BEIJING, April 22 — Fang Lei, chairman of Chinese AI infrastructure firm DataCanvas, on Tuesday launched the AI Prometheus initiative, a program aimed at strengthening artificial intelligence infrastructure across the Global South, at the 3rd High-Level Conference of the Forum on Global Action for Shared Development in Beijing.
Speaking at the forum, Fang said the initiative focuses on three areas: building resilient computing infrastructure, developing local AI talent, and deploying plug-and-play AI “super pods” to accelerate adoption in developing economies.
As AI drives a new wave of technological change, computing power has become the foundation of intelligence, Fang said, noting that a global shortage of computing capacity and rising prices have posed challenges for many countries in the Global South, where large-scale infrastructure remains limited.
To address this, DataCanvas plans to expand overseas with partners to build low-cost, energy-efficient computing systems that convert local green energy into stable computing power through power–compute integration technologies, he said.
The company will also replicate its domestic collaboration model abroad by offering computing discounts, project funding, and developer support to help local researchers and companies turn AI technologies into commercial applications. DataCanvas has already partnered with Indonesia’s Telkom to build a localized intelligent computing cloud, Fang said.
In addition, DataCanvas will deploy modular AI “super pods” that integrate hardware and software, cutting data center construction timelines from years to months and lowering technical barriers. The systems are designed to support surging AI demand as token computing costs are expected to fall sharply over the next three years.
Fang said DataCanvas, a leading AI infrastructure and intelligent computing cloud provider in the Asia-Pacific region, has established operations in China and is expanding AI computing centers in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Japan, Spain and Sweden.
“We are exporting not just technology, but sustainable development capabilities,” Fang said, adding that DataCanvas aims to be a long-term partner for Global South countries seeking to build independent and secure digital infrastructure.
