UK datacentres will create just 25% of jobs predicted by tech sector, analysis finds
An environmental thinktank report suggests that UK datacentres will create significantly fewer permanent jobs than industry projections claim. The analysis indicates that while energy consumption is high, the job-to-megawatt ratio is much lower than the figures cited by industry lobby groups.
Why it matters
This highlights a potential discrepancy between the economic promises of the AI infrastructure boom and the actual employment benefits for local communities.
An Equinix datacentre under construction in Slough, near London. Labour has defended the rapid rollout of AI datacentres amid growing public scepticism. An Equinix datacentre under construction in Slough, near London. Labour has defended the rapid rollout of AI datacentres amid growing public scepticism. Datacentres - UK UK datacentres will create just 25% of jobs predicted by tech sector, analysis finds Facilities likely to employ 10,400 workers, compared with 40,000 in industry estimates, thinktank says
Prefer the Guardian on Google Datacentres in the UK will create just a quarter of the jobs predicted by the tech sector, while consuming vast amounts of energy, according to new research.
Environmental thinktank Verdant predicts that all the datacentres currently planned are likely to directly employ 10,400 workers – compared with the more than 40,000 cited in projections by the industry lobby group TechUK.
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