A groundbreaking movement is underway on the global AI map. Temasek Holdings, Microsoft, and BlackRock have joined forces to launch a $30 billion strategic alliance with an ambitious goal: to build state-of-the-art data centers optimized for AI in historically underserved regions such as Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
Known internally as MGX, the project aims not only to install cutting-edge technological infrastructure but also to reshape the geopolitical landscape of digital development. With this initiative, each of the three giants—each playing a key role—seeks to democratize access to high-performance computing and promote digital sovereignty in emerging markets.
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A global power triad
Temasek Holdings, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, brings government capital with in-depth knowledge of Asian and African markets. Its portfolio exceeds $300 billion.
Microsoft, a worldwide leader in cloud computing and AI, contributes its Azure infrastructure, proprietary technologies such as Azure Maia and Cobalt chips, and its close collaboration with OpenAI.
BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager with $10 trillion under management, ensures long-term financial viability and designs investment structures for critical infrastructure.
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The AI infrastructure gap in the Global South
The concentration of AI infrastructure in North America, Europe, and China has created significant gaps:
– High latency for users outside major hubs.
– Lack of access to training platforms for local startups and universities.
– Data sovereignty risks due to reliance on foreign clouds.
MGX’s plan envisions 14 hyperscale campuses in key locations such as Jakarta (Indonesia), Nairobi (Kenya), Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Mumbai (India), and Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam), with capacities ranging from 200 to 500 MW, powered by renewable energy sources and designed from scratch for intensive AI workloads like multimodal models, quantum simulations, or advanced robotics.
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Data centers designed for generative AI
Unlike traditional centers, MGX campuses will feature:
– Liquid infrastructure with racks exceeding 40 kW and direct chip cooling.
– Green energy, with solar and geothermal parks on site.
– Deep connectivity with Azure, enabling clusters specific to GPT, Copilot, and DALL·E.
– On-site semiconductor manufacturing capabilities, including local microfoundries in Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.
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A race against time in the AI boom
The opportunity is clear. Industry estimates project global demand for AI servers will grow sevenfold by 2028. Additionally, more than 40 countries will impose cloud sovereignty requirements for AI before 2026.
The time is now. MGX anticipates a regulatory wave demanding AI models and data to be hosted within national borders, and it holds a strategic advantage:
– Political alignment with regional organizations like ASEAN and the African Union.
– Vertical control over the tech supply chain.
– Edge computing advantage for smart cities, defense, and telecommunications.
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Where is the money going?
The investment plan is divided into three blocks:
| Area | Estimated Investment | Destination |
|—————————|————————|—————————————————————-|
| Basic infrastructure | $18 billion USD | Building 14 campuses, land acquisition, and network connectivity |
| R&D and training | $6 billion USD | Research centers, university collaborations, open-source model development |
| AI capital fund | $6 billion USD | Startup accelerators, free computing credits, GPU leasing platform (“NeuronGrid”) |
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Regional case: Jakarta as the new Southeast Asian hub
Jakarta will host the first MGX campus, operational by 2026, with a capacity of 480 MW, serving as a pilot for other regions. The campus will include:
– Large language models trained in Bahasa and local dialects.
– Free computing credits for startups.
– Creation of 12,000 construction jobs and 2,000 permanent roles.
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Reshaping the global digital power balance
For many analysts, this alliance is more than just a technological or real estate project; it’s a statement of intent: AI can no longer remain a privilege of the Global North. There’s a need for a new layer of infrastructure that combines scalability, sovereignty, and equitable access.
As Satya Nadella recently stated: “AI should not have a passport.” Through MGX, Microsoft, Temasek, and BlackRock aim to make that a reality.
Now, the epicenter of AI could shift from Silicon Valley to places like Nairobi, Jakarta, or Mumbai.
💥 Temasek, Microsoft, and BlackRock launch Project MGX, a $30B alliance to build AI-first data centers in Asia, Africa & the Middle East.
⚙️ 14 hyperscale campuses
🌍 Local compute for the Global South#AI #DataCenters #Cloudhttps://t.co/mdsWtc7cE4— Datacenters.com (@datacenterscom) July 9, 2025