The government has announced a sweeping package of artificial intelligence investments and reforms designed to accelerate economic growth, support national renewal and strengthen the UK’s position as a global leader in AI.
Placing AI at the heart of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, ministers said the programme would unlock billions of pounds in private investment while enabling new opportunities for businesses, researchers and local communities. Central to the announcement is the creation of a major AI Growth Zone in South Wales, developed in partnership with Vantage Data Centers and Microsoft.
The zone — which spans multiple sites along the M4 corridor, including the former Ford Bridgend Engine Plant — will attract £10 billion in private investment and create more than 5,000 jobs over the next decade. It will serve as a hub for AI infrastructure, research and advanced digital industries, with further zones expected to launch in other regions.
Each Growth Zone will receive £5 million in government funding to help local firms adopt AI technologies and develop specialised skills in their workforce.
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