Malaysian utility firm YTL Power International Berhad (YTL) has on Friday announced a collaboration with United States chip manufacturer NVIDIA to build artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure that will bring the fastest supercomputers to Malaysia by the middle of 2024.
YTL said in a statement that the firm will deploy NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs, which power today’s most advanced AI data centers, and use NVIDIA AI Enterprise software to streamline production AI.
It is noted that NVIDIA AI Enterprise includes NVIDIA NeMo, an end-to-end, cloud-native framework for building, customizing, and deploying generative AI models from anywhere.
It is also noted that NVIDIA H100 GPUs deliver industry-leading generative AI and can speed up large language models (LLMs) by an incredible 30 times compared with the previous-generation GPUs.
According to the statement, the AI infrastructure will be hosted in the YTL Green Data Center Park in Kulai, Johor (Southern region of Malaysia), a 500 MW facility developed by YTL that will be uniquely powered by an equivalent amount of on-site solar energy.
YTL Communications Sdn Bhd, the telecommunications subsidiary of YTL, will own and manage the AI infrastructure that will provide AI computing services to the nation.
It is learnt that YTL Communications owns and operates a national mobile network and was the first to offer 4G and 5G services in the country under its “Yes” brand.
According to the statement, the AI infrastructure will provide the foundation for scientific research and the development of solutions and applications that will accelerate Malaysia’s progress towards becoming an AI nation.
YTL will not only provide green, energy-efficient AI infrastructure to scientists, developers, and startups across the nation, it will also create AI-specific applications and services for its customers.
YTL also plans to use NVIDIA NeMo to customise and deploy a Malay language foundation model that will be sensitive to Malaysia’s multi-cultural heritage.
The YTL Group’s deep experience and expertise in infrastructure development will enable the rapid rollout of AI data centers, with the first phase expected to be operational by mid-2024.
“This collaboration with NVIDIA comes at an opportune time. In the 12 months since the launch of ChatGPT, we have seen how AI is changing the way we work, live, and learn,
“Having our own supercomputing infrastructure and the ability to train talent locally will accelerate Malaysia’s advancement towards being a top AI nation,” said Yeoh Seok Hong, Managing Director of YTL Power International.
According to him, this will be the foundation for a digital economy powered by innovative solutions and applications built on the firm’s very own sovereign large language model (LLM).
“This collaboration with NVIDIA is poised to bring many benefits to the nation. Our green data centers and low energy solutions are an ideal fit to be used with their high-performance supercomputers,
“We are excited to begin this journey to bring our nation to the forefront of AI development,” he added.
Raymond Teh, Senior Vice President of the Asia-Pacific region at NVIDIA, said that Malaysia is embracing AI to enhance jobs, drive competitiveness, and supercharge innovation.
“This collaboration will help deliver advanced AI computing infrastructure to enable Malaysia to build its own LLMs and power the country’s next wave of generative AI applications,” he added.
Zafrul Abdul Aziz, Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti), said that by offering supercomputing cloud services and leveraging AI to power innovations, such partnerships enhance Malaysia’s economic complexity, paving the way for the country to become a high technology and high-income nation while further positioning Malaysia as a top investment destination.
“We welcome partnerships such as the one between YTL and NVIDIA, exactly the kind of strategic collaborations targeted by our New Industrial Master Plan 2030,” he added.
Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) Chief Executive Officer Arham Abdul Rahman also applauds the unwavering commitment of YTL to embrace and invest in cutting-edge technology, through partnership with NVIDIA.
“In an era fuelled by technological advancements, it is truly commendable to witness YTL’s pivotal role in developing a robust data infrastructure,
“This initiative not only underscores YTL’s dedication to innovation, but more importantly, contributes towards advancing our local business ecosystem technologically,” he added.
YTL is an international multi-utility infrastructure developer listed on the main board of Bursa Malaysia.
In addition to its physical infrastructure assets, YTL is developing a new generation of digital infrastructure underpinned by its subsidiary YTL Data Centers which is developing 500MW of hyperscale data center capacity on a 1,640 acre site in Johor, the first data center park in Malaysia to be powered by adjacent on-site solar energy.
YTL is also involved in mobile communications and internet-based services through YTL Communications Sdn Bhd – the operator of the “Yes” telecommunications platform.
In March 2023, Yes along with Nvidia, launched Nvidia’s GeForce NOW cloud gaming service to its customers.
YTL alongside its partner Sea Ltd. was granted a digital banking licence by Bank Negara Malaysia in April 2022. This digital bank is expected to be operational in 2024.
YTL owns Wessex Water Limited, a water and sewerage provider in the United Kingdom, and YTL PowerSeraya Pte Limited, Singapore’s second largest power producer with a total licensed capacity of 3,100 MW.
YTL’s projects under development include the development of Brabazon, Bristol, a mixed use residential and commercial property project in the United Kingdom.
