Databricks expands Asia-Pacific AI footprint with Singapore investment

Databricks has announced plans to invest over $350 million in Singapore over the next three years to expand its presence in the Asia-Pacific AI market. The company intends to double its local workforce to over 500 employees and establish a new regional headquarters to support enterprise AI adoption through products like Lakehouse and Genie.

In South Korea, Databricks is focusing on the financial sector and talent development, aiming to train 10,000 AI specialists over three years. The company is also working closely with domestic clients, such as LG Electronics, to integrate AI models into data analysis platforms.

Separately, Vals AI has secured $40 million in Series A funding, led by Andreessen Horowitz, valuing the company at $400 million. Vals AI specializes in evaluating the real-world performance of AI models and agents using private test sets to prevent data contamination. The company is expanding its evaluation capabilities from legal and financial sectors into cybersecurity and healthcare.