The UK and US have announced their first tech deal, as major companies such as Microsoft (MSFT), Nvidia (NVDA) and Google (GOOG, GOOGL) have committed to investing billions in Britain.
The Tech Prosperity Deal was unveiled on Tuesday evening, as US president Donald Trump arrived in the UK for a state visit. The transatlantic pact is focused on developing the fastest growing technologies such as AI, quantum, and nuclear, according to a government statement.
Under the deal, the UK and US will put joint resources and expertise behind further developing emerging technologies. That includes partnering up to develop quantum computers and speed up the deployment of this technology across areas like healthcare, defence and finance.
UK prime minister Keir Starmer said that the deal “marks a generational step change in our relationship with the US, shaping the futures of millions of people on both sides of the Atlantic, and delivering growth, security and opportunity up and down the country”.
“By teaming-up with world-class companies from both the UK and US, we’re laying the foundations for a future where together we are world leaders in the technology of tomorrow, creating highly skilled jobs, putting more money in people’s pockets and ensuring this partnership benefits every corner of the United Kingdom,” he said.
The landmark deal comes as major US tech and AI firms commit a combined £31bn to boost the UK’s AI infrastructure and cutting-edge tech, from data centres to computer chips. These commitments build on the £44bn in investment into the UK’s AI and tech sector under the current government.
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The government said that chipmaking giant Nvidia (NVDA) will team up with companies across the UK to deploy 120,000 advanced graphics processing units (GPUs) across the UK, representing its biggest ever rollout in Europe to date.
This includes the deployment of up to 60,000 Nvidia Grace Blackwell Ultra GPUs from British data centre business Nscale, which will partner with OpenAI to deliver a Stargate UK project and establish a partnership with Microsoft (MSFT) to deliver the UK’s largest AI supercomputer in Loughton.
Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, said: “Today marks a historic chapter in US–United Kingdom technology collaboration.
“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.
“By building state-of-the-art AI infrastructure and investing in British startups, we are unlocking the power of AI for the UK — fuelling breakthroughs, creating jobs, and igniting the next industrial revolution,” he added.
Meanwhile, the government said that Microsoft is announcing a $30bn investment in AI infrastructure and ongoing operations across the UK – marking the largest financial commitment it has ever made in the UK.
Earlier on Tuesday, Google announced the opening of its data centre in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, as part of a two-year £5bn investment in the UK.
AI cloud company CoreWeave (CRWV) is also set to invest £1.5bn in AI data centre capacity and operations in the UK, while customer relationship management software giant Salesforce (CRM) an additional $2bn in investment in its UK business through 2030.
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