Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing and AI arm of Alibaba Group Holding, has announced the launch of new data centres in Malaysia and the Philippines as part of a major infrastructure expansion to support rising demand for AI across Southeast Asia.
In a statement marking ten years of operations in Singapore, the company said it has opened its third data centre in Malaysia and plans to launch a second one in the Philippines this October. These additions follow earlier expansion plans in Thailand, Mexico, and South Korea this year.
As part of its aggressive push into AI, Alibaba has committed to investing at least US$53 billion in AI infrastructure over the next three years.
In its latest annual report, the company said it aims to empower “customers and business partners to harness the power of digital technology, AI, and cloud infrastructure to optimise operations, unlock opportunities, and drive innovation.”
Southeast Asia remains a strategic market for China’s tech giants and a key arena in the broader US-China AI competition. Alibaba’s growth in the region comes on the heels of data centre closures in Sydney and Mumbai last year.
In addition to the data centre rollouts, Alibaba Cloud announced the launch of its first AI Global Competency Centre (AIGCC) in Singapore. The new multifunctional hub is designed to accelerate AI adoption and support enterprises of all sizes, while helping address the global shortage of AI talent.
“Over the past decade, Singapore has served as both an innovation centre and a gateway to Southeast Asia’s digital economy,” said Selina Yuan, President of International Business at Alibaba Cloud Intelligence. “We remain committed to empowering businesses and driving sustainable digital transformation through cutting-edge AI innovation.”
The AIGCC aims to support over 5,000 businesses and 100,000 developers in the creation of next-generation AI solutions. An AI innovation lab was also announced, offering token credits, curated datasets, and personalised support tailored to real-world scenarios and industry-specific needs.
Furthermore, Alibaba Cloud plans to partner with over 120 universities and institutions to train 100,000 AI professionals annually.