As the leader of a UK‑headquartered technology business, I welcome the government’s £500m investment in sovereign AI. It’s a positive and necessary step towards strengthening the UK’s position as an AI superpower,  and a recognition of the extraordinary talent and innovation already here.

But if we’re truly going to ‘make AI work for Britain’, investment cannot stop with models and compute. The UK must also invest in sovereign digital infrastructure – the foundation on which every successful AI economy is built. AI places huge demands on networks and power. Global IP traffic today is around 3,000 times higher than in 2001, but parts of the UK’s infrastructure have gone decades without fundamental upgrades. Investing in AI without investing in the infrastructure beneath it is like trying to drive a Bugatti on the A303 in August – slow, frustrating and ultimately pointless.

To capture the full economic and societal value of AI, the UK needs modern infrastructure, a supportive policy environment and the right skills base. Without these, it will fail.