TECH & AI
Q. WHAT DOES THAT INDUSTRIAL CAPABILITY LOOK LIKE ON THE GROUND?
» I see that first-hand in the North East of England, where we have our UK base and where there is a strong industrial heritage and highly capable workforce, but the same is true across the country. Businesses like ours operate internationally, delivering projects in markets where demand is moving quickly. The opportunity for the UK is to create the conditions that allow that capability to scale domestically as well.
Q. WHERE IS THE SYSTEM CURRENTLY FALLING SHORT?
» At present, the UK risks being held back not by a lack of ambition, but by fragmentation between policy, planning and infrastructure delivery. Projects take time to approve, power connections take time to secure and the overall system does not always move at the speed required by the market. In contrast, other regions, particularly the US, are moving faster, with more accessible energy and more streamlined delivery environments. That does not mean the UK cannot compete. It means we need to be more deliberate in how we align policy with delivery. This is ultimately about recognising AI infrastructure as a national priority.
Q. HOW SHOULD POLICYMAKERS APPROACH THIS MORE HOLISTICALLY?
» Power, planning and industrial capability need to be considered together, not in isolation.
That includes being realistic about energy strategy. Clean energy has a central role to play, but so does ensuring that sufficient, reliable capacity is available in the near term to support growth. There are viable pathways. Investment in grid infrastructure, faster connection processes and a balanced approach to energy generation can unlock significant capacity. Technologies such as small modular reactors may form part of the long-term solution, while modular data centre delivery can accelerate deployment in the short term.
Q. WHAT IS YOUR FINAL MESSAGE TO POLITICIANS AND INDUSTRY LEADERS?
» The key is momentum because the industry is ready and demand is already here. What is needed now is a delivery environment that matches that pace. The risk otherwise is that the UK talks about leadership while others build it. But the opportunity remains firmly within reach. With the right decisions, the UK can combine its strengths in engineering, manufacturing and innovation to support a globally competitive AI infrastructure ecosystem. If we are serious about becoming an AI superpower, we need to match ambition with execution. That means prioritising energy, streamlining delivery and backing the sectors that can turn demand into real, scalable infrastructure. The UK has the capability. The question is whether we can create the conditions to fully realise it.
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