Google has announced plans to open its second data center in Latin America, located in the Uruguayan city of Canelones, with an investment of $850 million.
Google is investing over $850 million in a new data center to enhance regional connectivity, support the growth of governments, businesses, and communities, and meet the rising demand for artificial intelligence (AI).
This initiative underscores the tech giant’s dedication to creating opportunities through digital skills training, enhancing infrastructure to spur economic growth, and advancing a more sustainable future in the region.
‘We hope our new data center in Canelones will be a significant contribution to the professional and technological development of Uruguay and the entire region,’ Google stated in a blog post.
The tech giant’s first data center in Latin America was set up in Quilicura, near Santiago, in 2015 with an initial investment of $150 million, followed by an additional $140 million in 2018 for expansion.
Since entering Latin America, Google has invested in infrastructure to enhance connectivity and access to digital services like Search, Gmail, YouTube, and Google Cloud. Key investments include subsea cables (Firmina, Tannat, Curie, Humboldt) and Google Cloud regions in São Paulo, Santiago, and soon Querétaro, Mexico.
The company is also collaborating with 550 universities across the region, including Universidad Tecnológica (UTEC) and Universidad de Montevideo (UM), to integrate technology content into courses and enhance students’ digital skills. Over the past 18 months, Google has awarded more than 35,000 digital skill badges to students and developers in Latin America.