By Samannay Biswas
Copyright timesnownews
Google announced on Tuesday it will invest 5 billion pounds ($6.8 billion) in the United Kingdom, a major move unveiled just before US President Donald Trump’s state visit to the country. The investment is part of a broader package of economic deals expected to exceed $10 billion during the visit. New Data Centre Near London As part of the plan, Google will open a new data centre at Waltham Cross, about an hour from London. The facility is designed to support rising demand for Google Cloud, AI-driven tools, Search, Maps, and Workspace. Using air-cooling technology to cut water consumption, the site will also redirect excess heat to nearby homes and businesses, lowering its environmental footprint. Economic Confidence Boost UK finance minister Rachel Reeves called the announcement a “powerful vote of confidence in the UK economy and the strength of our partnership with the US.” Google estimates the investment will create 8,250 jobs annually across British businesses, adding momentum to Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government, which is keen to draw in private sector investment to revive growth. Strengthening UK-US Economic Ties Trump’s visit is expected to highlight closer UK-US economic relations, with senior US officials confirming more than $10 billion in deals are set to be unveiled. The Google investment aligns with this effort, marking a significant show of American corporate commitment to Britain. Energy Transition Partnership with Shell In addition to the data centre, Google confirmed a deal with Shell to enhance grid stability and advance the UK’s energy transition. Combined with clean energy initiatives, Google said its UK operations will operate on or near 95% carbon-free energy by 2026. The timing of Google’s investment underscores both its strategic push in AI and cloud computing and its role in fostering UK-US ties during a period of renewed economic diplomacy. For London, it’s not just a tech milestone but also a symbolic win in attracting world-class investment at a politically pivotal moment.
