Microsoft is investing $30 billion to expand its AI infrastructure in the UK, marking the company’s largest investment in the country to date. Vice Chair and President Brad Smith said Microsoft’s plan includes building the nation’s largest supercomputer and scaling cloud capacity to meet soaring demand.
The funds will be deployed from 2025 to 2028, with half going to data centers and AI infrastructure and the rest to UK operations. Microsoft said the project will create skilled jobs, strengthen institutional partnerships, and deepen transatlantic ties.
Expanding data center footprint to meet surging AI demand
Microsoft said $15 billion will go into cloud and AI infrastructure, including plans to build the supercomputer with more than 23,000 Nvidia GPUs in partnership with Nscale. The buildout will expand the company’s data center footprint nationwide to handle rising demand from customers adopting AI at scale.
The remaining funds will sustain Microsoft’s 6,000-strong UK workforce, spanning advanced research, AI model development, gaming, data center operations, and customer support. Executives said the investment is designed not only to meet commercial demand but also to deepen long-term ties with UK institutions across industries.
According to Microsoft, it has already trained more than one million people in AI skills, while its research hubs in Cambridge and London continue to bolster the country’s leadership in responsible innovation.
A milestone in the UK-US technology partnership
The deal is tied to the UK–US Technology Partnership and the AI Action Plans of President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. He called Microsoft’s move a “powerful vote of confidence” in Britain’s AI leadership, linking it to jobs, infrastructure, and innovation.
The tech giant said the scale was enabled by government reforms on planning, electricity capacity, and regulatory stability, arguing that predictable rules are essential for long-term AI investment.
Major UK names showcase real-world use of Microsoft AI tools
Microsoft cited strong enterprise demand behind the expansion. Vodafone has rolled out Copilot to 68,000 employees worldwide after pilot programs showed four hours in weekly productivity gains. Barclays is deploying the tool to 100,000 staff, integrating it into its own systems to boost efficiency.
At the London Stock Exchange Group, developers are using GitHub Copilot and Windows 365 to accelerate secure application development.
Billions from American giants put Britain on the front line of AI
Microsoft’s $30 billion pledge is part of a broader surge of US tech investment in Britain. Reports indicate that Nvidia and OpenAI are preparing multi-billion-dollar data center projects with Nscale, while Google has committed nearly $7 billion to expand its UK AI infrastructure.
These deals show a significant momentum to make Britain a focal point for frontier technology. Infused with financial backing from American firms, the UK is being shaped as a proving ground for artificial intelligence, a front line where capital, strategy, and global influence converge.
Google is also making moves in the UK, launching a no-cost data transfer feature to support multicloud operations under the EU’s new rules.
