UK government launches taskforce to oversee North East AI Growth Zone

The UK government has launched a taskforce to develop the North East AI Growth Zone.

The North East Growth Zone is a designated site for hosing AI-enabled datacentres which has access to power supplies of at least 500MW, to create new jobs, training and apprenticeship routes.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) said that the taskforce consists of tech firms such as British AI firm Nscale, local universities and skills providers who will work together to create jobs and address any planning issues from the creation of the growth zone.

Building work on sites in Cambois near Blyth and Cobalt Park, which will host the datacentres and other AI infrastructure, is expected to begin in the coming weeks.

The Taskforce will initially prioritise getting the AI Growth Zone up and running, before maximising the impact of AI for the local economy, jobs and opportunities for young people.

The government said the North East, which is the birthplace of the industrial revolution and home to leading universities including Newcastle, Durham, Sunderland and Northumbria, is set to lead the UK’s AI revolution. 

The UK government has designated the region as an AI Growth Zone and earmarked up to £30 billion in investment to transform its tech landscape, create long-term AI careers, and boosting public services like healthcare. 

As the region has access to the UK’s largest source of low-carbon energy, the government said the North East is suitable for sustainable AI deployment. 

“The North East is once again leading the charge – this time in the AI revolution,” said technology secretary Liz Kendall. “From laying the physical foundations and building data centres to launching careers in AI, this Growth Zone is about creating real opportunities for people right across the region.”

Earlier this month, the UK government announced plans to expand the UK’s AI ecosystem by launching a new AI assurance roadmap and allocating £11 million for an AI Assurance Innovation Fund.

British AI companies received £2.9 billion in private investment last year, with the average deal valued at £5.9 million, according to government figures.

The government also highlighted significant regional growth, with at least twice as many AI companies now based in the Midlands, Yorkshire, Wales, and the North West compared to just three years ago.