Microsoft has announced plans to invest an additional 5.4 billion rand (about $296.81 million) by 2027 to enhance its cloud and AI infrastructure in South Africa.
The investment comes in response to the increasing demand for the company’s Azure services in the region, with a particular focus on meeting the needs of businesses integrating AI technology into their operations.
Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President of Microsoft, revealed the initiative during an event in Johannesburg, confirming that the company would also fund technical certification exams for 50,000 individuals.
These exams will cover crucial digital skills, including cloud architecture, AI, and cybersecurity, aiming to address the shortage of skilled professionals in high-demand sectors.
The new investment builds on Microsoft’s previous spending of 20.4 billion rand to establish South Africa’s first enterprise-grade data centres in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
These data centres have become essential hubs for handling the computational demands of AI, as local businesses look to adopt AI-driven solutions.
The company’s broader strategy includes a global commitment to invest around $80 billion in 2025 to further develop data centres and deploy AI and cloud-based applications. South Africa, as a growing tech hub, is expected to play a key role in Microsoft’s plans for the future.
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AxeleraAI, a promising AI chipmaker based in Eindhoven, Netherlands, has been awarded a €61.6 million ($66 million) grant by the European Union to develop its Titania chip.
The grant, provided by EuroHPC, aims to bolster Europe’s AI capabilities by supporting the development of a chip specifically designed for “inference” computing in data centres.
However, this initiative is part of the EU’s broader strategy to enhance its AI sector and reduce its dependency on US and Chinese technologies.
Fabrizio Del Maffeo, CEO of AxeleraAI, expressed pride in the award, viewing it as a significant opportunity for the Dutch company to expand its business.
The new chip will be built on the open-source RISC-V standard, a growing alternative to more traditional chip systems like those from Intel and Arm. AxeleraAI’s existing Metis chip is already being used in edge AI applications, such as monitoring safety in factories through CCTV analysis.
While the company does not aim to compete with industry giants like Nvidia in training AI models, Del Maffeo stated that the Titania chip is designed to excel in running large AI models once they are trained.
This shift towards more affordable inference computing is expected to become increasingly important as the demand for AI solutions grows. AxeleraAI has already raised $200 million from investors, including Samsung, since its founding in 2021.
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Malaysia is engaging with its semiconductor industry to address the potential impact of US tariffs on chips. The US has signalled its intention to impose tariffs of up to 25% on semiconductors, which could significantly affect Malaysia, one of the top exporters of chips to the US Last year, Malaysia shipped $16.2 billion worth of chips, making up nearly 20% of US semiconductor imports.
Trade Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz said the government is in talks with companies to see if they can absorb the higher costs caused by the tariffs. The discussions are focused on whether consumers or companies will bear the increased expenses. While the government has not yet decided whether it will provide financial support, Malaysia’s strong semiconductor sector, which includes US giants like Intel and GlobalFoundries, remains a critical part of the economy.
Despite concerns over the tariffs, Tengku Zafrul expressed confidence that Malaysia’s data centres would not be affected by new US export restrictions on advanced chips. The country has become a major hub for data centres, attracting investments from companies such as Microsoft, Google, and Amazon. The growth of AI-related demand is expected to drive further expansion, and Tengku Zafrul indicated that the sector’s trajectory is strong enough to absorb any new challenges.
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Italy’s ruling League party is urging the government to choose Elon Musk’s Starlink over French-led Eutelsat for secure satellite communications, arguing that Starlink’s technology is more advanced.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government is looking for an encrypted communication system for officials operating in high-risk areas, with both Starlink and Eutelsat in talks for the contract.
League leader Matteo Salvini, a strong supporter of former US President Donald Trump, has emphasised the need to prioritise US technology over a French alternative.
Meanwhile, Eutelsat’s CEO confirmed discussions with Italy as the country seeks an interim solution before the EU’s delayed IRIS² satellite system becomes operational.
Meloni’s office has stated that no formal negotiations have taken place and that any decision will be made transparently.
However, opposition parties have raised concerns over Starlink’s involvement, given recent speculation that Musk could cut off Ukraine from its service, potentially affecting national security interests.
Musk responded positively to the League’s endorsement, calling it ‘much appreciated’ on his social media platform X.
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Microsoft has reportedly scaled back parts of its agreements with cloud computing provider CoreWeave due to delivery issues and missed deadlines, according to the Financial Times.
Despite maintaining several contracts worth billions, the tech giant has moved away from certain deals, though the decision is said to be unrelated to any broader changes in its data centre strategy.
CoreWeave, backed by Nvidia, specialises in providing high-powered AI computing resources and competes with major cloud providers like Microsoft Azure and Amazon AWS.
The company is preparing for a major initial public offering (IPO) in New York, aiming for a valuation exceeding $35 billion and seeking to raise over $3 billion.
The cloud provider recently expanded its capabilities by acquiring AI developer platform Weights & Biases for an undisclosed sum.
Neither Microsoft, CoreWeave, nor Nvidia have responded to requests for comment regarding the report.
