Google investment in Singapore reaches $5b with new data center

Expanded Google data center and cloud region campus in Singapore / Photo credit: Google

Google has completed its new Singapore data center and expanded its cloud region campus, taking its total investment in the city-state to US$5 billion from US$850 million in 2018.

Currently, more than 500 people work in Google’s Singapore data centers, which support digital services like Google Search, Google Maps, and Google Workspace. The tech behemoth runs data centers in 11 countries, including Singapore.

The tech giant’s Singapore cloud region caters to clients from startups to public-sector bodies. This expansion is in response to the increasing local and international demand for cloud services.

A Google-funded study suggests that by fully adopting AI-powered products, Singaporean businesses could see US$147.6 billion worth of economic benefits – which include cost savings and revenue increments – by 2030.

Additionally, Google said its Singapore data centers use recycled water for their cooling systems, and are equipped with water usage monitoring systems that can prevent waste.

“Google continues to focus on reducing our environmental impact, advocating for a fair climate transition, and pushing for a global shift to a net-zero future,” Kate Brandt, the firm’s chief sustainability officer, said in a statement.

Google had recently announced an investment of US$2 billion in Malaysia’s tech sector. The company also partnered with AI Singapore to better train large language models in Southeast Asian languages.

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