UK invests £750 million in national supercomputer for AI

The UK government has announced large-scale investments in the development of artificial intelligence. The country will allocate £750 million (approximately 73 billion rubles) to build a national supercomputer focused on AI tasks. This is part of a broader £1.1 billion package of measures aimed at strengthening Britain's position in chip development and computing technologies.

This was reported by gov.uk.

Key investment directions

Of the £750 million, £400 million will go toward purchasing next-generation chips for artificial intelligence. Of that amount, £150 million has already been reserved as a preliminary agreement to buy innovative chips from British startups and companies at the forefront of development.

The supercomputer is planned to enter service in 2030. It will be based at the University of Edinburgh and, according to the project's authors, will become one of the most advanced in the world. A tender for its construction will be announced shortly.

Part of a larger strategy

The new investments are part of a comprehensive AI Hardware Plan presented by Technology Minister Liz Kendall at London Tech Week. The plan includes not only building the supercomputer but also supporting British chip-designing companies and a large-scale skills training program.

"AI is the defining currency of economic and hard power in the modern world. The countries that control the hardware underlying it will hold the keys to the future," said Liz Kendall.

The government estimates that by the early 2030s, the global AI chip market will reach one trillion dollars. If the UK manages to capture at least 5% of this market, it would bring the country's economy approximately $50 billion and tens of thousands of high-paying jobs.

Support for startups and skills

Among other measures is the creation of a new investment fund managed by the American company Playground Global (with the participation of former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger), with up to £150 million from the British Business Bank. This is the largest investment in the bank's history.

Also included is £45 million for skills development: training engineers, chip designers, and technicians. In total, the government is already allocating £80 million to educational programs in semiconductors and AI.

In brief

The UK government is allocating £750 million to build a national supercomputer for artificial intelligence, which is expected to become operational in 2030. This is part of an ambitious £1.1 billion plan aimed at supporting British chip developers, creating jobs, and strengthening the country's technological sovereignty. Special attention is being paid to purchasing innovative chips from local startups and training skilled specialists.