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Microsoft to Invest $18 Billion in Australia for AI Push
The company said the investment will expand data centres, train 3 million workers in AI skills and deepen cybersecurity ties with federal agencies.
On Thursday in Sydney, Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a $25 billion investment to expand Australian data centres, cybersecurity services, and AI training by 2028.
This capital expenditure builds on a previous $5 billion injection from October 2023, which expanded Microsoft's local data centre footprint to 29 sites across three Azure public cloud regions.
Former industry minister Ed Husic criticized the announcement as "flashy," noting that for every $100 a multinational tech giant invests, up to $80 leaves Australia immediately because the country lacks local hardware manufacturing.
Data centres consume around 6 per cent of grid-supplied electricity, prompting the NSW Legislative Council to launch an inquiry into the sector's energy demands and genuine economic benefits.
Australia could become an Asia-Pacific digital infrastructure hub according to a recent McKinsey report, though achieving this would require $190 billion in investment to boost computing capacity to five gigawatts by 2030.