UK PMs prioritize AI skills to achieve economic growth, enlists Nvidia boss

Sir Keir Rodney Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party, has enlisted Nvidia Corp co-founder Jensen Huang to launch a £187 million program. The project aims at enhancing AI skills among British workers and students.

This came after the labor leader revealed plans to host an in-conversation event in London with tech billionaire Huang to inaugurate a deal that sees Nvidia assist in the UK to train more people in AI and push forward research at universities and the company’s AI lab in Bristol, west England.

Starmer places technology and artificial intelligence at the center of his government’s plan to drive economic growth.

Downing Street reveals eagerness to highlight its growth strategies instead of budget cuts

At the beginning of a critical week in which the labor government will set out its usage plans to spend hundreds of billions over the time of the parliament, Starmer wants to highlight an optimistic outlook for technology and development.

On the other hand, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves is coming under pressure from opposition parties and some of her own colleagues over anticipated cuts elsewhere.

In her spending review, Reeves will focus first on the cherished but struggling National Health Service and the UK’s ability to project military power in the face of Russian aggression and the potential for diminished support from US President Donald Trump’s White House. 

She will also confirm big capital investment — which is not included within her fiscal rules — but day-to-day spending will be tight, with some departments facing real-terms cuts.

Downing Street, eager to highlight its growth strategies instead of budget cuts, announced £86 billion worth $116 billion in funding for British science over the weekend. This funding will support pharmaceuticals, green energy, and military technology. 

The government noted that major tech companies such as IBM, QinetiQ, Microsoft, BT, and defense manufacturer BAE Systems are backing this initiative. 

Starmer hosted CEOs and investors—including Eric Schmidt and Demis Hassabis—this past weekend at Chequers, his countryside retreat, as part of its efforts to advance technology in the UK. 

UK PMs prioritize AI skills to achieve economic growth

The UK is a global AI hub, leading Europe in AI startups funded for the first time and total private investment in AI through 2024. Additionally, the industry has been expanding rapidly and has been supported by more than $28 billion in private investment since 2013. Notably, investing in AI brings advantages to everyone in the UK.

Keir Starmer’s vision for Britain to become an AI maker, not an AI taker, is set to be realized at London Tech Week.

London Tech Week is scheduled to run from June 9th and end on June 13th. To mark the occasion, NVIDIA and some of Britain’s most innovative companies are coming together to host the first UK Sovereign AI Industry Forum.

This brings together some of the UK’s most significant and forward-thinking businesses – including inaugural members Babcock, BAE Systems, BT, National Grid, and Standard Chartered – and enhances the security of the nation’s economy by rolling out AI infrastructure on sovereign soil and supercharging the growth of the UK’s AI startup ecosystem.

Through its partnership with NVIDIA, the UK is developing sovereign computing infrastructure, investing in world-class leading research and skills, and promoting leadership in AI across all sectors.

Peter Kyle, a Member of Parliament of the United Kingdom who has served as Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology since July 2024, commented on the topic of discussion. According to Kyle, they have ambitious goals for creating the next generation of AI advancements in the UK. 

Based on his argument, this will help them achieve the economic growth they need for their “Plan for Change” and keep their status as global leaders.

Kyle further stated that ensuring they have the right infrastructure to support AI is a key part of this. He was pleased that NVIDIA is establishing the UK Sovereign AI Industry Forum. He added that this forum will unite top British companies to develop and implement these technologies across the UK, helping them to promote growth and create new opportunities.

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