Less than a month after investing $700 million in a Polish cloud data center project, Microsoft is doubling its AI expansion. The company has announced plans to invest an additional R5.4 billion ($296.81 million) to strengthen South Africa’s artificial intelligence infrastructure.
At an event held in Johannesburg on Thursday, Microsoft vice-chairman and President Brad Smith shared the company’s commitment to expanding digital capabilities in the region. As part of the initiative, Microsoft will cover the costs of technical certification tests for 50,000 individuals and equip them with high-demand digital skills.
“Microsoft is planning to invest an additional R5.4 billion ($296.81 million) in South Africa’s artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, Microsoft vice-chairman and President Brad Smith said Thursday.
This move is in line with Microsoft’s broader AI investment strategy. In January, the company outlined plans to spend around $80 billion in fiscal year 2025 on data center development to support AI model training and cloud-based applications.
With this latest investment, Microsoft continues to actively drive its AI and cloud infrastructure globally, strengthening its position in increasingly competitive markets.
This latest push fits Microsoft’s broader playbook to enhance AI and digital infrastructure across Europe. In February, Tech Giant announced its investment of 3.2 billion euros in Germany over the next two years.
Over the past year, Microsoft has concentrated at least $6 billion on projects from four countries. In addition to Poland and Germany, the company has increased its AI training efforts. It has registered 2 million people in small Indian cities and 1 million people in the UK.
As AI and cloud infrastructure shape the future of the global economy, Microsoft is not only investing in technology, but is betting on the next wave of digital transformation.
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