Google has announced plans to invest $1 billion in new data centers in the UK that it says will help meet “growing demand” for its AI and cloud services.
The 33-acre site in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, will bring much-needed computing power to businesses, support AI innovation and support Google Cloud customers and public consumption who rely on products such as Search, Maps and YouTube. ensure reliable digital services for users.
Ruth Porat, Alphabet's president and chief financial officer, said the data center “represents our latest investment in the UK and the wider digital economy.” He said the plan builds on previous investments including offices in St Giles and King's Cross, a multi-year research contract with Cambridge and the Grace Hopper submarine cable linking the UK with the US and Spain. He added that there is.
Mr Porat said the facility will “help meet the growing demand for our AI and cloud services, bringing significant computing capacity to businesses across the UK, while creating construction and technical jobs for local communities.” ” he said.
As a pioneer in computing infrastructure, Google operates some of the world's most efficient data centers and is committed to powering them entirely on carbon-free energy 24 hours a day by 2030 .
Last year, Google signed a deal with ENGIE for offshore wind energy from Scotland's Moray West farm, delivering 100MW of energy and putting the UK on track to run 90 per cent of clean energy by 2025.
The new data center will also have heat recovery and air cooling systems for local homes and businesses.
Mr Porat said the new data center was “the latest in a series of investments that will support the UK and the economy as a whole” and evidence of its “continued commitment” to the UK. Other investments include his $1 billion investment in Central St Giles office space, the development of a 1 million sq ft Kings Cross campus, and the Accessibility Discovery Center to promote accessibility technology.
Beyond offices, data centers and undersea cables, Google provides digital skills training to more than one million Brits and expanded its AI-focused Digital Garage curriculum to capitalize on technology demand.
Google's announcement comes after Microsoft confirmed last November that it would build a £2.5bn data center in the UK after overcoming regulatory hurdles with its £55bn acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
“This is Microsoft’s largest investment in the UK in its 40-year history and will enable Microsoft to grow its UK AI infrastructure across its London and Cardiff sites, increasing the potential for expansion into the north of England. , efficient, scalable, and sustainable AI-specific computing power that helps meet explosive demand,” the Ministry of Finance explained.
“Data centers process, host, and store large amounts of digital information that is essential to developing AI models.”
Microsoft is supplying more than 20,000 advanced GPUs to its UK data centers for machine learning and developing new AI models.
Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said: “The UK is Europe's technology hub, with an ecosystem more valuable than Germany and France combined, and this investment is another vote of confidence in our country as a scientific powerhouse. ” he said.
(Image source: Google)
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