Converge, Supermicro team up for AI, cloud at data centers

Converge ICT Solutions Inc. is tapping the expertise of American tech giant Super Micro Computer Inc. in equipping its three data centers—which are all set to start construction this year—with artificial intelligence (AI) to modernize operations.

On Wednesday, the broadband service provider announced it had inked a memorandum of understanding with the Nasdaq-listed information technology company to provide AI and cloud solutions, among others, for its data hubs in Pampanga, Laguna and Caloocan.

The parties have identified smart manufacturing and machine learning, among others, as potential AI use cases.

READ: Data center boom cues PH as tech hub

“Supermicro’s servers provide exceptional AI computing capabilities and intensive deep learning tasks that will allow us to support and deploy many AI applications,” said Converge CEO and cofounder Dennis Anthony Uy.

Using AI tools is expected to translate to economic benefits for companies. A study by public policy consultancy firm Access Partnership and Google noted that Philippine companies deploying AI tools in their daily operations would generate P2.8 trillion worth of revenues and cost savings in 2030.

Based on the memorandum of understanding, Converge will also install Supermicro’s liquid cooling solution in its servers to reduce energy consumption by up to 40 percent. This will not only result in less environmental impact but will also cut operational expenses.

“We want to maintain our data center’s energy efficiency, so this is geared towards that,” Uy said.

Along with its data center investments, the company also aims to complete by early next year the Bifrost Cable System and the South-East Asia Hainan-Hong Kong Express Cable System (SEA-H2X).

The 15,000-kilometer Bifrost project will connect the Philippines to Singapore, Indonesia, Guam and the west coast of North America. It has a design capacity of up to 15 terabits per second (Tbps).

The 5,000-km SEA-H2X project, which has a design capacity of 160 Tbps, covers the Philippines, Hong Kong, China, Thailand, East Malaysia and Singapore.

In addition, it is currently working on its second joint fiber optic network project with Globe Telecom Inc. The 209-km fiber project, which links Tacloban and Maasin via Baybay in Leyte, is set to be completed by the third quarter of this year.