Microsoft to Invest $50 Billion to Reduce Global AI Inequality, Announces President

New Delhi: At the ongoing AI India Impact Summit, major global technology initiatives were unveiled, focusing on expanding artificial intelligence adoption worldwide. Among the key announcements, Microsoft revealed plans to invest $50 billion by the end of the decade to reduce AI inequality between the Global North and Global South.

Bridging the Global AI Gap
Microsoft President Brad Smith and Chief Responsible AI Officer Natasha Crampton highlighted that AI adoption in the Global South is currently about half the pace of the Global North, and this gap continues to widen. They warned that without timely interventions, AI could exacerbate existing global economic inequalities.

Investment Focus Areas
The $50 billion commitment will be directed toward five key areas:

1. Digital infrastructure
2. Skilling programs
3. Multi-language AI development
4. Local innovation
5. AI adoption initiatives

In the previous fiscal year, Microsoft spent over $8 billion on data center infrastructure for the Global South, including India, Mexico, Africa, South America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. The company is also working to provide internet access to 250 million people, including 100 million in Africa, and has already reached 117 million people in Africa.

Digital Skilling Initiatives
In digital skilling, Microsoft invested over $2 billion last year. In India, after training 5.6 million people in 2025, the company aims to train 20 million by 2030 in AI-related skills. At the summit, Microsoft also launched the ‘Elevate for Educators’ program to empower 20 million teachers and 80 million students across over 200,000 institutions with AI capabilities.

Qualcomm to Boost AI Startup Ecosystem in India
In a parallel announcement, US chipmaker Qualcomm revealed a $150 million (~₹1,360 crore) investment to support India’s AI startup ecosystem. The fund will target startups across sectors, with a focus on automotive, IoT, robotics, and mobile AI solutions.

Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon said AI is entering a new era where intelligence will be embedded directly into smartphones, PCs, cars, and industrial machinery, driving innovation across industries. He emphasized that India’s startup ecosystem will play a key role in this AI-driven transformation.