London bags $9bn US AI firm Replit’s first overseas office Tech Replit, the $9bn (£6.64bn) US AI coding start-up, has picked London for its first international office as the capital continues to attract some of Silicon Valley’s fastest-growing AI companies. The San Francisco-based company has opened in King’s Cross and will use London as the base for its European operations, with plans to double its local [...]
Ofgem data centre crackdown risks ‘driving AI investors away’ from UK Tech Ofgem’s plans to crack down on speculative data centre projects have prompted warnings that new grid connection fees could make Britain a less attractive destination for AI investment, even as the industry backs efforts to clear stalled schemes from the queue. The regulator has launched a consultation on proposals to free up electricity grid capacity [...]
Burnham risks ‘big mistake’ on AI with tech department shake-up Tech Andy Burnham has been warned that breaking up the government department behind Britain’s artificial intelligence strategy could unsettle global investors and damage the country’s standing as a technology hub. The incoming prime minister is reportedly considering abolishing the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and splitting its responsibilities between the Department for Business and [...]
Energy minister says AI must ‘bring down bills’ as data centres squeeze the grid July 15, 2026 Power-hungry data centres must help bring down bills rather than place further strain on Britain’s squeezed electricity network, the energy minister has said. Michael Shanks warned public support could drop for the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure unless households saw a clear economic benefit. “We need to deliver energy security here at home, but we [...]
Starmer: Britain must ‘not stick its head in the sand’ on AI June 8, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer has said Britain must not “stick its head in the sand” on artificial intelligence, with the technology set to fundamentally reshape the UK economy. The Prime Minister used his speech at London Tech Week to unveil a major sovereign computing push, new AI skills programmes and a vision for keeping Britain’s fastest-growing [...]
Londonmaxxing: Capital reclaims European tech crown as money floods into AI and fintech May 28, 2026 London has reclaimed its position as Europe’s leading tech spot, overtaking Paris after a sharp rise in AI investment and a renewed influx of global capital into its startup scene. New figures from Dealroom show London ranked fourth globally in its latest Global Tech Ecosystem Index, behind only Silicon Valley, New York and Boston, after [...]
Untrained managers are stalling Britain’s AI returns April 23, 2026 British businesses are pouring copious amounts of capital into AI, but meaningful returns are by no means guaranteed. New research from the Chartered Institute of Management found that only one in 20 managers report real, transformational productivity gains from AI investment. Meanwhile, one in four say they have seen no benefit at all. The CMI’s [...]
UK AI plans fall short without backing home firms, warns UKAI February 11, 2026 The UK’s ‘sovereign AI’ push risks becoming a missed opportunity unless government policy does more to back UK businesses at home, according to the head of Britain’s AI trade body. Speaking after a parliamentary roundtable in the House of Lords, Tim Flagg, UKAI boss, said the debate around sovereign AI should focus on growth and [...]
Fractile pledges £100m UK expansion amid AI chip push February 10, 2026 UK chip start-up Fractile has announced a £100m expansion of its British operations, scaling up in London and Bristol as ministers step up calls for greater domestic ownership of critical AI. The investment, which will be rolled out over the next three years, will fund a new industrial hardware engineering facility in Bristol. The move [...]
Court ruling tests Britain’s £1bn data centre power plans – and energy policy February 5, 2026 A High Court challenge to a £1bn data centre beside the M25 has exposed a glaring issue for Britain’s ambitious AI build out. Power hungry projects are effectively being approved before anyone is sure where the power will come from. The government has accepted that planning permission for a 90MW hyperscale facility at Iver in [...]