The tech giant, Microsoft, has made their intentions clear: they’re about to inject a massive $2.1 billion investment into their Spanish AI and Cloud infrastructure. This two-year plan comprises a new Cloud Region of data centres in Madrid, accompanied by a data centre campus in Aragon, a region in northeastern Spain. Unquestionably, these strategic advancements aim to bolster an expansive range of Artificial Intelligence solutions and cater to European and Spanish companies as well as public administrations.
Microsoft’s intention extends beyond merely constructing data centers. “Our investment is a testament to our 37 years of commitment to Spain, its security, development, and digital transformation of its government, businesses, and people,” stated Microsoft Chair and President Brad Smith. This followed a high-level meeting with Pedro Sanchez, Spain’s Prime Minister.
An unforeseen alliance appears to be on the horizon as this billion-dollar investment is part of a newly minted partnership between Microsoft and the Spanish government. Their collaborative efforts plan to enhance citizen services by leveraging responsible Artificial Intelligence, fostering AI-based innovation, and reinforcing national cybersecurity protocols to protect Spanish companies, public bodies, and critical infrastructures.
However, the benefits don’t stop there. Microsoft contends that the Spanish national GDP could potentially reap the rewards of an €8.4 billion increase. This investment projects an employment surge, creating around 69,000 job openings by 2030.
Spain isn’t the only country on Microsoft’s radar. Similar multi-billion commitments to boost data centre capacity and AI are happening across nations. Germany stands to reap the benefits of Microsoft’s €3.3 billion investments for AI and could potentially double the country’s cloud computing capacity and AI infrastructure by 2025.
Closer to home, the UK won’t be left behind. Microsoft’s investment plan surpasses £2.5 billion, promising an enlargement of their current data centre infrastructure over the next triennium. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak dubbed the move a “turning point for the future of AI infrastructure and development in the UK.”
