OpenAI has announced Stargate UK, a new partnership with NVIDIA and Nscale that will expand the United Kingdom’s sovereign AI computing capacity and strengthen its role in the global AI economy.

The initiative builds on the U.S.-UK technology partnership and follows a July 2025 memorandum of understanding with the UK government to advance national AI infrastructure. Stargate UK will provide local computing power to run OpenAI’s models for critical use cases where jurisdiction and data sovereignty are essential, such as healthcare, finance, research, and national security.

OpenAI plans to secure up to 8,000 GPUs in early 2026, with the potential to scale to 31,000 over time. The project will be distributed across several sites, including Cobalt Park in the North East, which has been designated an AI Growth Zone. NVIDIA will supply its cutting-edge Grace Blackwell GPUs, which integrate semiconductor designs from UK-based Arm, underlining cross-Atlantic collaboration in AI hardware.

Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, said Stargate UK will “help accelerate scientific breakthroughs, improve productivity, and drive economic growth,” while highlighting the UK’s position as a pioneer in AI research and adoption.

The project also includes a workforce development component. OpenAI will launch its OpenAI Academy in the UK, offering flexible AI literacy programs designed to support the government’s goal of upskilling 7.5 million workers by 2030. The initiative aims to expand access to AI training and reduce regional disparities in adoption.

With the UK ranking among OpenAI’s top five global markets for paid subscribers and developers, Stargate UK is expected to cement the country’s role as a hub for AI-driven innovation.

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