STOCKHOLM, June 3 (Reuters) - Microsoft ( MSFT ) will

invest 33.7 billion Swedish crowns ($3.21 billion) to expand

its cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure in Sweden

over a two-year period, the U.S. tech group said on Monday.

The investment, Microsoft's ( MSFT ) biggest to date in Sweden,

includes a pledge to help train some 250,000 people with AI

skills, corresponding to 2.4% of the population that will help

boost the Nordic country's competitiveness, it added.

"This announcement goes beyond technology, it's a commitment

to ensuring broad access to the tools and skills needed for

Sweden's people and economy to thrive in the AI era," Microsoft ( MSFT )

Vice Chair and President Brad Smith said in a statement.

As part of its investment, the company said it plans to

deploy 20,000 of the most advanced graphics processing units

(GPU), which speed up computer calculations, at its Swedish data

centre sites in Sandviken, Gavle and Staffanstorp.

Smith was due to meet with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf

Kristersson in Stockholm on Monday.

Microsoft ( MSFT ) said it was committed to boosting AI adoption

across the Nordic region which in addition to Sweden includes

Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway.

($1 = 10.5137 Swedish crowns)