The company also announced AI skilling opportunities for 840,000 people in the country and support for the nation’s growing developer community….reports Asian Lite News
Microsoft on Tuesday announced that it will invest $1.7 billion over the next four years in new cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure in Indonesia.
The company also announced AI skilling opportunities for 840,000 people in the country and support for the nation’s growing developer community.
This marks the single largest investment in Microsoft’s 29-year history in the country.
“The investments we are announcing today — spanning digital infrastructure, skilling, and support for developers – will help Indonesia thrive in this new era,” said Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO, Microsoft.
According to the company, this investment will enable Microsoft to meet the growing demand for cloud computing services in Indonesia, as well as allow the country to capitalise on the significant economic and productivity opportunities presented by the latest AI technology.
“We aim to empower Indonesians with the infrastructure and skills needed for the AI era, aligning with our national vision for digital prowess. It’s a crucial step towards making Indonesia a hub for digital talent and innovation,” said Dharma Simorangkir, President Director of Microsoft Indonesia.
Meanwhile, Microsoft announced plans to provide AI skilling opportunities for 2.5 million people in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states by 2025.
The tech giant will provide this training with the help of governments, nonprofit and corporate organisations, and communities in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The initiative builds on a range of existing Microsoft skills programmes in the region, which have already helped many people land jobs or make career changes, especially women, who are still under-represented in the tech sector, the company said.
Meanwhile, Microsoft has posted a revenue of $61.9 billion in its third quarter (Q3) — up 17 per cent — with $21.9 billion in net income which increased 20 per cent.
According to Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO of Microsoft, Copilot and Copilot stack are orchestrating a new era of AI transformation, driving better business outcomes across every role and industry.
“Our AI innovation continues to build on our strategic partnership with OpenAI as more than 65 per cent of the Fortune 500 now use Azure OpenAI service,” he told analysts during the earnings call.
Microsoft Cloud revenue was $35.1 billion, up 23 per cent year-over-year, in the quarter that ended March 31.
“Overall, we are seeing an acceleration in the number of large Azure deals from leaders across industries, including billion-dollar-plus, multiyear commitments announced this month from Cloud Software Group and the Coca-Cola Company,” said Nadella.
Microsoft now have over 350,000 paid customers.
On GitHub Copilot, there are 1.8 million paid subscribers with growth accelerating to over 35 per cent quarter over quarter.
“We are seeing AI democratise expertise across the workforce,” said Nadella.
“We’re also seeing increased usage intensity from early adopters, including a nearly 50 per cent increase in the number of Copilot-assisted interactions per user in Teams, bridging group activity with business process workflows and enterprise knowledge,” he added.
When it comes to devices, Copilot in Windows is now available on nearly 225 million Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs, up two times quarter over quarter.
ALSO READ: Dalit Empowerment Through Entrepreneurship
