Up to 1,000 AI jobs are coming to Liverpool after PM Keir Starmer announced plans to “unleash” AI across the UK.
The AI Opportunities Action Plan aims to “transform the lives of working people”, revolutionising the UK’s public services and putting more money in people’s pockets.
It will be backed by three major tech companies – Vantage Data Centres, Nscale and Kyndryl – who have committed to invest £14bn in the UK, creating a total of 13,250 jobs.
That’s on top of the £25bn in AI investment already announced at the International Investment Summit.
IT infrastructure provider Kyndryl has revealed plans to create up to 1,000 AI-related jobs in Liverpool over the next three years at its new North West tech hub.
The government said the plans represent a “marked move” from the previous government’s approach, with the PM is throwing the full weight of Whitehall behind the industry by agreeing to take forward all 50 recommendations set out by Matt Clifford in his AI Opportunities Action Plan.
Starmer said: “Artificial Intelligence will drive incredible change in our country. From teachers personalising lessons, to supporting small businesses with their record-keeping, to speeding up planning applications, it has the potential to transform the lives of working people.
“But the AI industry needs a government that is on their side, one that won’t sit back and let opportunities slip through its fingers. And in a world of fierce competition, we cannot stand by. We must move fast and take action to win the global race.
“Our plan will make Britain the world leader. It will give the industry the foundation it needs and will turbocharge the Plan for Change. That means more jobs and investment in the UK, more money in people’s pockets, and transformed public services.”
Unveiling details of the government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan today, the Prime Minister will say AI can transform the lives of working people – it has the potential to speed up planning consultations to get Britain building, help drive down admin for teachers so they can get on with teaching our children, and feed AI through cameras to spot potholes and help improve roads.
Taken together, the government claims that 50 measures in Clifford’s plan will make the UK irresistible to AI firms looking to start, scale, or grow their business and It build on recent progress in AI that has seen £25bn new investment in data centres announced since the government took office last July.
This Action Plan is also at the heart of the government’s Industrial Strategy and the first plank of the upcoming Digital and Technology Sector Plan, to be published in the coming months.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves MP said: “AI is a powerful tool that will help grow our economy, make our public services more efficient and open up new opportunities to help improve living standards.
“This action plan is the government’s modern industrial strategy in action. Attracting AI businesses to the UK, binging in new investment, creating new jobs and turbocharging our Plan for Change. This means better living standards in every part of the United Kingdom and working people have more money in their pocket.”
Report author Matt Clifford CBE added: “This is a plan which puts us all-in – backing the potential of AI to grow our economy, improve lives for citizens, and make us a global hub for AI investment and innovation.
“AI offers opportunities we can’t let slip through our fingers, and these steps put us on the strongest possible footing to ensure AI delivers in all corners of the country, from building skills and talent to revolutionising our infrastructure and compute power.”
