Microsoft Announces Bold A$5b Australian Cloud and MACS Cybersecurity Investment
(25 October 2023 - Australia) Microsoft is planning to invest A$5 billion into cloud infrastructure and release a new Microsoft-Australian Signals Directorate Cyber Shield (MACS) initiative.
The funding is tabled to support artificial intelligence development, expanding 20 data centre sites to 29.
Microsoft declares the funding slated over the next two years as the “single largest investment in its 40-year history in the country" and claims that the fresh funding injection will enable an approximately 250 percent increase in its computing capacity in that time period.
The company also announced it will work with the Australian Signals Directorate on an initiative called the Microsoft-Australian Signals Directorate Cyber Shield (MACS), seeking to enhance protection from cyber threats for Australian residents, businesses and government entities.
“The collaboration will enhance the government and Microsoft’s joint capability to identify, prevent and respond to cyber threats. MACS will include the evolution of national threat intelligence sharing capabilities, with a focus on detecting, analysing and defending against sophisticated nation-state cyber threats" the two organisations said in a statement.
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