The private sector has invested an average of £200 million into the UK’s AI sector since July 2024, or an average of over £8.3 million every hour, according to new figures from the government.

Last week, prime minister Keir Starmer launched the UK’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, with £14 billion of investment confirmed within 48 hours of the announcement.

The government said that the investment from different companies around the world would enable Britain to fully realise the opportunities of AI and cement the UK as a global destination for the technology.

Companies bolstering the UK’s AI infrastructure include American AI cloud-computing company CoreWeave, which is working with the government to improve the UK’s compute capacity at data centres in Crawly and London Docklands.

French AI company Mistral has also said it will open a new office in London, its first European base outside of France, with plans to double its UK workforce by the end of 2025.

“The steps we’re taking forward from Matt Clifford’s AI Opportunities Action Plan represent a step change in how the UK manages this technology – unlocking a fresh start for our economy and for working people,” said secretary of state for science, technology, and innovation, Peter Kyle. “By attracting more than £14 billion in new investment and thousands of fresh jobs since unveiling our new blueprint from companies across the globe, the message is clear – the UK’s pull as a magnet for AI innovation and growth will only go from strength to strength.”

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