Microsoft plans to invest 80 billion dollars in AI data centers this year
Microsoft plans to invest tens of billions of US dollars over the course of 2025. More than half of this is to be invested in data centers in the USA.
Brad Smith at a performance in Berlin in 2016.
(Image: Volker Briegleb)
In a very detailed blog post, Microsoft Vice President Brad Smith has presented a multi-year plan for his company to build data centers for artificial intelligence. With an obvious eye on the upcoming change of government in the USA, he also discusses several national strategies for, literally, "American AI".
As a commitment to this, Microsoft wants to invest more than half of its AI budget for data centers, totaling 80 billion US dollars, in facilities in the United States. According to Smith, this is intended to "underline our commitment to this country and our confidence in the American economy." Smith, who was initially employed as a lawyer at Microsoft over 30 years ago, also emphasizes that such major investments would not only affect the high-tech industry, but also a wide range of sectors such as construction, energy supply and other infrastructure providers.
American AI also for export
Microsoft wants to set itself apart from China in particular with its American AI. Once companies and users have committed to a particular system, says Smith, they will stick with it. It is therefore important to establish artificial intelligence from the USA worldwide within the next four years. Microsoft's new program will run until then, and the 80 billion US dollars for 2025 is just the first step. In addition to the data centers, the development of applications with AI and exports to "allies and friends" are important, writes Brad Smith.
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Smith does not name specific locations for new data centers in the USA or other countries. Instead, he explains in his blog post in great detail why he believes AI will be the next great technological revolution for mankind since the beginning of industrialization in the 18th century. Like mechanization, for example, AI will create new professions, but also replace some existing ones, says Smith. Microsoft's Vice President does not address the increasingly controversial energy requirements for AI in his post.
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