Microsoft and Amazon Web Services (AWS) have committed a total of $17.9 billion to bolster the advancement of AI technology in Japan, in accordance with a bilateral agreement between the United States and Japan unveiled on April 10.

Microsoft's investment of $2.9 billion over the forthcoming two years in Japan will primarily focus on bolstering artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and data center infrastructure. Additionally, a portion of the funds will be allocated to train 3 million individuals through digital skills programs, establish a Microsoft Research Lab in Japan, and foster collaborative cybersecurity initiatives between the two nations.

Separately, AWS has pledged $15 billion in Japan by the year 2027 to fortify cloud infrastructure, particularly to support AI-related services and other digital advancements.

The collaboration between the US and Japan extends beyond financial commitments, encompassing resource partnerships and academic research initiatives. NVIDIA, Google, and Microsoft have pledged computational resources to Japanese entities engaged in AI research and development.

Furthermore, the partnership includes a $110 million academic research collaboration involving universities such as the University of Washington, the University of Tsukuba, Carnegie Mellon University, and Keio University. This initiative aims to advance AI research and development, building upon existing partnerships and research endeavors in quantum computing.

In addition to fostering AI innovation, the agreement between the US and Japan also addresses AI safety concerns. The two countries plan to enhance transparency in government content creation, support AI Safety Institutes, and collaborate on the development of safety standards, aligning their policy frameworks to ensure compatibility in AI governance.