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Google Opens Waltham Cross Data Centre as Part of Two-year £5 Billion Investment in the UK to Help Power its AI Economy

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Google Opens Waltham Cross Data Centre as Part of Two-year £5 Billion Investment in the UK to Help Power its AI Economy

  • Developing the UK’s opportunity by delivering fast, reliable AI and Cloud services
  • Creating 8,250 new AI-driven jobs annually at UK businesses
  • Advancing UK energy grid stability and capacity through a new agreement with Shell

WALTHAM CROSS, England, Sept. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Google today announced the opening of its data centre in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, as part of a two-year £5 billion investment in the UK. Opened today by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the state-of-the-art data centre will help meet growing demand for Google’s AI-powered services like Google Cloud, Workspace, Search and Maps that people, businesses and public organisations across the country use every day. More than 250 companies worked on building the facility – the majority of them local.

The £5 billion investment includes Google’s capital expenditure, research and development, and related engineering over the next two years – and encompasses Google DeepMind with its pioneering AI research in science and healthcare. The investments will help the UK develop its AI economy and unlock AI breakthroughs across the UK, fortify cybersecurity, and create future-focused career opportunities for millions of Brits. Google’s investment is projected to create 8,250 jobs annually at UK businesses.

Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer said:  “Google’s £5bn investment is a powerful vote of confidence in the UK economy and the strength of our partnership with the US, creating jobs and economic growth for years to come.

“This government is reversing decades of underinvestment that has held us back for too long, by slashing burdensome red tape, delivering bold reforms of the planning system and investing in better tech to unlock better jobs and opportunities. Through our Plan for Change we are building an economy that works for, and rewards, working people.”

“With today’s announcement, Google is deepening our roots in the UK and helping support Great Britain’s potential with AI to add £400 billion to the economy by 2030 while also enhancing critical social services. said Ruth Porat, President and Chief Investment Officer, Alphabet and Google. Google’s investment in technical infrastructure, expanded energy capacity and job-ready AI skills will help ensure everyone in Broxbourne and across the whole of the UK stays at the cutting-edge of global tech opportunities.”

Demis Hassabis, Co-Founder and CEO, Google DeepMind, added: “We founded DeepMind in London because we knew the UK had the potential and talent to be a global hub for pioneering AI,” said Demis Hassabis, Co-Founder and CEO of Google DeepMind. “The UK has a rich history of being at the forefront of technology – from Lovelace to Babbage to Turing – so it’s fitting that we’re continuing that legacy by investing in the next wave of innovation and scientific discovery in the UK.”

Energy efficiency and capacity

Google’s data centres are among the most energy-efficient in the world. The company is committed to responsibly growing its infrastructure, while applying AI to increase energy availability and resilience in the communities where it operates.

Today, Google also announced it has selected Shell Energy Europe Limited (Shell) as its 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Manager in the UK, a pioneering agreement which will contribute to grid stability and the UK’s energy transition. Shell will manage a power portfolio for Google that addresses the intermittency of clean energy generation through access to battery energy storage systems (BESS). Shell will optimise Google’s existing clean energy portfolio, including the off-take from its long-term agreement with ENGIE from the Moray West project in Scotland, storing surplus energy when production is high and releasing stored power back to the grid when production is low. Between the Shell alliance and Google’s other clean energy initiatives, Google’s UK operations are projected to run at or near 95% carbon-free-energy in 2026.

The Waltham Cross data centre is designed to minimise its environmental impact. The facility uses advanced air-cooling technology to limit water usage to domestic use and is also equipped to support off-site heat recovery, meaning heat from the data centre can be re-routed and provided free of charge to help warm local homes, schools or businesses.

Job-ready AI skills for people across the community and UK

Google is also investing to support people across the UK to gain the critical AI and job-ready skills that support AI adoption. Google has trained more than one million Britons with skills in the past decade and is part of the industry group, announced by the Prime Minister in July, partnering to train 7.5 million people by 2030.

In Hertfordshire, Google is establishing a Community Fund, managed by Broxbourne Council, to support local economic development. The company is also providing direct support for local charities and social enterprises providing skills and employment services, including CHEXS, Community Alliance Broxbourne & East Herts, Hertfordshire Community Foundation, and SPACE Hertfordshire.

Councilor Corina Gander, Leader of Broxbourne Council, commented: “I am delighted that Google chose to open their data centre in the Borough of Broxbourne. The Council has worked closely with Google to maximise the positive impact of the development. Google is heavily investing in community-based projects and is making an important contribution to the local economy”.

About Google

Google’s mission is to organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. Through products and platforms like Search, Maps, Gmail, Android, Google Play, Google Cloud, Chrome and YouTube, Google plays a meaningful role in the daily lives of billions of people and has become one of the most widely-known companies in the world. Google is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. According to 2023 independent research, Google in the UK drives more than £118 billion in economic activity. [Google’s UK Economic Impact Report]

Editor notes:

Job projections

  • All job figures are expressed as full-time equivalents (FTEs) and are projected for the 2026-2027 period. Impacts include direct, indirect, and induced effects calculated using an Implan methodology.

