Ooredoo Group has launched the Zankore AI compute platform, a new infrastructure play that targets 1 gigawatt of capacity across Southeast Asia. The move signals the company's pivot from telecom operator to AI compute provider and highlights the region's growing pull in the global AI race.
A 1 GW ambition for AI workloads
The Zankore platform is designed to supply massive computing power for artificial intelligence applications. Ooredoo's 1 GW target would put it among the larger AI compute projects in Southeast Asia, a region where demand for data-center capacity is surging as cloud giants and startups alike race to train and deploy models. The company has not specified which countries or data-center sites will host the capacity first, nor has it given a timeline for reaching the 1 GW goal.
Southeast Asia's role in the AI race
Southeast Asia is emerging as a key battleground for AI infrastructure. Countries like Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia are attracting billions in data-center investments from hyperscalers and colocation providers. Ooredoo's entry with a dedicated AI compute platform adds a new player to the mix, one that already operates telecom networks across the region. The company's existing fiber and mobile assets could give it an edge in connecting AI workloads to end users.
From telecom to AI infrastructure
Ooredoo has long been known as a mobile and fixed-line operator in markets such as Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Myanmar. The Zankore launch marks a strategic shift: the company is now positioning itself as an infrastructure provider for the AI economy, not just a conduit for consumer and business connectivity. That transformation mirrors moves by other telecoms globally, but Ooredoo's focus on Southeast Asia — rather than its home Middle East — is notable. The platform's name, Zankore, suggests a new brand identity for this compute business.
Ooredoo has not yet disclosed which Southeast Asian markets will be first to receive the service or a specific rollout schedule. The company also hasn't detailed the technology partners or chip suppliers behind the platform. Those details will likely determine how quickly it can turn the 1 GW target into live capacity.
