LONDON: President Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK has already delivered pledges from US tech giants to invest a combined $42 billion to help drive Britain’s AI sector.
The UK and US governments meanwhile agreed co-operation over nuclear and space technology as part of a “Tech Prosperity Deal.”
Below is a list of the main deals, led by Microsoft, outlined in a joint statement issued by the UK government and companies.
Microsoft
The company’s “largest ever commitment to the UK” comprises a $30-billion investment over four years, half of which will be spent on cloud computing and artificial intelligence infrastructure.
It includes plans to build Britain’s largest supercomputer.
“We’re committed to creating new opportunity for people and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic, and to ensuring America remains a trusted and reliable tech partner for the United Kingdom,” said Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella.
“That is why we are doubling down on our investment in the UK.”
Google
The search engine giant plans UK investment of £5 billion ($6.8 billion) over the next two years to power its AI drive, help “fortify cybersecurity” and create 8,250 jobs annually.
Nvidia, Stargate UK
British firm Nscale has partnered with Chat-GPT maker OpenAI and chip giant Nvidia to establish a UK version of Stargate — a large-scale AI infrastructure initiative.
The government said the project is aimed at “developing a platform designed to deploy OpenAI’s technology on sovereign infrastructure in the UK.”
Working alongside UK firms, Nvidia pledged to deploy a total 120,000 advanced GPU chips across the country, representing its biggest ever rollout in Europe.
Finance firms
Bank of America, BlackRock, Citi Group, PayPal and S&P Global are together investing around £1.75 billion to grow their UK operations.
Nuclear
Britain and the United States plan to speed up development of new nuclear power projects.
“This golden age of nuclear is central to the government’s mission to build more clean homegrown power to ensure energy security,” the UK government said.
Government partnerships
The two countries plan to “drive AI-powered health care solutions in areas such as precision medicine and chronic disease.”
The UK and US also plan to partner over “revolutionary quantum computers and speed up the deployment of this technology across areas like health care, defense and finance.”
NASA and the UK Space Agency intend to develop AI models to support science and exploration missions.
US tech deals alongside Trump’s UK visit
https://arab.news/z75v8
US tech deals alongside Trump’s UK visit
- UK and US governments also agreed co-operation over nuclear and space technology as part of a ‘Tech Prosperity Deal’
Taiwan’s deputy foreign minister made secret trip to Israel, sources say
- The sources told Reuters that Wu had gone to Israel in recent weeks
- The sources declined to give details of whom he met or what was discussed, including whether he touched upon Taiwan’s new multi-layered air defense system called T-Dome
TAIPEI/JERUSALEM,: Taiwan’s high-profile Deputy Foreign Minister Francois Wu made a previously unpublicized visit to Israel recently, three sources familiar with the trip told Reuters, at a time when Taiwan is looking to the country for defense cooperation.
Taiwan has few formal diplomatic ties due to pressure from Beijing, which views the island as one of its provinces and not a country.
Like most other countries, Israel only officially recognizes Beijing and not Taipei, and while senior Taiwanese diplomats do travel abroad, trips to countries such as Israel are rare.
Still, Taiwan views Israel as an important democratic partner and offered strong support to the country after the October 2023 Hamas attack on southern Israel and subsequent war in Gaza, and since then there has been an increased level of engagement.
The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter, told Reuters that Wu had gone to Israel in recent weeks. Two of the sources said the trip happened this month. The sources declined to give details of whom he met or what was discussed, including whether he touched upon Taiwan’s new multi-layered air defense system called T-Dome, which President Lai Ching-te unveiled in October and is partly modelled on Israel’s air defense system.
Taiwan’s foreign ministry declined to comment on whether Wu had visited Israel.
“Taiwan and Israel share the values of freedom and democracy, and will continue to pragmatically promote mutually beneficial exchanges and cooperation” in areas such as trade, technology and culture and welcome more “mutually beneficial forms of cooperation,” it said in a statement.
Israel’s foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment.
PROMINENT PROMOTER OF TAIWAN GLOBALLY
Wu was previously Taiwan’s de facto ambassador in Paris and is one of Taipei’s most prominent promoters on the international stage.
His last public foreign trip was an appearance at the Berlin Security Conference on November 19. Taiwan has seen strong parallels between the military threat it faces from its giant neighbor China, and Israel, which has clashed with neighbors including Iran. Israel and Iran traded missile and air strikes earlier this year, with Israel’s missile defense system shooting down many threats.
China, by contrast, has a close relationship with the Palestinians and has recognized a Palestinian state since 1988. Taiwan has said it does not plan to recognize a Palestinian state.
Speaking to reporters last month in Taipei, Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung said that “of course in terms of technology and defense there is mutual learning and some interactions” between Taiwan and Israel. Just as Taiwan has proposed its T-Dome, so Israel has its Iron Dome, he added.
The T-Dome and Israel’s systems are similar, but different.
Israel’s multi-layered defense system includes the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, Arrow and US-made THAAD. The T-Dome is designed to establish a more efficient and integrated “sensor-to-shooter” mechanism for a higher kill rate, integrating existing systems like the US-built Patriot and Taiwan-made Sky Bow missiles and anti-aircraft guns.
TAIWAN, ISRAEL EXCHANGES INCREASING
Taiwan has little diplomatic footprint in the Middle East, though Taiwan and Israel have de facto embassies in Tel Aviv and Taipei.
Taiwan, whose government rejects Beijing’s sovereignty claims, has been hosting Israeli officials and lawmakers.
In October, Wu met in Taipei with Yinon Aaroni, Director General of Israel’s Ministry of Welfare and Social Affairs, while in September Taiwan President Lai Ching-te met six Israeli lawmakers at his office. Also in October, Lai told a dinner in Taiwan of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee that Israel’s determination and capacity to defend its territory provides a “valuable model” for Taiwan, and cited the Biblical story of David against Goliath. Still, Taiwan ended up being embroiled in Israel’s attack last year on Hezbollah officials in Lebanon after the exploding pagers used carried the brand name of a Taiwanese company.
Both Taiwan and Israel at the time played down the impact from that on bilateral ties.
