SoftBank reportedly plans $50 billion tech investment in aspiring 'AI nation' Malaysia — SkimNews
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- SoftBank Group plans $50 billion in investments in Malaysia, focusing on artificial intelligence, new technologies, and data centers, according to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
- Anwar Ibrahim said SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son identified locations in Kuching, Sarawak, and peninsular Malaysia for the planned investments after a recent video conference.
- Malaysia aims to become an 'AI nation' by 2030, backed by a national AI action plan launched earlier this year to boost infrastructure and capabilities.
- SoftBank signed a framework agreement with Grab and Petroleum Sarawak Berhad earlier in October to explore AI and digital infrastructure development in Sarawak.
- Google, Amazon Web Services, and Microsoft have collectively committed over $10 billion in data center and cloud investments in Malaysia, with Google investing $2 billion, AWS $6.2 billion through 2038, and Microsoft $2.2 billion.
- Malaysian Investment Development Authority reported 385.7 billion ringgit ($94 billion) in data center-related investments between 2021 and the first half of 2026.
Why it matters: Malaysia gains a potential $50 billion boost toward its 2030 AI ambitions, joining over $100 billion in regional tech infrastructure commitments. This positions the country as a rising Southeast Asian hub, with SoftBank’s move amplifying existing momentum from Google, AWS, and Microsoft.
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