Nvidia’s Bold Move
In a strategic move, Nvidia, the U.S. tech darling, is planning to build a $200 million artificial intelligence center in Indonesia. This initiative is in partnership with local telco giant Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison. The new facility will be based in the city of Surakarta in the Central Java province.
Strengthening Local Infrastructure
The AI center is expected to bolster local telecommunications infrastructure, human resources, and digital talent. Last month, Indosat announced its readiness to integrate Nvidia’s next-generation chip architecture, Blackwell, into its infrastructure. The goal is to propel Indonesia into a new era of sovereign AI and technological advancement.
A Broader Push into Southeast Asia
Nvidia’s increased presence in Indonesia represents a broader push into Southeast Asia this year. The region is experiencing a boom in data demand on the back of the growing digital economy. In January, Singapore telco provider Singtel announced its partnership with Nvidia to deploy artificial intelligence capabilities in its data centers across Southeast Asia.
Nvidia’s Revenue Driver
Southeast Asia has proved to be a major revenue driver for Nvidia. A U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing last year showed that about 15% or $2.7 billion of the company’s revenue for the quarter ended October came from Singapore. This represented a 404.1% increase from the $562 million recorded in the same period the previous year.
The Future of AI in Southeast Asia
With Nvidia’s strategic move, the future of AI in Southeast Asia looks promising. As the region continues to embrace the digital economy, the demand for advanced AI capabilities is set to rise. Nvidia’s AI center in Indonesia is a significant step towards meeting this demand and shaping the future of AI in Southeast Asia.
