Google pledges GBP5b to UK AI ahead of Trump visit
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The news: Google pledged to invest GBP5 billion ($10.22 billion) into artificial intelligence initiatives in the UK ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit this week.
The context: The tech giant announced the opening of its data centre in Hertfordshire on Tuesday, as part of a two-year GBP5 billion investment in the UK. The investment includes Google's capital expenditure, research and development, and related engineering over the next two years. The investment also includes funding for London-based DeepMind.
Google said that the GBP5 billion investment is set to create 8,250 new AI-driven annually across UK businesses.
The data centre was opened by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who 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.”
The investment comes ahead of Trump’s arrival in the country on Tuesday evening and will be a welcome boost for Britain’s embattled Labour government. The visit is expected to coincide with a flurry of business deals.
Google also announced that it had inked a deal for Shell to manage the tech giant’s UK renewable energy supply, which Google said will help contribute to grid stability and the country’s energy transition.
The source: Google press release
