Google has pledged a £5bn AI investment into the UK, one of a string of expected major AI investments by US tech giants this week into the UK coinciding with the visit of President Trump to the country.
Google’s £5bn investment will be ploughed into infrastructure and scientific research over the next two years, including “pioneering” AI research in science and healthcare through its Google DeepMind operation.
Google, which is owned by parent company Alphabet, says the investment would help the UK boost its AI economy, open new doors for job opportunities and fortify cybersecurity.
Google, which is a significant player in AI and is behind the Gemini AI bot, said its investment is projected to create 8,250 jobs every year for UK businesses. The US tech giant is to officially open a £735m data centre in Hertfordshire today, alongside Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer, Alphabet and Google, said: "Google’s investment in technical infrastructure, expanded energy capacity and job-ready AI skills will help ensure everyone in Broxbourne and across the whole of the UK stays at the cutting-edge of global tech opportunities.”
Porat told the BBC that the government’s AI Opportunities Action plan was helping the investment but said “there’s still work to be done to land that”.
Demis Hassabis, co-founder and CEO, Google DeepMind, added: “We founded DeepMind in London because we knew the UK had the potential and talent to be a global hub for pioneering AI. The UK has a rich history of being at the forefront of technology - from Lovelace to Babbage to Turing - so it’s fitting that we’re continuing that legacy by investing in the next wave of innovation and scientific discovery in the UK."
Rachel Reeves MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said: “Google’s £5bn investment is a powerful vote of confidence in the UK economy and the strength of our partnership with the US, creating jobs and economic growth for years to come. This government is reversing decades of underinvestment that has held us back for too long, by slashing burdensome red tape, delivering bold reforms of the planning system and investing in better tech to unlock better jobs and opportunities. Through our Plan for Change we are building an economy that works for, and rewards, working people.”
The investment from Google comes amid expected investment announcements from OpenAI and Nvidia, to coincide with the visit by President Trump. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang are accompanying Trump on the visit.
The two firms are expected to announce a deal to support new data centres in the UK, which would be worth billions of dollars. It is expected that OpenAI will provide access to AI tools and tech and Nvidia the chips to power the AI models, with the UK government supporting the projects.
Would you like to write the first comment?
Login to post comments