Microsoft announced an investment of €4.3 billion within the next two years to expand its hyperscale cloud and Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centre infrastructure in Italy. The company is also committed to providing digital skills training to more than one million Italians by the end of 2025.
According to the tech giant, this initiative marks the largest Microsoft investment in Italy to date. It further said that Italy North will now become one of its largest data centre regions on the continent. It will also serve as a key data hub for the Mediterranean and North Africa markets. The latest investment aims to help Italy maximise the opportunities of AI and to contribute to the focus of the Italian government on long-term economic growth and demographic challenge.
“This landmark investment underscores our long-standing commitment to Italy’s digital transformation,” said Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft. “By expanding access to our AI technology and expertise, we are equipping the Italian government, businesses, and the broader workforce with the tools to build an AI-driven economy that creates jobs and drives prosperity.”
The new infrastructure will operate under Microsoft’s AI Access Principles which was announced in February this year. The AI Access Principles aim to govern Microsoft’s operations of AI data centre infrastructure and other AI assets globally.
Microsoft and its partners will also be introducing new training programs to skill more than one million people in Italy by 2025 through an AI National Skilling Initiative. These programs are focused on AI fluency, technical AI skills, AI business transformation etc.