Government opens formal bid process for AI Growth Zones

Speaking at a launch event at techUK, the Prime Minister's Adviser on AI Opportunities Matt Clifford and Minister Feryal Clark announced the next steps of the Government’s plan to supercharge AI capacity and economic growth through AI Growth Zones.

Applications for the bid process can be made here, and further information can be found on the Government’s press release here.

AI Growth Zones (AIGZs) are among the flagship recommendations of the Government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan, launched in January by the Prime Minister and authored by entrepreneur Matt Clifford, who has also been named Number 10’s chief AI advisor.

The policy offers targeted, place-based support to fast-track necessary AI infrastructure, primarily data centres, to be built by 2030. Successful bids will be ambitious – they must demonstrate that proposed sites have access to 500MW of power capacity by 2030 or have a clear route to achieving this. This sets a high bar for an AIGZ – likely one of the reasons the Government has confirmed the number of initial zones will be in single figures, given the high level of support and oversight expected to achieve these.

The second key qualifying factor for an AIGZ will be the ability of the zone to benefit and support a wider cluster of AI activity, innovation and investment in the local community and beyond. This is harder to define in such definitive terms as power capacity as, as Matt Clifford mentioned, each cluster is likely to look very different and support a different set of needs based on local requirements. To support rapid progress, the government is streamlining planning and approval procedures for the construction of vital infrastructure such as data centres and energy links.

Localism has been stressed throughout the AIGZ process – mooted secondary objectives of the policy include contributing to regeneration of deprived communities such as “post-industrial towns” coastal areas. Ensuring that local communities see clear, tangible benefits to this infrastructure will be vital to building long-term consent and success for a cluster. This is seen in the first designated zone previously announced in Culham, Oxfordshire, which leverages the area’s connection to the UK Atomic Energy Authority. This site will explore how AI can integrate with cutting-edge technologies like nuclear fusion and sustainable energy.

Ultimately though, this is about power capacity. How much can be generated and where seems to be the ultimate deciding factor for this bid process, as the Government looks to proceed at pace with what it views as vital infrastructure for the UK’s future development.

It was made clear at the launch event that whilst over 200 expressions of interest were received following the initial announcement, Government expects the first round of formal bids to result in a ‘single figure’ number of AIGZs.

Government have also suggested that those bids looking to be included as part of the first round of AIGZs are strongly encouraged to submit them before the end of May. Whilst not an official deadline, this seems to firmly suggest that they are looking to progress at pace. Applications for the bid process can be made here, and further information can be found on the Government’s press release here.

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