Photo taken on Nov. 13, 2021 shows the logo of Microsoft in London, Britain. (Photo by Tim Ireland/Xinhua)

KUALA LUMPUR -- Microsoft announced on Thursday that it will invest 2.2 billion U.S. dollars over the coming four years in Malaysia to fuel Malaysia's cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) transformation.

The investment is expected to generate large amounts of AI training opportunities and build cloud and associated infrastructure in Malaysia, the company said in a statement following the launch of the AI National Leadership Forum here.

Tourists overlook the Malacca Strait on the St. Paul's Hill in Malacca, Malaysia, Sept. 18, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhu Wei)

"The investment demonstrates Microsoft's commitment to developing Malaysia as a hub for cloud computing and related advanced technologies, including generative AI. This will support the nation's productivity, competitiveness, resilience, and economic growth," it said.

Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella reiterated the company's commitment to supporting Malaysia's AI transformation, assuring that the investments will benefit a broad range of Malaysians.