Asia’s cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) landscape is undergoing a dramatic transformation, as leading technology firms and policymakers across the region make bold moves to secure their digital futures. From Malaysia’s record-breaking cloud infrastructure investments to South Korea’s edutech alliances and Taiwan’s urgent call for a national AI strategy, the race to harness next-generation technologies is accelerating—and the stakes have never been higher.
In Malaysia, Amazon Web Services (AWS) is doubling down on its commitment, brushing off concerns about US tariffs and short-term trade fluctuations. “Our infrastructure strategy is built around long-term customer needs, not short-term market shifts,” Jeff Johnson, AWS managing director for Asean, told SunBiz. He emphasized that AWS’s pricing philosophy is to “relentlessly drive efficiencies” in its own operations and pass those savings to customers. Since its launch in 2006, AWS has reduced prices 151 times as of November 14, 2024—a testament to its global scale and supply chain muscle.
The numbers behind AWS’s Malaysia push are staggering. The company has pledged a US$6.2 billion (RM29.2 billion) infrastructure investment through 2038, marking the largest international digital infrastructure commitment in the country’s history. This investment, Johnson noted, is expected to contribute RM57.3 billion to Malaysia’s gross domestic product (GDP) and create more than 3,500 direct jobs. “Our investment through 2038 positions the country as a digital innovation leader in Southeast Asia,” he said.
But it’s not just about pouring money into hardware. AWS’s Asia Pacific (Malaysia) Region now provides low-latency access to cloud services and ensures in-country data residency—an increasingly vital requirement for regulated sectors. Aligning with Malaysia’s sustainability ambitions, AWS has also pledged to operate on 100% renewable energy and become water positive by 2030. This green commitment dovetails with broader efforts to ensure that the region’s digital leap doesn’t come at the planet’s expense.
One of the most exciting frontiers for AWS in Malaysia is AI. As the company celebrates the first anniversary of its Asia Pacific (Malaysia) Region, it’s spotlighting its support for local businesses building and deploying AI solutions. Amazon SageMaker, for instance, is now available in the region, making it easier for organizations to build, train, and deploy machine learning models. “AI is the biggest opportunity since cloud computing and possibly since the advent of the internet,” Johnson remarked.
He pointed to MaLLaM, a Malay-language model developed by local startup Mesolitica, as a standout example. MaLLaM understands not only standard Bahasa Melayu but also 16 regional dialects—a level of cultural fluency that’s crucial in a region where over 2,300 languages are spoken. “This kind of cultural fluency in artificial intelligence is critical,” Johnson said, highlighting the vast potential for AI tailored to Asia’s linguistic diversity.
Startups, in Johnson’s view, are the lifeblood of AWS’s long-term strategy. “We take a long-term view by empowering startups at their earliest stages, providing not just technology but also mentorship, go-to-market support, and connections to our vast AWS Partner Network,” he explained. Through initiatives like AWS Activate, which offers free cloud credits, technical guidance, and training, AWS is nurturing what it calls “tomorrow’s Fortune 500s.” The company’s philosophy is simple but powerful: by supporting startups from day one, they create a “powerful flywheel” of innovation, feedback, and growth.
Real-world impact is already evident. Grab, the Southeast Asian super-app, powers most of its operations—across mobility, deliveries, and financial services—using AWS. Its machine learning model platform, Catwalk, has deployed over 1,000 AI models for route guidance, pricing, and personalized experiences. As Johnson put it, “The cloud has fundamentally changed the economics of innovation.” Businesses can now test ideas, fail fast, and only pay for what they use, democratizing innovation in a way that was unthinkable just a decade ago.
To further accelerate AI adoption, AWS has launched Generative AI Innovation Centres and Prototyping and Cloud Engineering teams, which Johnson describes as “collaborative sandboxes” for businesses to co-develop prototypes. A recent addition, AgentCore, is designed to help smaller enterprises deploy AI agents without specialized expertise, handling complex technical aspects like security and system connections. “It handles the complex technical pieces—security, system connections, reliability—so good ideas don’t get stuck in the prototype phase just because implementation is too complicated,” Johnson explained.
Meanwhile, in Seoul, NHN Cloud is making its own strategic moves to cement Asia’s position as a global edutech powerhouse. On September 19, 2025, the company participated in the Asia Edutech Conference 2025 at COEX, a key side event of the Edutech Korea Fair hosted by South Korea’s Ministry of Education, Ministry of Science and ICT, and Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Themed “Connecting Asia, Strengthening Education,” the conference brought together leaders to share the latest edutech case studies, business strategies, and global networking opportunities.
NHN Cloud’s ambitions go beyond borders. The company has inked a business agreement with Netlearning, Japan’s largest e-learning firm and chair of the Asia Edutech Summit, to cooperate on AI cloud infrastructure for education and lay the groundwork for joint entry into global markets. Kim Dong-hoon, CEO of NHN Cloud, struck a visionary note at the opening ceremony: “At a time when the entire education industry is transforming into digital, we will be a partner in creating educational innovation by providing artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure and solutions to educational institutions and companies at the same time based on cloud technology.”
Park Hyung-gun, chief of NHN Cloud’s Business Proposal Office, expanded on this in a presentation outlining the company’s AI Infrastructure Strategy for Edutech. Participation in the conference, NHN Cloud officials believe, will boost the company’s profile in the edutech sector and foster deeper cooperation with Asia Edutech Summit member countries. “We will continue to contribute to the digital transformation of education in Asia by expanding partnerships with global Edutech companies,” an NHN Cloud spokesperson said.
Across the Taiwan Strait, urgency is mounting for a more coordinated approach. On September 22, 2025, Taiwan’s tech leaders, led by Acer founder Shih Chen-jung, called on the government to launch a national plan to drive AI autonomous vehicle development. At a high-level meeting, research fellows from the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) outlined a three-pronged approach: target key technologies, build a global-scale ecosystem, and reinforce infrastructure. They recommended focusing on sectors where Taiwan already excels, such as manufacturing and healthcare, while fostering cross-industry and international collaboration.
Infrastructure, as always, looms large. Proposals included improving K–12 education and workforce training, deploying smart microgrids for greater efficiency, and ensuring stable, diversified energy supplies. Participants advocated for a 10-year national plan with clear goals and sovereign fund backing, urging ITRI to act as a central integrator linking government, academia, and industry. The message was clear: without robust strategy and investment, Taiwan risks falling behind in the AI arms race.
From Malaysia to South Korea to Taiwan, the message is unmistakable: Asia’s digital future depends on visionary investment, cross-border collaboration, and a willingness to embrace rapid change. As new alliances form and national strategies take shape, the region is poised to become a global leader in cloud, AI, and digital education—if it can rise to the challenge.
