AI Growth Zones will be central to regenerating local communities and delivering new opportunities across the country – under new plans set out by the Prime Minister and Technology Secretary as they confirm a new site for North Wales.
First announced by the Prime Minister in January, AI Growth Zones are designed to be hubs for AI development, News Cover reports, citing UK government.
Bringing together the key building blocks of AI from processing power to research expertise, they will unlock a wave of innovations that will transform lives for people across the country - from new ways to treat and beat disease to making industry cleaner and greener.
New reforms announced today on planning, energy access, and the provision of expert government support will help to accelerate AI Growth Zone development, delivering on the commitments in the AI Opportunities Action Plan.
Ensuring the sites deliver for working people, £5 million in support will also be set aside for each AI Growth Zone at a local level for business adoption and skills. The money will be funnelled into regions to help accelerate economic growth, boost local research and development efforts, and support regional AI firms from start-up to scale-up. Taken together, these interventions will unlock up to £100 billion in additional investment into the AI Growth Zone programme creating thousands of jobs and helping give people the AI skills they need at work.
This comes as North Wales is announced as the home of 2 major infrastructure projects today - the UK’s latest AI Growth Zone joining the first small modular reactor project which will be sited at Wylfa. Subject to contract, the initial project will be for 3 small modular reactors, but Great British Energy-Nuclear assesses the site could potentially host up to 8 mini reactors. The ambition is for Wylfa’s small modular reactors to be supplying power to the grid from the mid-2030s.
Today’s announcements highlight how the government’s Modern Industrial Strategy is being put into action to spark national renewal for communities, using tools which have been built and designed on British shores.
A total of 3,450 jobs are now poised to come online in North Wales as a direct result of this new AI Growth Zone, covering temporary and constructions roles through to high-paid careers in AI research and development. This brings the total number of jobs announced for the area today to nearly 6,500.
