President Donald Trump’s state visit to the United Kingdom has yielded a series of groundbreaking agreements that promise to reshape the transatlantic partnership in nuclear energy and artificial intelligence. The historic two-day visit has produced what officials are calling a “tech prosperity deal” worth over £31 billion in backing from America’s top technology companies.
The centerpiece of the agreements is the Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy, which will see the construction of up to 12 advanced modular reactors in Hartlepool, northeast England. This ambitious nuclear program aims to create thousands of jobs while enhancing energy security for both nations. The partnership also includes plans for data centers powered by small modular reactors in Nottinghamshire, with projects valued at approximately £11 billion.
Microsoft has announced its largest-ever investment in the UK, committing £22 billion to the partnership. This massive investment will focus on AI development, quantum computing, and supporting the growing energy demands of data centers essential for the artificial intelligence revolution. The northeast of England is set to become a new AI growth zone, potentially creating more than 5,000 jobs and attracting billions in private investment.
OpenAI’s $500 billion Stargate data center project, announced for Blyth, Northumberland, represents another major component of the deal. In collaboration with Nvidia and UK data center operator Nscale, this initiative aims to position the UK as a global leader in sovereign artificial intelligence technology, significantly enhancing Britain’s digital infrastructure and innovation capabilities.
The agreements include regulatory streamlining measures that will accelerate nuclear project approvals from the typical three to four years down to approximately two years. The UK’s Office for Nuclear Regulation and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission have signed a refreshed memorandum of understanding to facilitate this cooperation, allowing safety assessments completed in one country to support evaluations in the other.
Google has also announced a £5 billion investment in Britain’s AI sector as part of the broader cooperation framework. These investments come as both countries seek to maintain their technological edge in the global competition for AI dominance and clean energy leadership.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the agreements as marking “a generational step-change” in the US-UK relationship, emphasizing that the partnership will create highly skilled jobs and deliver growth across the United Kingdom. US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright characterized the deals as ushering in “a true nuclear renaissance” to meet rising energy demand and fuel the AI revolution.
The timing of these agreements is particularly significant as both nations face increasing pressure to secure their energy independence and technological sovereignty. The nuclear components of the deal specifically aim to reduce dependence on imported nuclear materials, particularly from Russia, while supporting ambitious carbon reduction goals.