Nvidia leader declares UK as a frontrunner in artificial intelligence, amidst concerns about US dependence
In a significant move, Nvidia's chief executive, Jensen Huang, has expressed his vision for the UK as a hub for artificial intelligence (AI) innovation. Comparing Nvidia's role in AI development to the steam engine's impact on the industrial revolution, Huang positions the company as a "new type of generator... a token generator, an intelligence generator".
Huang's investment in the London-based data center operator, Nscale, is a testament to this vision. Nscale, which emerged from crypto miner Arkon Energy in 2024, has received a $683 million investment from Nvidia. This investment aims to expand AI infrastructure in the UK, with up to 60,000 GPUs deployed by 2026. This initiative is part of a broader collaboration with other investors to bolster Britain's AI ecosystem.
However, not everyone shares Huang's optimism. Brent Hoberman, co-founder of lastminute.com, has expressed concern about the UK becoming "users, not makers" of AI. He urges prioritization of domestic AI champions to ensure UK startups and scaleups benefit from deals.
Huang, on the other hand, sees potential in UK-based firms like Nscale and believes it could become the UK's AI infrastructure technology company. He emphasises the importance of a nation owning its own intelligence and data, reiterating that UK-created data should be used to build national intelligence.
Microsoft's Satya Nadella predicts that AI could boost the UK economy by 10% in the next decade. However, concerns about the dominance of American giants in the UK AI sector persist. Professor Sebastian Weidt cautions that alliances cannot replace sovereign capability in fields like quantum computing.
Huang's half a billion pound equity investment in UK-based tech titans indicates a long-term strategy for building a self-sufficient 'sovereign AI' ecosystem in the UK. He views AI as the ultimate economic tool to fight inflation and boost national productivity, and sees potential in the new 'AI factories' his company is building in the UK to not just create new companies but fundamentally change the way existing industries operate.
In a bid to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of AI innovation, Huang insists his investments are aligned with national sovereignty goals. He believes that the AI revolution will not just be about building data centres but about creating a new type of industrial revolution, where the UK leads the way in AI-powered innovation.
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