Google’s US$15 Bln Investment Strengthens AI Nation 2030 Ambition -- Gobind
PUTRAJAYA, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- Google’s expanded US$15 billion (US1= RM4.06) investment in Malaysia reflects strong confidence in the country’s ability to realise its ambition of becoming an AI nation by 2030, said Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo.
He said the investment should not only support the development of AI computing infrastructure but also translate into economic value, local industry development, high-value jobs and enhanced technological capabilities for Malaysians.
“The government’s priority is not merely to celebrate inbound investment, but to ensure every ringgit translates into tangible economic upward mobility, resource security and domestic technological capability for the people of Malaysia,” he said in a statement today.
Gobind said the investment aligns with the government’s strategy in four key areas, namely strengthening energy and water security, developing local industries and high-value jobs, building Malaysian talent and capabilities, and accelerating local AI innovation.
He said Google plans to bring more than one gigawatt of new clean energy capacity to Malaysia’s national grid while covering its electricity consumption and direct grid connection costs.
Its investments in an off-river storage reservoir and water treatment plant in Negeri Sembilan, together with river restoration and water replenishment initiatives, would also support water resilience and environmental sustainability, he said.
“These investments also create opportunities for Malaysia’s renewable energy, engineering and water technology industries,” he said.
Alphabet and Google president and chief investment officer Ruth Porat was reported as saying that the investment, covering 2027 and 2028, would expand the company's digital infrastructure through new data centre campuses in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan.
The expansion builds on Google's first data centre campus at Elmina Business Park in Selangor, which is now fully operational.
Gobind said Google was working with more than 80 Malaysian suppliers across construction, engineering, network infrastructure, power and cooling systems, and supporting services.
He said Google’s new campuses were projected to support more than 37,000 local jobs annually during construction, while contributing an average of US$1.1 billion annually to Malaysia’s GDP in 2027 and 2028.
Once operational, the facilities are expected to sustain more than 9,000 local jobs annually, with average wages 45 per cent above the national median, he said.
Meanwhile, Gobind said four new Google programmes would aim to upskill approximately 800,000 Malaysians between 2027 and 2031, covering educators and youth, microentrepreneurs, civil servants and vocational jobseekers.
He said the initiatives, including proposed data centre institutes, would strengthen Malaysia’s technical workforce and help Malaysians participate in the growing AI economy.
“The Ministry of Digital will work with Google and relevant agencies to support the implementation of the institutes,” he said, while adding that Malaysia also aimed to harness AI computing capacity to develop homegrown technologies, applications and businesses, including globally competitive “Made by Malaysia” AI products and services.
And in this regard, he said he had invited Google to develop a deeper strategic partnership with the Ministry of Digital, particularly in AI Cities and AI Safety.
The minister said Google’s research, engineering expertise and technological capabilities could be harnessed to develop AI Cities as living laboratories for solutions addressing traffic congestion, floods and public service delivery.
His ministry also welcomed collaboration with Google’s experts to strengthen the capabilities of the Malaysian AI Safety Institute, particularly in AI safety research and evaluation.
“Further details of the proposed strategic partnership will be announced in due course,” he said.
Gobind said Malaysia’s ambition was not simply to build an economy that uses AI, but one that creates with AI.
“Google’s investment provides an important foundation for translating this ambition into Malaysian technological capabilities, high-value industries and lasting opportunities for our people,” he said.
-- BERNAMA