Artificial intelligence: Microsoft pours billions into AI data centers in UK

With its largest single investment in the United Kingdom, the American company will more than double the size of its data centers, Microsoft country manager Clare Barclay said Thursday. By 2026, more than 20,000 advanced graphics processors used for machine learning and AI model development will be in use in the UK.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke about the turning point for the future of AI infrastructure and development. The conservative politician recently tried to position his country as a pioneer on the topic at an international conference on the regulation of AI. Microsoft emphasized that the investment will help train more than one million people for the AI ​​economy and support AI defense and research efforts with government and academia.

More recently, Microsoft ran into trouble in Great Britain: the competition regulator CMA initially blocked its billion-dollar acquisition of video game giant Activision Blizzard. When the American corporation later made offers, the British competition authorities approved the deal. (dpa/rs)