Unveiled as US president Donald Trump arrives in the UK for a state visit, the ‘Tech Prosperity Deal’ is being hailed as a major boon for the UK, with AI, quantum computing and the nuclear sector set to reap rewards. Leading US tech firms have committed a total of £31bn to AI-related infrastructure, with Microsoft alone pledging £22bn ($30bn) over the next four years. The investment will see the tech giant working with UK firm Nscale to develop the UK’s largest supercomputer, which will feature more than 23,000 advanced GPUs.
“We’re committed to creating new opportunity for people and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic, and to ensuring America remains a trusted and reliable tech partner for the United Kingdom,” said Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO of Microsoft.
“That is why we are doubling down on our investment in the UK, investing more than $30bn over four years, including building the country’s largest supercomputer.”
Elsewhere, NVIDIA will work with UK companies to deploy 120,000 advanced GPUs across the country, said to be its biggest rollout in Europe to date. The AI chipmaker, which recently surpassed Microsoft to become the world’s most valuable company, will also be investing in the UK startup scene in collaboration with techUK.
“Today marks a historic chapter in US-United Kingdom technology collaboration,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA.
“We are at the Big Bang of the AI era – and the United Kingdom stands in a Goldilocks position, where world-class talent, research and industry converge.”
NVIDIA is also set to be a key partner in a new ‘AI Growth Zone’ in the north east, where it will work with ChatGPT owner OpenAI and Nscale to deploy a ‘Stargate UK’ project at Cobalt Park, mirroring the Stargate project that OpenAI is leading in the US.
“Stargate UK builds on this foundation to help accelerate scientific breakthroughs, improve productivity, and drive economic growth,” said Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI.
“This partnership reflects our shared vision that with the right infrastructure in place, AI can expand opportunity for people and businesses across the UK.”
Other strands to the agreement include closer alignment on nuclear technologies, including SMRs and fusion. Announced earlier in the week, the deal promises to speed up nuclear licensing and make it easier for companies to roll out new nuclear in the UK.