Microsoft (MSFT) Stock: The $50 Billion Plan to Bring AI to the Developing World

TLDR

• Microsoft is on pace to invest $50 billion in AI across the ‘Global South’ by the end of the decade.
• The announcement was made at the AI Action Summit in New Delhi on Wednesday.
• The Global South covers developing and lower-income countries, mostly in the southern hemisphere.
• Microsoft committed $17.5 billion in AI investments in India last year.
• MSFT stock closed at $396.86, down 1.11%, on February 17.

Microsoft (MSFT) stock closed at $396.86 on February 17, down 1.11%, as the company announced plans to invest $50 billion in AI infrastructure across the ‘Global South’ by the end of the decade.

Microsoft Corporation, MSFT

The news broke at the AI Action Summit in New Delhi on Wednesday, where top executives from global tech companies met with several world leaders.

The ‘Global South’ refers to developing, emerging, and lower-income countries, mostly located in the southern hemisphere.

Microsoft said it is “on pace” to hit the $50 billion target but did not provide a detailed breakdown of how funds will be allocated across specific countries or regions.

India Already in Focus

India has been a major part of Microsoft’s AI expansion. Last year, the company committed $17.5 billion to AI investments there, one of its largest single-market commitments to date.

India’s fast-growing digital economy has made it a priority for Microsoft as it looks to build out data center and AI capacity in emerging markets.

The New Delhi summit made clear that India remains central to this strategy, even as Microsoft broadens its focus to the wider Global South.

Part of a Bigger Spending Push

The $50 billion Global South commitment sits alongside Microsoft’s wider global AI spending, which has run into the hundreds of billions across multiple regions in recent years.

Microsoft has been aggressively building out AI infrastructure worldwide, and this announcement extends that strategy into markets that have historically had less access to advanced technology.

No new individual country deals were announced at the New Delhi summit beyond the overall $50 billion target.

Stock Reaction

MSFT stock dipped 1.11% to close at $396.86 on February 17. Pre-market trading on February 18 showed a partial recovery, with shares edging up 0.68% to around $399.54 ahead of the open.

Microsoft confirmed the Global South investment is on track for delivery by the end of the decade, with the $17.5 billion India commitment from last year likely forming part of the broader total.

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