Amazon eyes $33B AI and cloud push in Southeast Asia

Amazon plans to invest more than US$33 billion in cloud computing and Artificial Intelligence (AI) infrastructure across Southeast Asia by 2039, with Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand set to benefit from the expansion.

The company said the investments are expected to contribute more than US$64 billion to the combined gross domestic product of the four countries and support over 56,300 full-time equivalent jobs each year across the data centre supply chain once projects are fully operational.

The announcement highlights the growing importance of Southeast Asia as global technology firms increase spending on AI infrastructure and cloud services to meet rising demand from businesses, governments and consumers.

Cloud and AI expansion across four markets

Over the past three years, Amazon has announced a series of major infrastructure projects in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand through its cloud computing arm, Amazon Web Services (AWS).

The projects include the construction and expansion of data centres, cloud regions and AI-related infrastructure that support digital services, enterprise computing and machine learning applications.

Amazon said the investments would strengthen digital capabilities across Southeast Asia and support businesses using cloud-based technologies to expand operations and develop new services.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly known as ASEAN, is expected to become the world’s fourth-largest economy by 2030. The region’s digital economy is forecast to reach $560 billion during the same period, driven by rising internet penetration, e-commerce activity and digital financial services.

Amazon said the latest investments are designed to support this growth and improve access to cloud infrastructure for businesses and public sector organisations across the region.

Job creation linked to data centre supply chain

According to Amazon’s economic impact assessments, the planned investments are expected to create demand across sectors linked to the development and operation of data centres.

These include construction, engineering, telecommunications, energy supply, facility management and other support services connected to cloud infrastructure projects.

The company said more than 56,300 jobs are expected to be supported annually through the broader supply chain once the infrastructure projects are completed.

The investments are also expected to increase local spending on technology services and digital infrastructure as demand for AI applications continues to rise.

Training programmes expand digital skills

Amazon said it has trained more than 2.7 million people across Southeast Asia in cloud-related skills since 2017.

The training programmes cover cloud computing, digital technologies and technical skills linked to the growing use of AI and data-driven services.

The company said workforce development remains a key part of its regional strategy as businesses and governments increase adoption of digital technologies.

In 2025 alone, Amazon said it invested more than $3 billion across Southeast Asia through its businesses, including AWS, Stores, Global Selling, Devices and Entertainment operations. The figure includes spending on infrastructure projects and employee compensation.

Governments seen as key drivers of investment

David Zapolsky, Amazon’s Chief Global Affairs and Legal Officer, said governments across Southeast Asia had introduced policies and economic conditions that encouraged technology investment and digital growth.

He said the company’s long-term investment plans focused on building infrastructure, supporting workforce training and helping businesses compete globally through cloud and AI technologies.

Southeast Asia has become an increasingly competitive market for global cloud providers and AI companies as governments push digital transformation strategies and local businesses adopt advanced computing services.

Industry analysts expect investment in regional data centre capacity and AI infrastructure to continue rising over the next decade as demand for cloud services expands across banking, retail, manufacturing and public sector operations.