Amazon is investing £40 billion in the UK over the next three years, with the investment expected to contribute an estimated £38 billion to the UK’s GDP, the company announced on Tuesday.
The investment will fund the construction of four new fulfilment centres and delivery stations nationwide, alongside the renovation and expansion of more than 100 existing UK operational buildings.
The plan also includes the opening of two new buildings at Amazon’s east London headquarters and strategic upgrades to regional transportation infrastructure to enhance customer service across the country.
According to the tech giant, the investment will create thousands of full-time jobs, most located outside London and the south-east, spanning over 60 different roles. These will include positions for robotics technicians, security experts, and mechatronic engineers.
Among the new roles, 2,000 jobs will be based at a previously announced state-of-the-art sorting centre in Hull, with another 2,000 at a similar facility in Northampton. Additional positions will be announced at new sites in the East Midlands and delivery stations across the UK.
Amazon added that the investment will support the UK’s creative industry, including the redevelopment of the historic Bray Film Studios in Berkshire and funding for original television and film productions.
The investment incorporates part of the £8 billion pledged by Amazon in September 2024 to build, operate, and maintain data centres in the UK while expanding AI computing capacity.
Andy Jassy, Amazon chief executive, highlighted that the company, which currently employs over 75,000 people in the UK, is now one of the country’s largest private sector employers and contributors.
“When Amazon invests, it’s not only in London and the south-east—we’re bringing innovation and job creation to communities throughout England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, strengthening the UK’s economy and delivering better experiences for customers wherever they live,” he said.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the move as a “massive vote of confidence” in the UK.
“Whether it’s cutting-edge AI or same-day delivery, this deal shows that our Plan for Change is working—bringing in investment, driving growth, and putting more money in people’s pockets,” he said.
The announcement comes as the UK continues to forge partnerships in the technology sector to stimulate economic growth.
Earlier this month, Starmer and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang revealed a government collaboration with Nvidia to establish an artificial intelligence technology centre in Bristol, which will train AI developers.
“We’re going to start our AI lab and partner with the UK to upskill the developer ecosystem in AI. We will invest in helping jumpstart the UK AI ecosystem,” Huang said.
The partnership coincides with the government’s launch of a new £187 million national skills programme to equip young people and workers with advanced AI and digital skills.
The initiative, called TechFirst, aims to train 7.5 million people from diverse backgrounds and professions in AI skills, with a focus on education in schools, universities, and postgraduate programmes.
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