£10 billion in AI data center investment confirmed

 

 

A £10 billion investment in a new data center for artificial intelligence, according to the government, will create about 4,000 jobs.

The Cambois site, near Blyth in Northumberland, will house one of the biggest AI data centers in Europe.

Following the demise of Britishvolt, which had intended to construct an electric vehicle battery manufacturing on the property, the land was purchased by the massive private equity firm Blackstone earlier this year.

The investment, according to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, demonstrated that the UK was “open for business”.

Sir Keir said that Blackstone’s investment was a “huge vote of confidence in the UK” and proved that Britain was once again a “major player on the global stage”.

The design of the data center was first revealed to the public in April, before Sir Keir was elected.

At the time, Richard Wearmouth, an officer with Northumberland County Council, stated that the project will place northeastern England “at the heart of the AI revolution“.

The government stated that 1,200 jobs would be involved in the project’s construction. The council had earlier claimed that 2,700 employment in allied fields would be created by the data center.

 The company also declared that it will provide £110 million to a fund for the region’s transportation infrastructure and talent development.

Leader of Northumberland County Council Glen Sanderson hailed the prime minister’s “full support” for the initiative, calling it a “gamechanger” for the area.

“Just yesterday, I wrote to the prime minister inviting him to visit the site at Cambois to see for himself its enormous potential,” added the minister.

“I look forward to welcoming him to Northumberland and to discussing with him how further government investment in our infrastructure can unlock even more economic growth.”