During his visit to Jakarta, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced plans to invest $1.7bn in artificial intelligence and cloud services in Indonesia. This investment is the largest that Microsoft has made in the country in its nearly thirty years of operation there.
Nadella discussed the plans with President Joko Widodo and delivered a keynote speech on AI. He emphasized how this new era of AI is transforming the way people live and work not just in Indonesia but around the world. The CEO believes that Microsoft’s investments in digital infrastructure, training programs, and developer support will help Indonesia prosper in this evolving landscape.
Indonesia’s potential was highlighted by Nadella, given its population of 280 million and its position as Southeast Asia’s largest economy. With the third-largest developer community in the region, Indonesia is poised to make significant gains from AI implementation. In fact, a study by Kearney predicted that AI could contribute nearly $1 trillion to Southeast Asia’s GDP by 2030, with Indonesia capturing a significant portion of that growth.
Microsoft’s focus on AI development is part of its global strategy to support AI infrastructure worldwide. The company recently made investments in Japan and the UAE to boost cloud and AI capabilities. These efforts align with Microsoft’s commitment to driving innovation and growth across different markets.