Google is set to invest \u00a35bn in the UK in the next two years, to support growing demands for AI services.<\/p>\n
The announcement, which comes as Google<\/a><\/strong> opens a new data centre in Waltham Cross in Hertfordshire, is expected to contribute to the creation of thousands of jobs, the US tech giant said.<\/p>\n Chancellor Rachel Reeves<\/strong><\/a> described it as a “vote of confidence” in the UK economy.<\/p>\n The news comes hours before Donald Trump lands in the UK for a state visit<\/a><\/strong> at which he and Sir Keir Starmer<\/a><\/strong> are widely expected to sign a new UK-US tech deal.<\/p>\n It also follows reports that ChatGPT<\/a> <\/strong>parent firm OpenAI, and Nvidia, will also unveil billions of dollars’ worth of investment into UK data centres this week.<\/p>\n The chancellor said the investment would boost research and development, capital expenditure and engineering.<\/p>\n However, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey<\/a><\/strong> has criticised the proposed deal as a “Silicon Valley stitch-up”, and has demanded that the government put it to a vote in parliament.<\/p>\n He said: “I am really concerned the government is going to agree to a Silicon Valley stitch-up that hands tax cuts to tech billionaires while undermining protections for our children online.”<\/p>\n Sir Ed added: “Parents want protections for children online to be kept in place, not traded away in a backroom deal with tech barons.<\/p>\n “We can’t let the government sign up to a deal that benefits Elon Musk<\/a><\/strong> at the expense of the British people.”<\/p>\n