Google will invest US$2 billion (S$2.7 billion) into developing its first data centre and cloud region in Malaysia to meet the growing demand for cloud services.
Both will be located in Sime Darby Property's Elmina Business Park, Greater Kuala Lumpur.
It will also support Al literacy programmes.
The data centre will power Google’s digital services, including Search, Maps, and Workspace and help deliver the benefits of Al to users and customers.
When operational, Malaysia will join the 11 countries where Google has built and now operates data centres serving users globally.
Indonesia’s Investment, Trade and Industry minister, Tengku Zafrul Aziz, said the investment will advance the digital ambitions outlined in the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030).
The data centre and the cloud region will help manufacturing and service-based industries leverage AI and other advanced technologies to move up the global value chain, he added.
With the cloud region, Google aims to deliver high-performance and low-latency services to large enterprises, startups, and public sector organisations.
Google Cloud customers will benefit from controls that help maintain security, data residency, and compliance standards, including specific data storage requirements.
The new cloud region will be connected with existing Dedicated Cloud Interconnect locations in Cyberjaya and Kuala Lumpur.
This provides direct connections between an organisation's on-premises network and Google Cloud's global network.
AI literacy programmes
Google has launched two programmes for AI literacy among students and educators.
With Gemini Academy, the focus is on teaching educators to use generative AI tools safely and responsibly.
It aims to benefit 15,000 educators by the end of 2024.
Launched last month by Google DeepMind, the Raspberry Pi Foundation, and the Penang Science Cluster, Experience AI aims to train educators to deliver AI lessons to students aged 11 to 14.
It has an initial goal of training 1,000 educators to reach 10,000 students.
Additionally, the investment is expected to contribute over US$3.2 billion (S$4.3 billion) to Malaysia's GDP.
It is projected to create 26,500 jobs by 2030.
