Microsoft to spend $80b on AI data centres

In a bid to build AI-enabled data centres, Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith has disclosed the company’s plan to spend approximately $80 billion in its current financial year (to end in June), with more than half of that investment designated for the US.

Brad Smith in a blog post, explained the tech giant plans to use the data centres “to train AI models and deploy AI and cloud-based applications around the world.”

Read Also: Microsoft To Boost AI Growth with $80 Billion Investment 

While Smith welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump to his second term in office, he cautioned against “heavy-handed regulations” that could slow down the private sector.

“The most important US public-policy priority should be to ensure that the US private sector can continue to advance with the wind at its back,” Smith stated.

He further explained that the U.S. “needs a pragmatic export control policy that balances strong security protection for AI components in trusted data centers with the ability for U.S. companies to expand rapidly and provide a reliable source of supply to the many countries that are American allies and friends.”

Stating that the US is well-positioned to flourish in its development of AI due to solid technology development and an innovative private sector.

“If the Trump Administration can develop a strong national AI talent strategy and use AI to make the government more effective and efficient, it will put the country on a promising path.”

He stated the U.S. is in a strong position to “win the essential race with China by advancing international adoption of American AI.”

Smith further claimed U.S. “products are more trusted than their Chinese counterparts, and our private sector is unmatched in its ability to invest in infrastructure around the world.”

THE GUARDIAN/ Chidimma Gold