SoftBank eyes $50 billion AI and data center push in Malaysia
What's new: The planned outlay would target Sarawak and peninsular Malaysia as Kuala Lumpur chases an "AI nation" goal by 2030.
SoftBank Group is planning about $50 billion in technology investments in Malaysia, with projects centered on artificial intelligence, new technology and data centers, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said. Anwar said Masayoshi Son identified sites in Kuching, Sarawak, and in peninsular Malaysia during a video conference earlier in the week. The move would deepen SoftBank’s AI infrastructure buildout in Southeast Asia as Malaysia tries to turn a data center boom into broader economic gains. The Malaysian Investment Development Authority says the country drew 385.7 billion ringgit, or about $94 billion, in data center-related investments from 2021 through the first half of 2026.