Microsoft has announced a $1.3 billion investment in Mexico to enhance cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities in the region. CEO Satya Nadella made the announcement during a presentation in Mexico City, emphasizing the investment will be spread over the next three years.
Nadella noted that the funds will also focus on promoting digital skills among the population and supporting small and medium enterprises. He highlighted the rapid decrease in costs for AI models, such as GPT from OpenAI, as a significant factor in this investment.
Microsoft aims to democratize access to AI skills through its AI Skills Initiative, targeting 5 million people in three years. Currently, Mexico leads Latin America in GitHub usage, with over 1.8 million specialists, marking a 26% increase from the previous year.
The company plans to collaborate with governments, industry, academia, and civil society to train users, developers, educators, and organizational leaders. Nadella expressed optimism about AI's potential impact on productivity, comparing it to the personal computer's transformative effect.
This investment coincides with Claudia Sheinbaum's upcoming presidency, reflecting Microsoft's ongoing collaboration with the Mexican government. In 2020, Microsoft announced a $1.1 billion investment to expand digital technology access across the country.
Additionally, Amazon Web Services revealed a $5 billion investment for data centers in Mexico, aiming to enhance cloud options for its customers. Statista forecasts that public cloud revenue in Mexico will grow by $6 billion from 2023 to 2028, reaching $12.3 billion by 2028.