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Scale AI has secured a multimillion-dollar contract with the US Department of Defense to develop AI tools for military operations. The project, named Thunderforge, is the Pentagon’s flagship AI initiative aimed at enhancing decision-making, simulation, and operational planning. Led by the Defense Innovation Unit, the programme will see collaboration with technology partners such as Microsoft and Anduril, initially focusing on the Indo-Pacific and European Commands before expanding further.
Thunderforge represents a shift towards AI-driven military strategies, promising increased speed and efficiency in modern warfare. The Department of Defense and Scale AI have emphasised the importance of rapid response times, with the technology designed to process vast amounts of information quickly. However, while Scale AI has assured that human oversight will be maintained, the Defence Innovation Unit has not explicitly highlighted this aspect in its communications.
The deal comes as more AI firms reconsider their stance on military applications. Companies like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google have altered policies that previously restricted AI development for defence purposes. Critics argue that these technologies could be used for harmful applications despite company assurances, raising ethical concerns about the potential for AI in warfare. Some experts warn that firms may have limited control over how their AI is ultimately deployed.
This latest partnership highlights the growing integration of AI into defence strategies, despite previous pushback from tech industry employees. While firms insist their technologies will be used responsibly, concerns remain over the long-term implications of AI-driven warfare and the ability to ensure its ethical use.
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Blackstone’s ambitious $13 billion ‘hyperscale’ data centre project in North East England has been given the green light by Northumberland County Council. The plan, which spans 540,000 square metres, was approved after a unanimous vote and is expected to represent an investment of up to £10 billion. The data centre will provide essential data storage and cloud computing services to businesses, addressing the rising demand in sectors such as AI.
The development is expected to generate substantial economic benefits, including up to 1,200 long-term construction jobs and hundreds of operational roles once the centre is running. Additionally, it could support up to 2,700 indirect jobs. As part of the agreement, Blackstone will contribute to a £110 million fund that will help drive growth along the Northumberland Line, a new railway route opened in December 2024.
This development follows the collapse of a previous plan to use the site for a Britishvolt facility, after the UK startup’s failure last year. With demand for data centres escalating, particularly due to AI advancements, this project is poised to play a crucial role in meeting growing technological needs across Europe.
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Nvidia’s shares plummeted nearly 9% on 3 March following an announcement by US President Donald Trump confirming new tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, set to take effect on 4 March. The decline contributed to a broader market downturn, with the Dow Jones falling by 800 points and the Nasdaq dropping by over 3%. Nvidia’s market value took a sharp hit, losing around $265 billion and falling to $2.79 trillion, a steep drop from its previous $3 trillion valuation.
Despite reporting strong earnings, with revenue surging 78% year-over-year to $39.33 billion, Nvidia’s stock has lost 13% since 26 February. The 25% tariffs could affect the company’s operations, particularly as some of its systems are manufactured in the US and Mexico. However, CEO Jensen Huang remains optimistic, highlighting Nvidia’s AI advancements and the upcoming Blackwell chips, which he says will drive strong performance in the next quarter.
Nvidia also plans to play a key role in Taiwan Semiconductor’s $100 billion expansion in the US, a project mentioned by Trump. While the company faces short-term market volatility and policy challenges, its long-term strategy remains focused on technological growth and innovation.
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Malaysia has secured a landmark deal worth $250 million with Arm Holdings to acquire the company’s advanced chip design blueprints.
The agreement, which spans a decade, will enable Malaysia to produce its own AI chips, including graphics processing units, as demand for AI and data centres continues to surge globally.
The deal is part of Malaysia’s broader goal to become a major player in semiconductor manufacturing over the next ten years.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim confirmed that the deal will also see Arm establish its first Southeast Asian office in Kuala Lumpur. The move is aimed at strengthening the company’s presence in the region, including expanding its reach to Australia and New Zealand.
Alongside this, Malaysia will invest in training 10,000 engineers to support the local manufacturing ecosystem.
The initiative is expected to drive significant economic growth, with Malaysia aiming to create 10 local chip companies, each generating annual revenues between $1.5 to $2 billion.
Malaysia aims to build a complete supply chain for advanced industries, covering everything from AI data servers to autonomous vehicles and robotics.
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The European Commission is preparing to introduce legislation that would allow insurers, leasing firms, and repair shops greater access to vehicle data.
The proposed law is expected to be published later this year, and it is a response to growing tensions between car service providers, automakers, and tech companies over the control and monetisation of valuable in-vehicle data.
Currently, vehicle data, ranging from driving habits to fuel efficiency, is not clearly defined in European law, leading to disputes over who owns it.
With the connected car market projected to be worth billions in the coming years, the Commission is stepping in to ensure that all sectors of the automotive industry can benefit from this data.
However, carmakers have expressed concerns, warning that the new law could compromise trade secrets and lead to misuse of sensitive information.
The debate has also highlighted fears about the dominance of Big Tech, with companies like Google and Apple already making inroads into car infotainment systems.
The Commission’s proposal could reshape the landscape by offering more equitable access to the data that is crucial for developing new products and services.
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