Supporting the local community in Broxbourne

  • In addition to establishing a Community Fund, managed by Broxbourne Council, Google is directly supporting the following local charities:
    • CHEXS (Community, Health, and Expanding Skills), which delivers AI and STEAM skills support to local young people
    • Community Alliance Broxbourne & East Herts, which supports local voluntary and community groups and residents to enhance STEM and digital skills and employment
    • Hertfordshire Community Foundation, which works with grassroots charities across the region
    • SPACE Hertfordshire, which supports families of neurodivergent young people

Google’s approach to energy efficiency

  • As a pioneer in computing infrastructure, Google’s data centres are some of the most efficient in the world. Our data centres deliver >6x more computing power per unit of electricity than they did five years ago.
  • Today we’re pursuing a climate moonshot to reach net-zero emissions across all of our operations and value chain, which includes running on 24/7 carbon free energy (CFE) on every grid where we operate.
  • Beyond our operations, Google is committed to improving local watershed health where we operate office campuses and data centres and replenishing 120% of the water it consumes, on average.
  • Read more about how we are innovating across our operations and our supply chain here and in our most recent Environmental Report.

 

SOURCE Google Cloud



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Lewis Honors College introduces ‘Ideas that Matter’ program series

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September 16, 2025

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 16, 2025) — This fall, the Lewis Honors College (LHC) launches its “Ideas that Matter” series, a program connecting students with leading scholars, innovators and changemakers on issues shaping today’s world — from free speech and artificial intelligence to nonprofit innovation.

LHC Director of College Life Libby Hannon, who initiated the series, said the goal is to spark lively dialogue.

“The ‘Ideas that Matter’ discussions combine intellectually engaging questions with interactive conversations and allow our students to speak with some of the most forward-thinking scholars, changemakers and entrepreneurs from Lexington and beyond,” Hannon said.

The series begins Sept. 18 with University Research Professor Neal Hutchens, Ph.D., who will explore the historical and legal background of free speech and academic freedom in campus life. His talk, 5-6 p.m. in the Lewis Scholars Lounge, will conclude with an interactive Q&A.

“I’m especially looking forward to the conversation part of the evening, where we engage in and model the kind of vibrant back-and-forth that is crucial to maintaining systems of free speech and academic freedom,” Hutchens said.

On Oct. 6, Lewis Lecturer Sherelle Roberts, Ph.D., will moderate a panel of experts on artificial intelligence as they discuss “The Future of Earth and AI,” including the current and potential impacts of artificial intelligence on the future of work, the economy and the environment.

“Artificial Intelligence is quickly becoming a part of our everyday lives. Some even believe AI will transform our world as dramatically as the Industrial Revolution,” Roberts said. “This event will get our students thinking critically about our possible AI-driven future, while also having some fun.”

The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with movie snacks and will transition into the panel discussion at 6 p.m., featuring faculty and staff from a variety of disciplines. The movie, an animated film that conceptualizes our AI-powered future, will begin at 7 p.m.

The final event of the semester on Nov. 11, will spotlight local nonprofit Operation Secret Santa (OSS), 5-6 p.m. in the Lewis Scholars Lounge. Founder Katie Keys and honors program alum Lucy Jett Waterbury will share the story of OSS’s creation in 2016 and its growing impact on the community.

“Operation Secret Santa is built on the belief that no child should face barriers to feeling loved and celebrated,” said Keys. “We meet families where they are, right at their doorsteps, bringing not only gifts and food, but the reminder that their village sees them and cares.”

“From (Katie’s) big heart, she has built a big, yet lean and efficient, nonprofit that has one very simple goal, to bring joy to Kentucky kids at Christmas time,” Waterbury said.

Through this series, LHC offers students a chance to engage with pressing issues, broaden their perspectives and learn directly from those making a difference.



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Ethereum Foundation Bets Big on AI Agents with New Research Team

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44 minutes ago

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September 16, 2025

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TLDR

  • Ethereum Foundation launches new dAI Team led by research scientist Davide Crapis to connect blockchain and AI economies
  • Team focuses on enabling AI agents to make payments and coordinate without intermediaries on Ethereum
  • Group continues work on ERC-8004 standard for proving AI agent identity and trust
  • Initiative aims to make Ethereum the settlement layer for autonomous machine transactions
  • Foundation hiring AI researcher and project manager to staff the new specialized unit

The Ethereum Foundation has formed a specialized artificial intelligence research team to position Ethereum as the foundation for autonomous machine transactions. Research scientist Davide Crapis announced the new dAI Team on Monday, outlining plans to merge blockchain technology with AI systems.

The team will pursue two main goals according to Crapis. First, enabling AI agents to conduct payments and coordinate activities without human intermediaries. Second, building a decentralized AI infrastructure that reduces dependence on major technology companies.

