Tech Firms Pour Billions Into Malaysia AI Data Centers as 35 Million-Person Nation Bridges U.S.-China Split
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Oct 30
Tech Firms Pour Billions Into Malaysia AI Data Centers as 35 Million-Person Nation Bridges U.S.-China Split
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Oct 30
Summary
More than 15 cranes now loom over a 100-acre site in southern Malaysia, where DayOne is building a major data center complex for the AI boom.
Cheap land, relatively low electricity costs and proximity to undersea cables have made Malaysia a magnet for tech investment and a regional base for serving China and global traffic.
Nvidia AI chips restricted from direct shipment to China can still be accessed by Chinese companies through overseas data centers, helping drive projects tied to firms such as ByteDance.
Malaysia’s openness to both U.S. and Chinese business has turned it into an unusual geopolitical middle ground, even as the buildout strains power and water supplies and draws U.S. scrutiny.