Intelligence Squared Can Britain Become an AI Superpower? The Intelligence Squared Economic Outlook (Part One)
22 snips
Jan 25, 2026 
Greg Williams, seasoned technology journalist and Wired editor, and Katie Prescott, technology and business editor at The Times, discuss Britain’s AI pedigree and whether it can claim superpower status. They debate compute and energy shortfalls, brain drain and scaling startups. They also explore sovereign AI, regulation strategies and the practicality of national tech sovereignty.
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Talent Vs Infrastructure Gap
- The UK has world-class AI talent and universities but lacks physical AI infrastructure like data centres and semiconductors.
- That hardware gap is the key constraint preventing Britain from becoming a full AI superpower.
Per-Capita Innovation Punch
- The UK excels at per-capita innovation and early-stage venture ROI comparable to Silicon Valley.
- These strengths give Britain a genuine shot at leading AI applications despite smaller capital pools.
Plan Data Centres Around Energy
- Increase compute capacity and site data centres near abundant energy to meet the AI Opportunities Action Plan.
- Update planning laws so energy and grid connections match the speed of AI infrastructure needs.
