Voix True
News
UK Government Opens Search for a Site to Host Its New 750 Million Pound AI Supercomputer
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology wants a partner capable of powering a next-generation heterogeneous AI machine by early 2028
Published: July 19, 2026
The UK government has opened a formal search for an organisation to host its next flagship AI supercomputer, a project worth up to 750 million pounds. In a notice published this week, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said the machine will expand the country's AI Research Resource, the programme that gives researchers, small businesses and public sector bodies free access to world-class computing power.
The AI Research Resource already includes the Isambard-AI system at the University of Bristol and the Dawn supercomputer at the University of Cambridge, alongside the newer Zenith machine jointly funded with UK Research and Innovation. The new system, described as a heterogeneous supercomputer, will combine established computing hardware with newer, experimental technology aimed at supporting large-scale AI inference and complex research workloads.
Officials say the project will roll out in two phases. The first, targeted for early 2028, would bring online new inference-optimised hardware and require up to 10 megawatts of power, while the second phase, planned for the 2029 to 2030 financial year, would expand capacity further to as much as 30 megawatts. Of the total budget, 150 million pounds is earmarked for procuring the novel hardware itself, with a further 250 million pounds set aside for additional specialised components during the second phase.
To qualify, applicants must be based in the UK, eligible for funding from UK Research and Innovation, and able to demonstrate experience hosting large-scale national compute services. The department says it is looking for evidence that a prospective host can meet strict delivery timelines, operate the system securely, and hold or quickly obtain security certifications such as ISO 27001 and Cyber Essentials Plus.
The government says the investment underpins its wider Sovereign AI mission and an ambition to accelerate scientific discovery through what it calls an AI for Science programme, pointing to earlier successes such as a UK startup that used the existing AI Research Resource to develop diagnostic tools for lung cancer. Responses to the department's call for interest are due by 10 August, with a shortlist of potential hosts expected to be invited into a more detailed selection process afterward.
New Trump Tariffs on Canadian Goods Raise Cost Concerns for U.S. Homebuilders
2 weeks ago
Cape Coral Reclaims Crown as Top Florida Draw for Canadian Snowbirds
2 weeks ago
