YTL’s utilities arm has embarked on a groundbreaking venture, teaming up with U.S. tech behemoth Nvidia in a $4.3 billion investment pact to spearhead the development of artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure in Malaysia.
As disclosed in a statement by YTL Power International, the initial phase of this colossal initiative is slated to commence operations by mid-2024. The project’s locus is earmarked for a data center situated in Johor, a southern state in Malaysia.
The conglomerates will join forces to fabricate Malaysia’s fastest supercomputers, leveraging Nvidia AI chips. YTL Power International will further harness Nvidia’s AI cloud computing platform to construct a robust language model in Malay, as outlined in the statement. The confirmation affirms the project’s placement within YTL’s data center park in Kulai, Johor.
This strategic alliance is poised to fortify Southeast Asia’s burgeoning AI ecosystem while positioning Malaysia as a potent force in semiconductor manufacturing. In recent years, the country has witnessed an influx of substantial investments from global semiconductor giants like Intel and Infineon, cementing its stature in this pivotal industry.
Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, highlighted Malaysia’s significance as a computing infrastructure hub for Southeast Asia, underscoring the pivotal role YTL could play in this landscape. While Huang refrained from directly confirming the deal, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim took to the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), announcing the monumental collaboration between Nvidia and YTL, totaling an investment of 20 billion ringgit ($4.29 billion).
Anwar lauded this decision as a testament to Malaysia’s allure for foreign investors, especially tech giants, reaffirming the country’s status as a prime destination in the region. This affirmation came after a pivotal meeting with Jensen Huang and YTL Power’s managing director, Yeoh Seok Hong, held in Malaysia’s administrative capital, Putrajaya.
