Microsoft has announced a $30 billion (£22 billion) investment in the UK’s artificial intelligence sector, its largest commitment outside the United States. The move is expected to significantly strengthen Britain’s economy in the coming years.
The package forms part of a wider £31 billion agreement between the UK government and major US technology firms, including Nvidia and Google, aimed at expanding AI infrastructure and research in Britain. Much of the investment will be channelled into data centres, alongside the development of a new supercomputer in Loughton, Essex.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, speaking to the BBC, said AI’s impact on growth could arrive faster than expected. “Whenever anyone gets excited about AI, I want to see it ultimately in GDP growth. Our hope is not ten years, but maybe five,” he noted.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hailed the investment as “a generational step change in our relationship with the US”, adding it would create thousands of highly skilled jobs and inject fresh momentum into the sluggish UK economy.
While Nadella acknowledged concerns about AI hype and its high energy consumption, he argued its benefits especially in healthcare,
