Microsoft Makes $2.9 Billion Investment in Japan's AI
Technology giant Microsoft has announced that it will invest $2.9 billion in Japan over the next two years to help the country develop its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities.
The investment will also help to bolster Japan's cloud computing infrastructure.
The US company said it would upskill more than 3 million people in Japan so they are better equipped to work with AI. This will be done over a three-year period.
The investment was announced at the start of April, on the same day Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith met Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Washington. Smith said it was his company's "single largest investment in its 46-year history in Japan."
Smith also said the investment would include "more advanced computing resources" that will allow the country to run the latest AI applications.
Kishida said: "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."
Kishida was in Washington to meet with President Joe Biden, and he discussed a range of issues with the US leader.
Cybersecurity was just one of the items on the agenda, and Microsoft has said it will be collaborating with the Japanese government to strengthen the country's protection against cyber attacks.
Japan has long been known as a country that is forward-thinking when it comes to technology. However, some parts of the public sector have been criticized for being slow to adapt to new technologies.
With that in mind, Takuya Hirai, Japan's minister of digital transformation, welcomed the investment.
He said: "The adoption of digital tools is essential for addressing Japan's societal challenges of an aging population and the pursuit of economic growth and regional revitalization."
Microsoft's upskilling will also target the female population by expanding its "Code; Without Barriers" program to provide training for women looking to work with AI.
The company will also be opening a new research lab in Tokyo, which will focus on AI and robotics.
Questions)
1. What new technologies are being adopted in your industry? 2. What industries do you think AI will have the biggest impact on? 3. Do you work with AI at all? Would you like to upskill to be better equipped to work with it? 4. Are there any areas of your job you think can't be done by AI? 5. How do you think AI will change the world over the next few decades?