US chip giant Nvidia Corp signed a partnership with Thai tech company SIAM.AI Co yesterday to build the country’s first “sovereign cloud.”

The deal was announced during a visit to Bangkok by Nvidia chief executive officer Jensen Huang (黃仁勳), during which he agreed to support the development of artificial intelligence (AI) in Thailand.

A “sovereign cloud” is the idea that a country, region or community would have control over its data — where it is stored, how it is accessed, and who oversees it.

Jensen Huang, CEO and founder of Nvidia, which makes chips used to train artificial intelligence technology, speaks with members of the media during the Siam.AI Cloud event in Bangkok yesterday.

Photo: AFP

Huang said that the data stored on Thailand’s sovereign cloud server could be used to power a local “AI ecosystem,” such as a generative AI chatbot fed by Thai data.

It came after Huang on Tuesday said that it would work with the Thai government to develop “world-class AI infrastructure” in the kingdom.

Yesterday, Huang added that Nvidia would partner with 40 Thai universities and over 50 start-ups so that local schools and enterprises “will have access to Thai AI.”

“The data of Thailand… it belongs to the Thai people… It is your natural resource,” he said.

According to data company OpenDataSoft, the sovereignty of the digital cloud “does a better job of protecting national interests by limiting third-party access to sensitive information.”

Huang said the sovereign cloud could also be applied in Thailand’s healthcare, agriculture, energy, digital and telecom sectors.

Nvidia, which makes specialized computer chips used for training AI models, has surpassed Apple Inc to become the highest-valued company in the world.

SIAM.AI is a cloud platform that offers virtual servers and data storage. Chief executive Ratanaphon Wongnapachant is reportedly related to former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who made an appearance at the event.

Last year, then-Thai prime minister Srettha Thavisin made a major push for investment from US tech giants during a trip to New York.

Thailand is Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy, but its tech sector has lagged behind Singapore and Indonesia.

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2024/12/05/2003827972