Microsoft to invest $3.2B in UK artificial intelligence infrastructure
This is Microsoft’s largest investment in the area to date.
Microsoft is set to launch a $3.2-billion investment in the United Kingdom for artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure and training.
This marks the company’s largest U.K.
.@Microsoft is committed as a company to ensuring that the UK as a country has world-leading #AI infrastructure, easy access to the skills people need, and broad protections for the safety and security.https://t.co/qtTrjH9IS9
— Brad Smith (@BradSmi) November 30, 2023
Artificial intelligence infrastructure
Brad Smith, vice chair and president of Microsoft, described the investment in a company blog post.
“This infrastructure investment will help to meet the exploding demand for efficient, scalable and sustainable AI specific compute power and the needs of the private and public sector waiting to take advantage of the latest cloud and AI breakthroughs.”
Artificial intelligence training
Microsoft will also make a multimillion-dollar investment to “train one million people with the skills they need to build and work with AI.”
This includes initial training for unskilled workers hoping to break into the field of AI.
Smith said the training will include “the first Professional Certificate on Generative AI.” It will also offer follow-on and advanced training for industry professionals.
Prospective trainers must complete Microsoft’s “Responsible Generative AI” training to ensure they’re “adhering to the ethics and principles of developing AI solutions responsibly,” wrote Smith.
