{
  "id": 3637349,
  "title": "Beyond the cloud: Why ASEAN’s second digital wave runs on megawatts, not software",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/27/beyond-the-cloud-why-aseans-second-digital-wave-runs-on-megawatts-not",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-27T01:45:36.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "e27",
    "slug": "e27",
    "url": "https://e27.co/beyond-the-cloud-why-aseans-second-digital-wave-runs-on-megawatts-not-software-20260825/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The digital revolution in Southeast Asia is not just about software and cloud services, but also about megawatts of electricity. This shift towards a decentralized power network is being driven by the increasing demand for artificial intelligence and the limitations of traditional power sources. Johor, a state in Malaysia, has become a hotspot for data centers, absorbing billions of dollars in investments and facing challenges related to energy consumption and grid delivery. The region's leaders are now recognizing the need for high-voltage connections and on-site substations to support the growing energy demands of digital infrastructure.",
  "summary": "It didn’t happen in a corporate boardroom or across a venture capital table. It happened late at night, sitting completely alone at a corner table of a cafe in Johor City Centre, staring down at a cold plate of dinner. Dangling right in front of my face was a string of Christmas-style lights, arranged in […] The post Beyond the cloud: Why ASEAN’s second digital wave runs on megawatts, not…",
  "key_points": [
    "ASEAN's digital shift focuses on megawatts, not just software",
    "Johor, Malaysia, hotspot for data centers with billion-dollar investments",
    "Energy demand for digital infrastructure drives need for high-voltage connections"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Southeast Asia's digital growth now hinges on reliable and robust power infrastructure, shifting focus from software and cloud services to meeting the energy-intensive needs of emerging technologies.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}