Google Pledges £5bn AI Investment in UK Ahead of Trump State Visit

Published: 16 September ‘2025. The English Chronicle Desk

Google has announced plans to invest £5 billion in the United Kingdom over the next two years, in a move expected to strengthen the country’s artificial intelligence sector and create thousands of jobs. The announcement coincides with the opening of the company’s new datacentre in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, and comes as US President Donald Trump begins his official state visit to the UK.

The investment, which will focus on capital expenditure, research and development, and engineering, will include pioneering AI research in science and healthcare through Google’s DeepMind operation. The company said the initiative is intended to support technological breakthroughs, enhance cybersecurity, and stimulate the UK economy, predicting that up to 8,250 jobs could be created annually across British businesses.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves described the commitment as a “vote of confidence” in the UK economy, highlighting the significance of investment in research and innovation amid ongoing efforts to drive economic growth. Reeves will officially open Google’s first UK datacentre at Waltham Cross, underscoring the government’s ambition to position the country as a hub for advanced technology and AI development.

The announcement forms part of a wider pattern of investment by major US technology firms in British infrastructure. Reports indicate that OpenAI, the developer behind ChatGPT, and the semiconductor company Nvidia are also preparing to announce multi-billion-dollar investments in UK datacentres this week. Google has further revealed plans to partner with Shell to manage its renewable energy supply within the UK.

While the new investment is expected to provide significant economic and employment benefits, environmental concerns have also been raised. A Guardian report noted that a forthcoming Google datacentre in Essex is projected to emit over half a million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, highlighting the ongoing tension between technological growth and sustainability.

Google’s parent company, Alphabet, recently reached a market capitalisation of $3 trillion, joining Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple as the fourth company to surpass this milestone. The company has also increased its capital expenditure budget, expecting to invest around $85 billion in 2025, up from a previous estimate of $75 billion.

Demis Hassabis, co-founder and CEO of Google DeepMind, emphasised the UK’s strategic importance for AI innovation, noting that the country’s rich technological history—from Ada Lovelace to Alan Turing—provides a strong foundation for future scientific and technological achievements. “We founded DeepMind in London because we knew the UK had the potential and talent to be a global hub for pioneering AI,” Hassabis said.

The investment announcement coincides with a series of high-profile economic engagements during President Trump’s visit. On Tuesday, Reeves will host senior executives from leading US and UK financial firms, including BlackRock, Barclays, and Blackstone, in Downing Street for discussions aimed at strengthening transatlantic economic cooperation. Trump’s visit will also include a state banquet with tech leaders and senior cabinet ministers, as well as a working lunch and press conference with Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Chequers.

Reeves described the £5 billion investment as a reflection of the strong partnership between the UK and the US, highlighting its potential to create jobs and drive economic growth. “This government is reversing decades of underinvestment that has held us back for too long, by slashing burdensome red tape, delivering bold reforms of the planning system, and investing in better tech to unlock better jobs and opportunities,” she said.

The Google investment signals a new phase of technological growth for the UK, positioning the country at the forefront of AI development while fostering innovation, research, and international collaboration at a critical moment for the global technology sector.