The proposed procurement push is aimed at supporting British tech firms, strengthening national security and supply-chain resilience, and reducing the risk of talent and companies moving overseas.
The UK government is planning to buy artificial intelligence chips and strategically procure semiconductor equipment from domestic technology companies as part of a broader effort to support British tech growth and limit the loss of companies and skilled workers overseas. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall is expected to outline the plan at London Tech Week. The initiative is also framed as a way to bolster national security and make supply chains more resilient as competition for advanced computing hardware intensifies globally. The approach points to a more interventionist industrial policy in which public-sector demand is used to support local chip and semiconductor capabilities.