Microsoft to invest $2.9 Billion in Japan for AI development.
| Photo Credit: REUTERS
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Microsoft invests $2.9 Billion in Japan for AI development
Microsoft plans to invest $2.9 billion in Japan over the next two years, to enhance the country’s AI capabilities and bolster cybersecurity against threats from China and Russia. The announcement which coincides with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to Washington, underscores Tokyo’s commitment to becoming a major AI player. Brad Smith, Microsoft’s Vice Chairman and President, called it their largest investment in Japan to date. The investment includes providing advanced computing resources, like improved graphics processing units for AI applications. Microsoft plans to train three million Japanese workers in AI over three years and open its first Microsoft Research Asia lab in Tokyo.
Intel gears up for enhanced AI chip launch
Intel is set to unveil an upgraded version of its artificial intelligence chip. The upcoming processor, named Gaudi 3, is scheduled for wide availability in the third quarter of this year. While earlier versions of Intel’s Gaudi AI chips didn’t gain significant market share, the company anticipates that the new model will have a greater impact. The chipset is designed to deliver enhanced performance for training AI systems and executing completed software. Intel’s CEO, Pat Gelsinger, stated that the upcoming chips will be priced below Nvidia’s current and future chipsets.
TSMC boosts US chip production with $11.6 billion grants
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) has entered into an agreement with the US to produce a majority of its advanced semiconductors in Arizona starting in 2028. The US government plans to provide the world’s largest chipmaker with $6.6 billion in grants and $5 billion in loans to aid in the construction of advanced production facilities, thereby expanding the semiconductor supply chain in the US. These subsidies are part of the Chips Act, which was enacted in 2022 to promote US chip manufacturing.
