The announcement comes as Japan’s Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, is visiting the US and met with senior executives from Microsoft’s US and Japan teams, and representatives from the US chamber of commerce.
The $2.9 billion sum makes the investment the largest in Microsoft’s 46-year history in Japan and doubles the company’s financial commitment to AI development in the country.
As part of the investment, Microsoft will bring GPU compute power to Japan while also training up to 3 million people, opening its first Japanese research lab, and deepen its cybersecurity collaboration with the Government of Japan.
These initiatives, it hopes, will support Japan tackle inflation and provide it with the technology and skilled workforce required for an AI-powered digital transformation of its economy and society.
“As economic activities in the digital space increase, it is important for the Japanese industry as a whole to work with global companies like Microsoft that are equipped with a set of digital infrastructure,” Prime Minister Kishida said.
The announcement comes just one day after Microsoft AI unveiled an AI hub in London.
The Japan research centre will be spearheaded by Microsoft Research Asia, and will focus on innovations in embodied AI and robotics, societal AI and wellbeing, and scientific discovery.
Microsoft Research Asia has collaborated with Japanese academia for more than two decades and will build out its collaboration by providing $10 million in grants to the university of Tokyo and an AI partnership between Keio University and Carnegie Mellon University.
Compared to the announcement in London, the Japanese announcement has far more of a focus on the safe use of AI and a focus on “societal benefits”
As part of the reskilling initiative, Microsoft will help customers develop internal AI policies, including data management and security to ensure its responsible and safe use.
