economic and productivity opportunities arising from AI.
In the press release, Prime Minister of Thailand Shretha Thawisin said, “Today’s announcement with Microsoft is an important milestone in the journey towards our ‘Ignite Thailand’ vision – creating new opportunities for growth, innovation and prosperity for all Thai people. “Promises.”
Microsoft is expanding its footprint in Southeast Asia, announcing plans for new regional data centers in Malaysia and Indonesia in 2021. Currently its Southeast Asia data center is in Singapore.
The AI boom has increased the demand for cloud computing services and data centers, as large amounts of data are required to train AI models and the cloud provides access to huge datasets. Data centers are facilities where data resides.
Microsoft on Tuesday also unveiled sweeping plans to provide AI skills opportunities to 2.5 million people based in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations – whose members include Thailand and Indonesia – by 2025.
