The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has announced that more than £8.2bn in private investment with an additional £540m community fund has been committed to support Lancashire’s AI Growth Zone.
Delivered by data centre company DataVita around their data centre site in Airdrie – and in partnership with AI cloud firm CoreWeave – the Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone will seek to bring more than 3,400 jobs.
Reportedly, this includes delivering 50 apprenticeships to nurture the next generation of Scottish AI expertise.
Of these jobs, around 800 are expected to focus on the AI jobs of the future, including everything from AI researchers and coders through to permanent staff who will run and maintain data centres.
The rest will be made up of immediate construction jobs, as attention turns to building out the entire site, including data centres, supportive infrastructure, and a renewables park.
Alongside £8.2bn in private investment, a new community fund will inject up to £543m into support for a range of local programmes over the next 15 years.
The money will come as a direct result of the work carried out at the site, being raised as data centre capacity comes online.
Chancellor of the exchequer, Rachel Reeves said: “Seizing the opportunities of AI is vital for getting jobs and growth in every part of the country.
“Our AI growth zones are doing just that – creating new opportunities for local communities and unlocking investment so businesses can grow and scale up, building an economy that works for working people.”
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