Google today unveiled its plan for responsible digital infrastructure development in Malaysia, including an investment of US$15 billion over the next two years (2027 to 2028). Announced in the presence of YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, Google’s integrated plan delivers energy-efficient data center campuses in industrial zones and new collaborations to upskill approximately 800,000 Malaysians by 2031, bolster local water security, and add more than 1 gigawatt (GW) of clean energy capacity to Malaysia’s National Grid.
The latest investment builds on Google’s more than 15-year presence in Malaysia and expands on the company’s digital infrastructure investment announced in 2024. Since opening its first local office in 2011, Google has helped shape and grow the nation’s digital ecosystem through successive skilling initiatives and products tailored to local needs. Today, Malaysia is one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic digital economies, driven by 99% internet penetration and rapid AI adoption across government agencies, businesses, and consumers.
To support Malaysia’s next phase of growth and meet rising local demand, Google’s in-country infrastructure will provide the world-class computing capacity needed to run homegrown, next-generation digital and AI applications. It will also power Google services—such as Search, Maps, and Chrome—used daily by millions of people and organizations across Malaysia and the Asia-Pacific region. This footprint includes Google’s first data center campus in Elmina Business Park, Selangor—which is now operational—and new, planned campuses in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan.
In addition, Google’s computing capacity in Selangor will support its upcoming Google Cloud region in Malaysia for enterprise customers. Google Cloud’s full-stack capabilities enable organizations like AEON360, AirAsia, Bank Muamalat Malaysia Berhad, Gamuda, Hong Leong Bank, Maxis, the Selangor Technical Skills Development Centre, the Ministry of Digital, and the Ministry of Higher Education to accelerate their delivery of secure, high-performance, low-latency services and to develop and scale advanced, custom AI solutions.
Ruth Porat, President and Chief Investment Officer, Alphabet and Google, said: “Google is committed to growing our presence responsibly, delivering lasting value for Malaysia’s economy and people. This investment aligns with Malaysia’s development priorities—providing the foundational computing capacity to deliver the upside of innovation across the country while adding local power and water resources as our operations scale. At the community level, Google is proud to partner with local suppliers to expand their expertise and to equip workers, students, and entrepreneurs with in-demand skills, enabling Malaysians to capture the new opportunities unlocked by this computing capacity.”
YB Gobind Singh Deo, Minister of Digital, said: “Google’s comprehensive blueprint sets a high standard for sustainable, high-impact digital infrastructure development in Malaysia. Guided by the Malaysia MADANI framework and the Malaysia Digital 2030 Action Plan, our goal is to cultivate an ecosystem that strengthens Malaysia’s technological capabilities, protects public resources, and empowers our people. Through its commitment to clean energy and water resilience, alongside deep partnerships with Malaysian institutions and enterprises, Google is helping to anchor a high-value digital economy where local businesses, workers, and communities directly benefit from the transformative potential of AI and digital innovation.”
Fueling economic growth and long-term job creation
Google is working with a domestic supply chain of more than 80 Malaysian entities to develop and operate its infrastructure in the country, spanning construction and civil engineering; network infrastructure; power and cooling system components; and services like logistics, legal, catering, and waste management. This collaboration will continue over the data centers’ multi-decade operational lifecycle, enabling these suppliers to build on their proven strengths and move up the value chain—both locally and globally—creating skilled jobs and driving sustained growth in their respective sectors.
The construction phase of Google’s new campuses (2027 to 2028) is expected to contribute an annual average of US$1.1 billion to Malaysia’s GDP and support more than 37,000 local jobs per year, generating US$378 million in average annual labor income. Approximately 6,000 of these jobs are estimated to be in construction.
Once operational, the facilities are projected to sustain more than 9,000 local jobs per year, with wages averaging 45% above the national median. This includes long-term, on-site specialist roles—such as data center technicians, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, logistics operations managers, and physical security managers—as well as contractor roles with local suppliers and workers at the shops, restaurants, and amenities patronized by these employees and their families.
Google has already established a full local on-site team for its operations at Elmina Business Park and is actively recruiting local technical and facilities management talent for its other planned campuses.
Workforce development to help Malaysians capture new opportunities
Beyond direct hiring, Google is expanding Malaysia’s broader talent pipeline so local communities can benefit from the growth driven by its infrastructure. Today, the company announced four new programs aimed at upskilling 800,000 Malaysians over the next five years (2027 to 2031), focusing on educators and youth, microentrepreneurs, civil servants, and vocational jobseekers, starting with communities in the states that host its campuses:
- Experience AI Malaysia: A collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Penang Science Cluster, and the Raspberry Pi Foundation to help advance AI literacy in classrooms nationwide by certifying educators to teach students aged 11 to 14 each year. With a curriculum focused on hands-on learning, the program will equip students with critical thinking skills to direct AI in active problem-solving and evaluate its outputs.
- Jelajah AI MSME: A collaboration with Pepper Labs to help grassroots businesses develop practical digital assets, such as searchable online business profiles and digital storefronts, to reach customers beyond their neighborhoods. Backed by Pepper Labs’ experience delivering digital and AI skills training at Pusat Sebaran Maklumat Nasional (NADI) centers, the program will run hands-on clinics for a pilot cohort of microentrepreneurs across Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, before scaling to serve participants annually nationwide.
- Anjakan Kemahiran AI Demi Rakyat (AKAD Rakyat): A collaboration with Arus Academy to equip council officers and constituency members with AI literacy skills and productivity tools annually, targeting 19 local government councils (Pihak Berkuasa Tempatan) in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan. The program will also appoint dedicated AI champions within these councils to modernize workflows, helping frontline staff automate routine paperwork and deliver more responsive public services.
- Data Center Institutes (DCIs): Google plans to establish DCIs in selected polytechnics in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan. Starting in 2027, this initiative aims to train and place local Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) jobseekers for data center deployment and operations roles. It will deliver a 10-week curriculum led by industry experts—featuring practical training with a physical data center simulator provided by Google—to prepare candidates for on-site roles at hyperscale facilities.
The new programs complement Google’s existing efforts to invest directly in communities in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan. These include Future Skills 4 All with UNICEF Malaysia, CelcomDigi, the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, and Arus Academy, which offers coding lessons to students, paving the way for higher education in technology disciplines, and Pathway to Prosperity with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research and the Selangor Human Resource Development Centre to equip early- and mid-career professionals in Selangor with skills in data center operations.
Earlier this week, Google also announced new education and training initiatives with SOLS Foundation to establish Solar and Energy Labs in local public schools and equip youth from lower-income backgrounds and Indigenous communities to enter skilled trades in clean energy.
More can be found on this and other Google initiatives here.
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