- Scotland to host new AI Growth Zone – a key pillar of the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy – creating 3,400 high value jobs and boosting wages across the region over the coming years
- Strong links with universities and businesses to open new collaborations, as the delivery of dozens of apprenticeships to support the next generation of Scottish AI talent.
- £8.2 billion in private investment committed with an additional £540 million to support the local community, help tackle the cost of living, and boost jobs
- Demonstrates rapid progress on AI, with over 75% of the AI Opportunities Action Plan already delivered, laying the groundwork for growth and transformed public services.
Hardworking people in Lanarkshire will have access to the skills and opportunities they need to chase the jobs of the future, as AI is put to work to transform communities and livelihoods.
Delivered by home-grown data centre company DataVita around their data centre site in Airdrie – and in partnership with AI cloud firm CoreWeave – the Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone announced by the Technology Secretary today (29 January) will bring more than 3,400 jobs over the course of the coming years (note), including delivering 50 apprenticeships to nurture the next generation of Scottish AI expertise.
Of these jobs, around 800 are expected to focus on the high-paying AI jobs of the future, including everything from AI researchers and coders through to permanent staff who will run and maintain data centres. The rest will be made up of immediate construction jobs, as attention turns to building out the entire site, including data centres, supportive infrastructure, and a renewables park.
Alongside £8.2 billion in private investment that will drive economic renewal in the local area, a new community fund will inject up to £543 million into support for a range of local programmes over the next 15 years (note). The money will come as a direct result of the work carried out at the site, being raised as data centre capacity comes online.
From skills and training packages which will give people the tools they need for jobs in and working with AI, through to after-school coding clubs, and support for local charities and foodbanks – this is how the government is ensuring AI is delivering frontline support and opportunity for communities and playing an active role to bring down the cost of living.
AI Growth Zones are just one of the many commitments the government has delivered one year on from the publication of the AI Opportunities Action Plan. In total the government has met 38 of its 50 commitments (note) with the public able to track progress in detail at a newly published interactive dashboard.
In the past 12 months, the government has laid the foundations for long-term success, increased its AI computing power tenfold and launched a major skills drive which has already seen over one million free AI courses delivered.
It is already delivering practical benefits – a third of chest x-rays in the NHS are AI-enabled, while AI is also helping the government function more efficiently by reducing the time taken to identify fraud by 80%. Meanwhile, Extract, the government-backed tool to digitise planning, is expected to be made available to all councils by Spring 2026, with a target to digitise all planning documents by the end of 2026. AI tutoring tools to narrow the attainment gap will also be co-developed this Summer and begin trials at the start of the next academic year.
The UK AI sector is already the largest in Europe, raising £6 billion in 2025, which is an 80% increase from 2024.
Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill said:
North Lanarkshire’s proud industrial heritage helped power Britain through the last century – from coal and steel to manufacturing. Today, we’re writing the next chapter, as this community becomes home to an advanced AI site. The area will once again be at the very heart of Scotland’s and Britain’s industrial story.
This is the UK government’s economic growth in action. Scotland’s AI Growth Zone, backed by £5 million of UK government investment will create more than 3,400 jobs and attract billions in investment. With 5 AI Growth Zones now across the UK, we are cementing our position as Europe’s leading tech sector.
The UK government’s AI Growth Zone will bring new industries, good jobs and fresh opportunities to North Lanarkshire, but also boost the economy of the whole of central Scotland.
Danny Quinn, Managing Director of DataVita, said:
Scotland has everything AI needs, the talent, the green energy, and now the infrastructure. But this goes beyond the physical buildings
We’re creating innovation parks, new energy infrastructure, and attracting inward investment from some of the world’s leading technology companies. This is a massive opportunity for North Lanarkshire & Scotland, and we want to make sure local people share in it.
The £543 million community fund means the benefits stay here, good jobs, new skills, and investment that actually reaches the people who live and work in this area.