Google owner Alphabet on Tuesday announced a £5 billion ($6.8 billion) investment in the U.K.’s artificial intelligence development, just as the country prepares for U.S. President Donald Trump’s state visit this week.
The U.S. president is scheduled to arrive in Britain on Tuesday evening, before the pomp and pageantry gets underway on Wednesday. His visit is expected to coincide with a flurry of business deals.
Google’s two-year investment will represent a welcome boost for Britain’s embattled Labour government.
As part of the pledge, the U.S. tech giant announced the opening of a new state-of-the-art data center in Waltham Cross, approximately 12 miles (19 kilometers) north of central London.
Google said the new facility will help meet the growing demand for the company’s AI-powered services like Google Cloud, Workspace, Search and Maps.
The £5 billion investment is projected to create 8,250 jobs annually at U.K. businesses, Google said.
U.K. Finance Minister Rachel Reeves described Google’s announcement as
Google to invest £5 billion in UK AI as Trump heads for state visit
