17-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Edinburgh to host UK's first National Supercomputing Centre
The news comes a month after Chancellor Rachel Reeves's spending review earmarked up to £750 million for a previously-cancelled supercomputer at the University of [[Edinburgh]], which once built will be the most powerful in the UK.
It is among a raft of announcements the government made on AI development on Thursday, July 17, including that Scotland will become an 'AI Growth Zone' aimed at accelerating the roll-out of data centres - huge facilities that that serve as the engines behind AI.
Against a backdrop of slower than expected economic growth and poor poll ratings the Labour government published its new £1 billion strategy to "harness the power of AI".
The 'compute strategy' sets out how the rapidly-evolving technology could "develop new medical cures and tools to cut emissions".
The UK Government said this would position the county as an "AI maker rather than an AI taker".
Projects aligning with its Plan For Change, such as those focused on economic growth and fixing the NHS, will be prioritised access to new cutting-edge infrastructure to fuel advancements, it said.
The new National Supercomputing Centre in Edinburgh will be the first in a "network" of such hubs eventually being set up across the UK.
However the government did not announce where in the Scottish capital the centre will be based, saying further details will be "confirmed in due course".
Described as a "dedicated centre of expertise", it will host "everything from large data sets and cutting-edge processing power, to linking up researchers and academia with leading talent in their region".
Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh said the designation will "provide new opportunities for research and innovation across the UK, attracting further investment and talent".
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He said Edinburgh being named as host of the UK's first National Supercomputing Centre was a significant recognition of the university's "longstanding leadership in advanced computing".
A new concept first unveiled in by the UK Government in January, Scotland will also become an 'AI Growth Zone' alongside Wales.
In the zones there will be "accelerated planning permissions to speed up the roll-out of data centres," according to the government, which said Scotland's access to wind, hydro and solar power sources made it an ideal candidate for energy-intensive data centres central to AI Growth Zones.
According to the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology the designation will attract billions of pounds in investment and create thousands of new jobs.
Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said the announcement placed Scotland at the forefront of the UK's "technological revolution".
He said: "The up to £750 million investment in Edinburgh's new supercomputer also places Scotland at the cutting edge of computing power globally. "
UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Peter Kyle said: 'From the shipyards of the Clyde to developments in steam engine technology, Scottish trailblazers were central to the industrial revolution.
"AI is this generation's next great industrial leap, so who better to help drive that change than a nation with innovation hardwired in its DNA.
'We've set out an ambitious plan to cement our position as a global leader in AI, with Scotland set to play a key role – unlocking fresh investment and new opportunities."
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Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: 'We are harnessing the power of AI to transform our public services, drive innovation and fuel economic growth that puts money in people's pockets.
'As technology advances, our Plan for Change is ensuring we are ahead of the curve, expanding our sovereign AI capabilities so we can make scientific breakthroughs, equip businesses with new tools for growth, and create new jobs across the country.'
