Microsoft (MSFT) has announced an investment of $2.90 billion U.S. over the next two years to enhance its artificial intelligence (A.I.) business in Japan.
News of the A.I. investment leaked to the media ahead of a visit to America by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, which is when the deal is expected to be officially announced.
The money, which is Microsoft’s biggest ever investment in Japan, will go towards the development of advanced A.I. semiconductors at two facilities in the Asian nation.
Microsoft also plans to allocate funds towards an A.I. reskilling program in Japan that will see three million workers trained on the technology.
Lastly, Microsoft plans to establish a new A.I. lab in Tokyo for research and development on robotics and machine learning.
The stock of Microsoft has increase 47% over the last 12 months and currently trades at $424.59 U.S. per share.
