Google makes £5bn pledge to Britain - but concerns raised over mooted UK-US tech deal

Group 1 - Google is set to invest £5 billion in the UK over the next two years to support the growing demand for AI services, which is expected to create thousands of jobs [1][5] - The investment will focus on capital expenditure, research and development, and engineering, including pioneering AI research in science and healthcare through its DeepMind operation [4][5] - The investment is projected to create approximately 8,250 jobs annually at UK businesses, contributing to the growth of the UK's AI economy and technological advancements [5] Group 2 - The announcement coincides with a state visit by Donald Trump, during which a new UK-US tech deal is expected to be signed, alongside significant investments from OpenAI and Nvidia in UK data centers [2] - Chancellor Rachel Reeves described Google's investment as a "vote of confidence" in the UK economy, emphasizing its potential to boost research and development and capital expenditure [2][4] - DeepMind's CEO, Demis Hassabis, highlighted the UK's historical significance in technology and its potential to be a global hub for pioneering AI, reinforcing the importance of this investment [7]