Microsoft plans to advance AI within the Nordic nations and gives Sweden with $3.2 billion

Microsoft plans to invest $3.2 billion (€2.9 billion) to expand its AI and cloud infrastructure in Sweden. This would be the company's largest single investment in the Nordic country.

The initiative aims to help increase Sweden's competitiveness in the emerging artificial intelligence sector.

As part of this goal, Microsoft will deploy 20,000 of the most advanced GPUs – needed for AI training – in its three existing data centers in Sandviken, Gävle and Staffanstorp.

The technology giant will use chips from Nvidia. It is also considering using chips from AMD in addition to its own semiconductors, Microsoft President Brad Smith said in an interview.

In addition, the company will train 250,000 people in AI skills in schools, universities, organizations and the public sector over the next three years. This corresponds to about 2.4% of the total Swedish population.

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The program focuses on technical and vocational training for students, retraining for industry-specific jobs, and expert training for developers. According to this year's AI Index Report from Stanford University, Sweden ranks third in the world in demand for AI skills.

“Microsoft is committed to improving accessibility and accelerating the adoption of AI across all Nordic countries, including Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden,” Smith said in a statement.

The use of AI is growing rapidly in the Nordic countries. But according to a recent report by Danish think tank Mandag Morgen, Sweden is lagging behind. About 45 percent of Swedish companies and organizations currently use AI, compared to 48 percent in Denmark, 52 percent in Norway and 61 percent in Finland.