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Microsoft plans to invest heavily to train over five million people in Mexico with AI skills over the next three years.
Microsoft has announced it will invest $1.3 billion in Mexico to improve AI infrastructure and boost initiatives around digital literacy in the country. CEO Satya Nadella promised the investment will come over the next three years and include AI upskilling projects to train and prepare over five million people to use AI.
The announcement comes as part of Microsoft’s debut convention in Mexico City, which was part of its AI Tour of 2024, a series of similar gatherings across 60 different cities in the world, which is free to attend and learn about the company’s AI initiatives. As part of its plans to expand AI infrastructure in Mexico, Microsoft envisions “significant investment” for better compute resources in the country, though it does not reveal the exact allocation for each activity.
Microsoft announced it will establish the “Artificial Intelligence National Skills Initiative” and partner with governments at various levels, academia, and different industries. It aims to arm five million people, including teachers, developers, business leaders, and even end users with AI skills.
Anuncia @satyanadella , CEO de Microsoft una inversión de mil trescientos millones de dólares para ampliar las capacidades de México en Inteligencia Artificial. Es una muy buena noticia para nuestro país !! pic.twitter.com/yN9FrUexg6
— Marcelo Ebrard C. (@m_ebrard) September 24, 2024
Mexico’s Secretary of Economy, Marcelo Ebrard, hailed this as “great news for our country” (as per Google Translate), while posting the announcement on X.
Alongside its upskilling endeavors, Microsoft also promised to enable small and medium- sized businesses (SMBs) in Mexico to adopt AI for efficient business operations. It said 57% of the SMBs it surveyed were already using AI as of last year for better operational efficiency, richer customer support, and to make more informed decisions.
Microsoft will also engage stakeholders from The Bridge Accelerator program by Mexican startup incubator T-Hub to aid 30,000 enterprises over the course of the investment. As per the announcement, the objective is to help small businesses “update their business practices, enhance their market competitiveness, increase their exposure to prospective customers and make them ready to integrate into cross-border supply networks.”
Addressing the towering energy demands for AI data processing, Microsoft said it was evaluating the need for resources and plans to make long-term investments to use carbon-free processes for electricity generation. The statement comes less than a week after Microsoft announced it was partnering with the USA’s Constellation Energy to revive the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant. The company also shared plans to help remove 234,000 tons of carbon dioxide to offset the extensive energy consumption, and it will do so by assisting in restoration of forest ecosystems in Campeche, Mexico.
