By June Ramli
Sydney, Nov 17: Global AI technology leader Groq has announced a major investment in Australia, committing $300 million to expand its cutting-edge AI infrastructure and launching its first AI inference data centre cluster at Equinix’s SY5 facility in Sydney.
The announcement was made at a high-profile event in Sydney, attended by federal Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy Dr. Andrew Charlton, Equinix executives, and industry leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region.
Jonathan Ross, CEO and founder of Groq, revealed that the company has already invested $50 million, with plans to ramp up to $300 million over the coming years, focusing on hardware and data center development. Ross stated, “So partnership, I believe we’ve already put about 50 million here. We’re going to do about 300 million in total, between hardware and what we’re spending on the data center, and that’s our current plan,” he told the media at Equinix today.
The move leverages Australia’s business-friendly environment, competitive power pricing, and strategic subsea cable connectivity—advantages which make the country an attractive hub for AI innovation and data infrastructure in the Asia Pacific.
In addition to fostering faster, more secure, and locally compliant AI workloads, the partnership aims to support Australian businesses in scaling up their AI capabilities and increase the region’s global competitiveness.
Government support remains a key driver for such technology investment.
Dr. Charlton emphasised Australia’s commitment to building an AI-ready economy, referencing the federal government’s $15 billion National Reconstruction Fund which supports digital infrastructure growth.
He praised the partnership as the kind of private investment that can strengthen Australia’s digital ecosystem, create jobs, and bolster national security.
Equinix President for Asia Pacific Cyrus Adagra added that the company is continually expanding its presence, including in Southeast Asian markets.
With Australia set to release its comprehensive AI plan later this year, continued investment from both government and industry partners is expected to keep the country at the forefront of AI and digital transformation.
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