Microsoft's decision to launch a new AI center in London represents a significant vote of confidence in the UK technology sector, according to industry stakeholders.
The tech giant has announced plans for a new AI research center located in the Paddington area, with facilities dedicated to promoting the development of large language models (LLM), supporting infrastructure and tools for base models.
The staff will work closely with Microsoft's AI teams and its partners, including OpenAI, the company revealed.
Mustafa Suleyman, executive vice president and CEO of Microsoft AI, said the tech giant will begin actively recruiting for positions at the new center in the coming months.
“There is a huge pool of AI talent and expertise in the UK, and Microsoft AI plans to make significant long-term investment in the region as we begin recruiting top AI scientists and engineers into this new AI hub “, he claimed. .
“We are seeking new team members who are motivated by impact at scale and who are passionate innovators eager to contribute to a team culture where continuous learning is the norm.”
The new center will be led by Jordan Hoffmann, formerly of Inflection and DeepMind.
Russ Shaw CBE, founder of Tech London Advocates & Global Tech Advocates, said the launch of the new AI center is “another highlight of the capital's burgeoning tech ecosystem” and highlights the country's growing appeal as a global AI hub.
“This latest Microsoft AI center in London should be seen as a huge vote of confidence for the UK from one of the major players in the global tech industry,” he said.
“It is the latest of several examples of Microsoft demonstrating its commitment to delivering high-quality jobs here, with £2.5 billion recently announced to upskill the company's UK workforce.
“Taken together, it is clear how highly the UK’s research capabilities and talent pool are respected by the companies driving the technological developments that will define the economies of tomorrow.”
Microsoft's London AI center builds on solid foundations
Microsoft already has a strong presence in the UK AI sector, including the Microsoft Research Cambridge lab, which carries out research in the areas of AI, cloud and productivity.
The launch of the new AI center follows a series of initiatives by Microsoft in the UK, including the recent announcement of a £2.5 billion investment to expand its AI data center infrastructure in the UK.
It also pledged to bring more than 20,000 of the most advanced GPUs to the UK by 2026, expanding its Accelerating Foundation Models Research (AFMR) program to give priority access to the UK's scientific and research community.
The tech giant has also promised a multi-million dollar investment to train one million people in artificial intelligence skills.
Microsoft has been pushing for the government to develop a broader legal and regulatory framework for AI, and Suleyman said the decision to open the new center has been influenced by the UK government's approach to AI safety. .
“This is great news for Microsoft AI and for the UK. As a British citizen, born and raised in London, I am proud to have co-founded and built a cutting-edge AI business here,” he said.
“I know, through my close work with thought leaders in the UK government, business community and academia, that the country is committed to promoting AI responsibly and with a commitment to prioritizing safety to drive investment, innovation and economic growth,” says Suleyman.
“I am keenly aware of the extraordinary talent pool and AI ecosystem in the UK, and I am excited to make this commitment to the UK on behalf of Microsoft AI.”
