Rachel Reeves visits UK supercomputer to mark £750 million tech investment

The UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, has spotlighted a massive investment in the nation’s technological future during her first official visit to the University of Edinburgh. Touring the home of the UK’s current national supercomputer, ARCHER2, the Chancellor marked the government’s commitment of up to £750 million to build its next-generation successor on the same site. The visit underscores a new national strategy aimed at positioning Britain as a global leader in artificial intelligence and scientific innovation.

This significant investment places the University of Edinburgh at the very heart of the UK’s technological ambitions. The visit follows the recent launch of the government’s “Compute Roadmap,” which formally designated the university’s world-renowned EPCC (formerly the Edinburgh Parallel Computing Centre) as the first in a new network of National Supercomputing Centres. This status solidifies the Edinburgh region’s pivotal role in a nationwide effort to drive innovation and support industry through high-performance computing.

During her visit, the Chancellor emphasized that the investment is about more than just hardware; it is about fostering a thriving economic ecosystem. Ms. Reeves hosted a roundtable discussion with founders and CEOs from the region’s vibrant tech sector to discuss how the government’s Industrial Strategy can support small and medium-sized enterprises. The conversation focused on leveraging the immense power of supercomputing and data to create high-quality jobs and drive growth across the UK.

The selection of the University of Edinburgh builds on a long and distinguished legacy. Regarded as the birthplace of AI research in Europe, the university has been a world leader in the field for over 60 years and has pioneered breakthroughs using high-performance computing for more than three decades. In her remarks, the Chancellor noted this investment will ensure “Scottish innovation remains a global leader in the technologies of the future,” making Edinburgh the hub of the UK’s supercomputing power.

University leaders welcomed the Chancellor’s visit, viewing the government’s major investment as a powerful endorsement of their expertise and track record. Professor Mark Parsons, Director of EPCC, stated that the new supercomputer and national centre status will “unlock new advances and economic growth for the benefit of society.” The collaborative project represents a firm commitment from both government and academia to push the boundaries of computing and secure the UK’s role at the forefront of the digital revolution.