Microsoft is on pace to invest $ 50 billion by the end of the decade to expand artificial intelligence capabilities across countries in the Global South, Reuters reported yesterday (18).

The announcement was made at an AI summit in New Delhi, where senior executives from global AI companies met with several world leaders this week. The Global South refers to developing, emerging or lower-income countries, most of which are located in the southern hemisphere.

The planned investment signals a substantial long-term commitment by the US technology company to emerging markets as competition intensifies in the global AI sector. Governments across developing economies are increasingly seeking to integrate artificial intelligence into public services and industry, creating new opportunities for infrastructure and cloud service providers.

Microsoft has already deepened its exposure to key growth markets. Last year, the company unveiled $ 17.5 billion worth of AI investments in India, reinforcing its focus on one of the world’s fastest-growing digital economies. The investment formed part of a broader strategy to strengthen AI infrastructure and expand access to advanced computing capabilities.

The reported $ 50 billion target reflects Microsoft’s intention to scale similar initiatives across other emerging regions. Reuters did not provide a detailed breakdown of how the capital would be distributed geographically or across specific projects.