Microsoft’s huge investment in Indonesia, 840,000 young people will be trained to work on the development of Artificial Intelligence

Microsoft said Tuesday it will invest $1.7 billion in Indonesia over the next four years to build a new cloud and AI infrastructure. The announcement was made in the context in which CEO Satya Nadella met on the same day with Indonesian President Joko Widodo, reports CNBC.

Microsoft stated that the funds will also go towards training 840,000 Indonesians in artificial intelligence skills and supporting the local developer community.

“This new generation of artificial intelligence is reshaping the way people live and work everywhere, including in Indonesia,” said Nadella, president and CEO of Microsoft, in a statement.

“The investments we’re announcing today – covering digital infrastructure, skills and developer support – will help Indonesia thrive in this new era,” Nadella said.

Microsoft also said it will work with governments, organizations and communities to provide AI training opportunities for 2.5 million people in the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations by 2025.

Indonesia wants to become a developed country, as stipulated in the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision, which aims to transform the country into a global economic power by 2045.

Microsoft’s investment will allow it to take advantage of the growing demand for cloud computing services in Indonesia, as well as allow the nation to take advantage of the economic and productivity opportunities arising from artificial intelligence, the tech giant said.

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Muhadjir Effendy, said in January that Indonesia faces huge challenges in terms of leveling the workforce to compete in a technological and globalized era.

Indonesia has a growing, young and tech-savvy population, generation Z – those born between 1997 and 2012 – representing almost 28% of the population, i.e. 75.49 million people. The number of millennials, those born between 1981 and 1996, reached 69.9 million people, i.e. 25.9% of the population.

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