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Microsoft’s $15 billion investment in the UK will deliver the country’s largest supercomputer, boosting AI capabilities and strengthening transatlantic technological ties amidst a surge of data centre investments across Britain.
Microsoft is set to build the largest supercomputer in the United Kingdom as part of a transformative $15 billion investment aimed at advancing AI infrastructure across the country. This initiative forms half of the company’s broader $30 billion commitment to enhance its UK operations between 2025 and 2028, marking what Microsoft describes as its largest financial pledge in the region to date.
The supercomputer will be developed in partnership with GPU designer Nvidia and hosted at the Nscale data centre in Loughton, Essex. According to Microsoft, the machine will be equipped with 23,000 Nvidia Grace Blackwell Ultra GPUs, although Nvidia has stated the system will feature “more than 24,000” AI chips, underscoring the cutting-edge nature and immense computational power of the installation. The Nscale data centre, projected to open by late 2026, is planned to provide access to a total of 46,000 Nvidia GPUs, supported by a computing capacity of 50 megawatts within a site rated for 90 megawatts.
Microsoft’s $15 billion infrastructure investment is expected to be disbursed over three years, with the entire $30 billion commitment realised by 2028. The company has positioned this investment as not only a response to increasing customer demand but also as a strategic move to strengthen economic ties between the United States and the United Kingdom. Brad Smith, Microsoft’s President, remarked on the significance of this cross-Atlantic relationship, highlighting the mutual benefits of the investment.
The UK government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has welcomed Microsoft’s commitment as a powerful endorsement of the country’s leadership in AI and technology. Starmer emphasised that the investment would bolster the UK’s digital infrastructure and support thousands of highly skilled jobs, signalling a strong partnership with global tech leaders to drive innovation.
This announcement coincides with the recent state visit of former US President Donald Trump to the UK, during which both governments unveiled a Technology Prosperity Agreement. This accord aims to foster collaboration on technological and AI developments between the two nations, reflecting the growing strategic importance of AI in global innovation and security landscapes.
Microsoft’s venture into the UK AI ecosystem forms part of a wider wave of substantial data centre investments announced recently. Among these, Google has announced a £5 billion ($6.9 billion) deal, while BlackRock is reported to be investing $678 million. Additionally, Vantage is developing a new installation, and CoreWeave is expanding its UK AI data centre capacity with a £1.5 billion ($2 billion) investment. Furthermore, OpenAI, also partnering with Nscale, plans to deploy up to 8,000 GPUs in UK data centres to support specialised AI applications, including public services and national security.
Together, these investments underline a significant trend towards positioning the UK as a central hub for AI infrastructure and research in Europe, driven largely by substantial financial commitments from leading US technology firms. The collaboration between Microsoft and Nvidia, alongside the robust support from UK authorities, suggests a future-ready ecosystem that could propel Britain to the forefront of the global AI innovation landscape.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
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