The United Kingdom has announced an ambitions AI Opportunities Action Plan. On Monday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer unveiled the plan which envisages creation of AI Growth Zones (AIGZs) among a variety of other initiatives to aid and expedite adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and building relevant infrastructure. This includes investments to the tune of £14 Billion by some of the biggest technology firms in the country.
According to a press release, three major tech companies – Vantage Data Centres, Nscale and Kyndryl – have committed to £14 billion investment in the UK to build the AI infrastructure the UK needs to harness the potential of this technology and deliver 13,250 jobs across the UK. Of these, Vantage Data Centres, which is working to build one of Europe’s largest data centre campuses in Wales, plans to invest over £12 billion in data centres across the UK. This alone is expected to create over 11,500 jobs.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer unveiled the AI Opportunities Action Plan, with a vision to turn UK into an AI “superpower”. He emphasised AI’s present and potential role in improving healthcare services, supporting small businesses, and driving innovation.
“Artificial Intelligence will drive incredible change in our country. From teachers personalising lessons, to supporting small businesses with their record-keeping, to speeding up planning applications, it has the potential to transform the lives of working people,” said Starmer, adding, “Our plan will make Britain the world leader.”
As per the Plan, the government will create AI Growth Zones (AIGZs), areas with enhanced access to power and support for planning approvals, to accelerate the build out of AI infrastructure on UK soil. The very first of these AIGZs will come up in Culham, the headquarters of the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA). According to the policy paper for the AI Opportunities Action Plan, “The government and UKAEA will seek a private-sector partner who would develop one of the UK’s largest AI data centres, beginning with 100MW of capacity and with plans to scale up to 500MW.”
The Plan also envisions the creation of a “new National Data Library to safely and securely unlock the value of public data and support AI development”, and a dedicated AI Energy Council chaired by the Science and Energy Secretaries, that will work “with energy companies to understand the energy demands and challenges which will fuel the technology’s development”.
