Revealed this week by Microsoft, an ambitious project has been launched to craft Microsoft AI London, a hub dedicated to pushing the limits of AI research and development on UK soil. The project is the newest offshoot of Microsoft AI, a firm with laser-focus on enhancing user experiences with AI, central to which is Microsoft’s AI chatbot Copilot.
Under the seasoned leadership of AI scientist and engineer Jordan Hoffmann, Microsoft AI London has a clear mandate to work on ground-breaking language models and pivotal infrastructure, as well as high-quality tooling for core models. Their operations will dovetail with other Microsoft AI teams and partners, one of which is OpenAI.
“I’m deeply aware of the extraordinary talent pool and AI ecosystem in the UK, and I’m excited to make this commitment to the UK on behalf of Microsoft AI,” proclaimed Mustafa Suleyman, the EVP and CEO of Microsoft AI. Suleyman further acknowledged the UK’s commitment to fostering AI with a safety-first orientation that encourages investment, innovation, and economic growth.
Microsoft’s decision to plant the AI hub in London serves as a testament to their confidence in the UK’s dedication to responsible AI evolution. The hub supplements Microsoft’s pre-existing footprint in the UK, includes the Microsoft Research Cambridge lab, and well aligns with their substantial investment strategy to brace up the UK workforce for the AI epoch. The launch comes on the coattails of Microsoft’s £2.5 billion pledge to boost its data centre infrastructure in the UK, an investment move UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak lauded as a significant step for the country’s AI infrastructure and development.
The UK government is already heavily vested in AI, considering it a pivotal player in strengthening the UK’s economy and technology sector. In the Spring Budget, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt earmarked £100 million for The Alan Turing Institute, the UK’s national institution for data science and AI. Additionally, a recent announcement by the Prime Minister revealed taxpayer spending on AI chips and supercomputers is poised to jump to £400 million, all in an attempt to position the UK as a global frontrunner in avant-garde technology.
