Microsoft also stated that more than half of the total investment will be made in the US.
Last year, Microsoft said it would invest in AI data centre infrastructure in 14 countries
Photo Credit: Reuters
Microsoft shared its artificial intelligence (AI) vision for the fiscal year 2025, highlighting the key areas for the company. Instead of focusing on its AI product roadmap, the company shared details about its investment plans in AI infrastructure, skilling, and developing accessibility of the technology globally. Among other efforts, the Redmond-based tech giant stated that it will be investing about $80 billion (roughly Rs. 6.86 lakh crore) in AI-enabled data centres to train and deploy AI models. Microsoft is also developing AI-focused curriculums for colleges in the US.
In a blog post published on Friday, the tech giant shared its vision for the fiscal year. The larger plan includes investing in AI technology and infrastructure, supporting skilling programmes that will enable widespread AI adoption, and exporting the technology globally to make AI more accessible.
On infrastructure, the company stated that it will invest around $80 billion to build AI-enabled data centres. These data centres will be used by the company to train new models, to deploy them globally, as well as powering Microsoft's different cloud-based AI applications. The tech giant highlighted that more than half of this fund will be spent within the US.
Explaining the need for AI skilling, the company claimed that within the next 25 years, “AI can help create the next billion AI-enabled jobs” across industries such as services, manufacturing, transportation, agriculture, and government. Focusing on this need, the company has partnered with the US National AI Consortium for Community Colleges to provide an “industry-aligned” AI curriculum. It is also developing faculty training via AI Bootcamps to enable students to learn in-demand skills.
Additionally, Microsoft said it has developed AI training programmes for teachers. It also offers career guidance and helps young professionals enhance their AI skills via the Microsoft Copilot for Career Navigators initiative.
Last year, the tech giant announced an investment of more than $35 billion (roughly Rs. 2.99 lakh crore) in 14 countries within three years to build secure AI and cloud data centre infrastructure. Microsoft said that the number has now been expanded to 40 countries to include the Global South. It has collaborated with UAE-based AI company G42 to introduce AI infrastructure in Kenya.
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