Crapis leads the new unit and will connect its work with the Foundation’s protocol development group and ecosystem support division. The team has begun hiring for an AI researcher position and a project manager role to drive coordination efforts.

The dAI Team builds on existing work around ERC-8004, a proposed Ethereum standard co-authored by Crapis. This standard aims to establish identity and reputation systems for autonomous AI agents. The protocol would allow these agents to prove their trustworthiness and coordinate activities without centralized oversight.

AI Agent Infrastructure Development

The Ethereum Foundation sees growing demand for settlement systems as AI agents begin conducting more transactions. Crapis stated that intelligent agents need neutral infrastructure for handling value transfers and reputation management. Ethereum’s censorship resistance and verifiability make it suitable for these functions.

Current blockchain activity supports this vision of expanded use cases. CryptoQuant data shows Ethereum processed 12 million daily smart contract calls on Thursday. The analytics firm noted that network activity remains in expansion mode with record transaction volumes and active addresses.

AI agents operate as programs that make decisions with minimal human supervision. They can execute transactions and perform tasks on behalf of their programmers. Blockchains with programmable features like smart contracts provide suitable environments for these autonomous systems.

The Foundation restructured in 2025 to handle Ethereum’s growth through specialized units. The dAI Team represents part of this shift toward addressing emerging technologies. Previous focus areas included layer-2 scaling solutions and zero-knowledge proof development.

Decentralized AI Stack Goals

Multiple blockchain projects are working to integrate AI and distributed ledger technology. Matchain launched a decentralized AI blockchain in 2024. KiteAI announced an AI-driven blockchain in the Avalanche ecosystem in February 2025.

The Ethereum Foundation’s approach differs by focusing on standards and infrastructure rather than creating new blockchains. The dAI Team will support public goods and projects that combine AI with existing Ethereum capabilities.

Crapis emphasized the mutual benefits of linking AI and Ethereum. He stated that Ethereum makes AI more trustworthy while AI makes Ethereum more useful. This relationship could expand as more autonomous agents require blockchain services.

The team operates under Ethereum’s decentralized acceleration philosophy. This approach prioritizes open and verifiable AI development while maintaining human oversight of intelligent systems. The Foundation aims to prevent AI infrastructure lock-in by major technology companies.

Industry experts see potential for AI agents and blockchain technology to reshape digital commerce. The combination could enable new forms of autonomous economic activity without traditional intermediaries.

The Ethereum Foundation has begun publishing resources for the new team according to Crapis. He stated the Foundation will work with urgency to connect AI developers with the Ethereum ecosystem and accelerate research between the two fields.





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Gachon University launched the “AI and Computing Research Institute” in earnest to strengthen global..

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September 16, 2025

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Convergence of AI, semiconductors, batteries, and bio-integrated AI education to leap forward as a global research hub

The opening ceremony of the AI and Computing Research Institute. Courtesy of Gachon University

Gachon University launched the “AI and Computing Research Institute” in earnest to strengthen global competitiveness in the field of artificial intelligence.

Gachon University held the opening ceremony of the AI and Computing Research Institute at the Gachon Convention Center on the 16th and began its official activities. The event was held in the order of introducing the achievements of the university, awarding an appointment letter, and presenting the researcher’s vision.

With artificial intelligence as its core axis, the AI and Computing Research Institute promotes convergence research in various ICT fields such as △6G network △ cloud and edge computing △ quantum computing △ physical AI △ new drug development. It plans to actively hold joint projects, discussions, and international events with academia, industry, public institutions, leading overseas universities and research institutes, and Hallimwon to strengthen the industry-academic cooperation system and lead the establishment of an AI+X ecosystem and enhance national competitiveness.

Starting next year, various research and industry-academia cooperation programs such as the Global AI and Computing Symposium, the hosting of IEEE-level international academic conferences, the establishment of an international joint research center, and AI-based regional innovation projects will also be promoted in earnest.

Lee Won-jun, a professor at Korea University, was appointed as the first researcher on this day. Professor Lee is a professor of computer science at Korea University and the Graduate School of Information Protection, and has achieved global research achievements in the fields of wired and wireless communication networking systems, AI-based cloud-edge computing, and wireless security, and was selected as IEEE Fellow, an authority in computing and networking in 2021.

Gachon University has already led AI innovation in overall education, including establishing the first artificial intelligence department in Korea in 2020 and △ mandatory basic AI education for all students △ expanding AI convergence research linked to medicine, pharmaceuticals, and bio △ establishing AI specialized courses for each major △ establishing the first AI humanities university in Korea.

The launch of this research institute is a strategic step to leap into a global research base based on educational achievements.

Lee Gil-yeo, president of Gachon University, said, “Gachon University has been leading AI education by opening the nation’s first artificial intelligence department. Now, we have launched a researcher to prepare a new electricity in research, he said. “In particular, the unexpected recruitment of Professor Lee Won-jun reflects the will to grow the researcher into a global hub and develop it to a world-class level through strategic convergence with the semiconductor, battery, and bio (BBC) fields.”



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