(BBC) A £210m centre aimed at developing the next generation of computers will help businesses “get ready for the future”, the British science minister Amanda Solloway has said. She stressed that the artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing centre in Daresbury, Cheshire was “essential as we build back better”.
The government will invest £172m over five years with a further £38m coming from computing giant IBM.
It is hoped the site will create 60 jobs and opportunities for students.
A spokesman for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said the centre’s aim was to make “cutting-edge technologies like AI and quantum computing more accessible to businesses and public sector organisations”.
“As well as breaking down practical barriers to using new technologies, the [centre’s] team of experts will also provide training and support to make sure the UK is at the forefront of the next generation of computing,” he added.
Prof Mark Thomson, STFC’s executive chairman said that by “allowing industry to access a ready-made community of digital experts and cutting-edge technology, it will provide momentum for new ideas and solutions”.
The centre will be run as a partnership between IBM and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).
Britain’s New £210 AI and Quantum Computing Site in Daresbury Seen ‘Essential As We Build Back Better’
