As part of their Digital Future Initiative, Google announced that it will invest $1 billion in Australia for the next five years.
Google’s largest investment in the country to date will include its first Australian research hub, as well as increased cloud capacity and partnerships with local organisations such as the CSIRO.
It is also expected to support over 6000 new direct jobs and more than 28,000 total jobs in Australia.
The Digital Future Initiative is said to focus on three key areas: building the country’s digital economy infrastructure, fostering local innovations, and partnering to solve local issues.
During the opening of Google’s new expanded office space in Sydney, Chief Executive Sundar Pichai said the &1 billion investment will help drive local companies’ digital transformations.
The investment will also help make research discoveries in AI and quantum computing, and advance solutions to Australian issues such as clean energy and reef health.
“We believe a strong digital future is one where everyone has access to technology and the skills to use it; where the internet economy fulfils its immense potential,” he said.
“Australia can help lead the world’s next wave of innovation, harnessing technology to improve lives, create jobs, and make progress.”
Google Australia Managing Director Mel Silva revealed that specific initiatives were already underway. This included AI solutions that will help CSIRO analyse underwater images of crown-of-thorn starfish and an expanded cloud capacity through a new cloud region in Melbourne.
Google Research Australia will contain a team of researchers and engineers to develop AI solutions. Meanwhile, outside collaborations will include a quantum computing partnership with Macquarie University.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the tech giant’s investment in the country was a vote of confidence in the Digital Economy Strategy. He also said that the investment would have a ripple effect across the economy.
“Entrepreneurship is what solves the world’s biggest problems. Not taxes and regulations. We have to embrace and encourage and enable those seeking these new digital opportunities,” the Prime Minister said.
“Today’s announcement by Google demonstrates that we are taking the right approach, and it recognises the digital leadership that is necessary for Australia to emerge as a top digital economy by 2030.”
The Prime Minister also stressed that there should be an effort towards making platforms safe by tackling issues like online extremism.
“We are not naive to the risks and to the challenges. Above all, we need to ensure that we apply the same rules to the digital world that exists in the real world,” he said.
CSIRO Chief Executive Larry Marshall said Google’s new initiatives would help make the scientific organisation’s solutions a reality.
“When industry innovates, Australia grows,” he said.
“CSIRO’s science makes life better for every Australian, and when amplified by Google’s technology it will catalyse collaborative projects across our entire national innovation system, driving opportunity for businesses of all sizes across every market.”
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald