Business
Google commits £5bn to UK AI expansion as Trump begins state visit
Google’s parent company, Alphabet, has unveiled plans to invest £5 billion ($6.8 billion) in artificial intelligence development in the United Kingdom, coinciding with U.S. President Donald Trump’s state visit this week.
The investment, spread over two years, will include the opening of a new data centre in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, about 12 miles north of central London. The facility is expected to support growing demand for AI-driven services such as Google Cloud, Workspace, Search and Maps.
According to Google, the commitment could generate 8,250 jobs annually across U.K. businesses and marks a major boost for the Labour government.
“This is a powerful vote of confidence in the U.K. economy and the strength of our partnership with the United States,” Finance Minister Rachel Reeves said in response to the announcement.
The package also includes fresh funding for DeepMind, the London-based AI lab led by Nobel Prize winner Demis Hassabis, which is developing next-generation AI systems. Alphabet president and chief investment officer Ruth Porat said the initiative underscored Google’s long-term commitment to Britain.
“With today’s announcement, Google is deepening our roots in the U.K. and helping support Great Britain’s potential with AI to add £400 billion to the economy by 2030 while also enhancing critical social services,” Porat said.
In a related development, Google signed an agreement with Shell to manage its renewable energy supply in the U.K. The oil and gas major will provide renewable power, battery access and electricity trading services to support Google’s expanding data centre operations.
“Shell’s diverse portfolio of renewable power supply, access to batteries and electricity trading and optimisation expertise enables us to meet the evolving needs of world-leading companies like Google and support the growth of data centres,” said David Wells, Shell’s executive vice president.
Trump is scheduled to arrive in Britain on Tuesday evening, with official engagements and ceremonial events beginning on Wednesday. His trip is expected to coincide with further U.S.-U.K. business deals.
