LONDON: Google owner Alphabet has announced a $6.8bn investment in UK artificial intelligence (AI).
It is the first of several massive US investments being unveiled ahead of US President Donald Trump’s state visit.
The money will be used for infrastructure and scientific research over the next two years, the BBC reported.
Google said in a statement that the funds would go towards the company’s “capital expenditure, research and development … and encompasses Google DeepMind with its pioneering AI research in science and healthcare.
$1 billion investment
Google was to open a data centre in Waltham Cross, eastern Hertfordshire, which it announced last year with a $1 billion investment, according to AFP.
Tuesday’s announcement would be on top of the monies already pledged, a Google spokesperson said.
Trump was due to land in Britain later Tuesday for a historic second state visit that will see the UK government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer spare no effort in trying to flatter the mercurial American president.
Trump will be accompanied by a “significant” number of US tech CEOs when he meets with Starmer at his country residence on Thursday, a senior US official said.
They would include the heads of chip giant Nvidia and ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, US media reported.
Sci-tech partnership
“This visit will highlight a new science and technology partnership that will include billions of dollars in new investment,” the US official told reporters.
The two countries are set to sign agreements worth about £10 billion, including one to speed up development of a new nuclear project as well as what British officials call “a world-leading tech partnership”.
Starmer on Sunday already hailed plans by US finance firms, including PayPal and Citigroup, to invest £1.25 billion in the UK.
The nuclear partnership promises faster regulatory approval and several new private sector investment deals for nuclear projects, as the UK strives to meet net zero and energy security targets.
