POWERING THE PLAN FOR CHANGE
Since the new government took office last summer, the UK’s world-leading AI sector has been attracting an average of £200 million in private investment every day – that’s over £8.3 million an hour! This incredible momentum is driving the Plan for Change to strengthen the economy. Just 48 hours after the AI Opportunities Action Plan was published, more than £14 billion in investment and thousands of new jobs were secured, as global firms backed Britain’s blueprint for AI. This builds on the £25 billion pledged for new data centre infrastructure at the Global Investment Summit earlier this year, bringing the six-month total to a staggering £39 billion.
COREWEAVE BACKS BRITAIN
The UK’s reputation as a global AI hub has been reinforced by a wave of international companies embracing the government’s vision, unveiled earlier this week. American AI cloud-computing giant CoreWeave is ramping up the UK’s AI infrastructure with cutting-edge NVIDIA technology, boosting computing power for British innovators. At their new data centre sites in Crawley and London Docklands, CoreWeave is deploying a high-performance cloud platform with state-of-the-art processors designed for advanced AI workloads. With plans to establish its European HQ in London and invest £1.75 billion in the UK in 2024, CoreWeave is unlocking game-changing processing power for Britain’s AI community.
SYNTHESIA LEADS THE WAY
The government’s blueprint to help British companies scale and dominate the AI landscape is already paying off. London-based Synthesia, a market leader in AI-generated video software, has just closed a successful funding round, pushing its valuation to $2.1 billion. The funding will fuel Synthesia’s ambitious growth and expansion plans, aiming to make it one of the UK’s most valuable AI firms.
Secretary of State for Science, Technology, and Innovation, Peter Kyle said:
“We begin a new chapter – putting AI in the driving seat to power the government’s Plan for Change and deliver better lives for everyone in the country. The steps we’re taking forward from Matt Clifford’s AI Opportunities Action Plan represent a step change in how the UK manages this technology – unlocking a fresh start for our economy and for working people. By attracting more than £14 billion in new investment and thousands of fresh jobs since unveiling our new blueprint from companies across the globe, the message is clear – the UK’s pull as a magnet for AI innovation and growth will only go from strength to strength.”
FARRINGDON’S AI HUB
In a bid to spread AI’s benefits across the economy, Tech Nation – part of the Founders Forum group – along with Merantix and Onfido Founder Husayn Kassai, is teaming up with Techspace to launch a dedicated AI hub in London. Set in Farringdon, this new AI hub will be a hotspot for collaboration and innovation. The first companies are set to move in next month. Meanwhile, home-grown hero Nscale has pledged $2.5 billion over three years to bolster the UK’s data centre infrastructure. They’ve also signed on to build the UK’s largest sovereign AI data centre in Loughton, Essex. The site is expected to go live in late 2026, creating 750 construction jobs and 250 permanent roles to support operations. Adding to this, Vantage Data Centres has committed over £12 billion to expand its UK operations, generating 11,500 jobs nationwide to meet the rising demand for cloud-based services and tech.
MORE JOBS ON THE HORIZON
In another boost for UK jobs, French AI leader Mistral is opening its first European base outside France in London, planning to double its UK workforce by 2025. On top of that, Kyndryl – the world’s largest IT infrastructure services firm – is bringing up to 1,000 AI-related jobs to Liverpool with its new tech hub, which will play a key role in rolling out AI across the country and supporting the next wave of talent.
MAKING THE UK A GLOBAL AI MAGNET
On Monday, 13 January, the Prime Minister unveiled plans to supercharge AI growth as part of the Plan for Change. The government is now rolling out 50 recommendations from Matt Clifford’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, with a clear goal: make the UK the go-to destination for AI investment, scaling, and business growth. This plan puts Britain on the front foot, ensuring the country isn’t just part of the AI revolution – it’s leading the charge.
LET’S CHANGE TOGETHER
As a London IT thought leader, I am all for the government’s Plan for Change, particularly when it comes to AI and automation. A few years ago, AI was just a buzzword. Now AI seems destined to impact every we do – at work and at play. Needs some ideas and support as to how to make AI work for you. Reach out to me today and let’s change the world for better.