The Google logo is seen outside a building housing Google offices in Beijing on February 4, 2025. China on February 4 said it would probe US tech giant Google over violations of anti-monopoly laws after Washington slapped 10 percent levies on Chinese goods. (Photo by GREG BAKER / AFP)
Google has unveiled plans to pour £5 billion into the United Kingdom over the next two years, a move seen as a major boost to Britain’s push for global leadership in artificial intelligence.
The announcement, made on Tuesday, coincided with the scheduled arrival of US President Donald Trump for his second state visit to the UK — a rare diplomatic honour that underscores the deepening transatlantic partnership.
According to Google, the investment will fund capital expenditure, research and development, and expand the work of its London-based AI arm, DeepMind, which is leading groundbreaking research in healthcare and science.
Part of the outlay includes the opening of a new data centre in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, following an earlier $1 billion commitment announced last year. A company spokesperson confirmed the £5 billion pledge was in addition to previous investments.
Trump is due to meet Prime Minister Keir Starmer at his countryside residence on Thursday, accompanied by a delegation of US technology leaders, including the heads of Nvidia and OpenAI. A senior American official described the visit as a platform to showcase a “new science and technology partnership,” which will also feature multibillion-pound commitments from US firms.
Officials from both governments are expected to sign agreements worth roughly £10 billion, ranging from advanced nuclear energy projects to what London has described as a “world-leading tech partnership.”
In a sign of growing investor confidence, Starmer at the weekend welcomed pledges totalling £1.25 billion from US financial giants PayPal and Citi Group, who have vowed to strengthen their UK footprint.
The nuclear pact, central to Thursday’s talks, will fast-track regulatory approvals and unlock fresh private sector funding for projects designed to bolster Britain’s energy security and support its net-zero ambitions.
With AI and clean energy at the heart of the discussions, analysts say Trump’s visit could mark a turning point in US–UK relations, blending diplomacy with strategic investment at a time when global competition in technology and energy is intensifying.
