UK government inks wide-ranging AI deal with Google DeepMind
By Josh White
Date: Thursday 11 Dec 2025
(Sharecast News) - The UK government has announced a wide-ranging partnership with Alphabet subsidiary Google DeepMind aimed at accelerating scientific discovery, modernising public services and supporting the country's long-term clean-energy ambitions, in what ministers described as a central pillar of Britain's "national renewal".
Under the agreement, DeepMind would open its first automated research lab in the UK next year.
The facility, which would be built from the ground up to integrate with Google's Gemini model, would use artificial intelligence and robotics to drive breakthroughs in areas such as advanced superconductors - materials capable of carrying electricity with zero resistance.
The government said new discoveries could underpin cheaper medical imaging, more efficient computer chips and technologies that help speed the transition to net zero.
It said the partnership would also give UK scientists priority access to DeepMind's frontier AI systems, including AlphaGenome and the company's AI co-scientist platform.
Ministers said such tools function like an "AI microscope", offering capabilities to identify DNA vulnerabilities, generate research proposals and tackle scientific problems of unprecedented scale.
Prime minister Keir Starmer said the agreement ensured Britain "harness[es] developments in AI for public good so that everyone feels the benefits."
"That means using AI to tackle everyday challenges like cutting energy bills thanks to cheaper, greener energy and making our public services more efficient so that taxpayers' money is spent on what matters most to people," he added.
"This is national renewal in action - driving innovation to make our country stronger and fairer for everyone."
The government said the initiative could support smarter public services through a potential 'Gemini for Government' system designed to automate routine administrative work.
DeepMind would also explore a version of Gemini to support teachers, grounded in the national curriculum and tested for safe use.
The company would further expand its partnership with the UK's AI Security Institute to ensure safe and responsible development of frontier models.
Technology secretary Liz Kendall said: "This agreement could help to unlock cleaner energy, smarter public services, and new opportunities which will benefit communities up and down the country ... partnerships like this will help us go further, faster."
DeepMind had also committed to collaborate with the UK scientific community on AI-enabled fusion-energy research.
The partnership followed a £5bn investment announced earlier this year to bolster the UK's AI infrastructure and preceded Kendall's visit to the US to examine AI use in education and further strengthen UK-US technology ties.
Demis Hassabis, Google DeepMind's co-founder and CEO, said: "AI has incredible potential to drive a new era of scientific discovery and improve everyday life.
"We're excited to deepen our collaboration with the UK government ... to advance science, strengthen security, and deliver tangible improvements for citizens."
The memorandum underpinning the partnership was voluntary and non-binding, but came amid a significant influx of private capital into UK technology, with more than £24.25bn committed in November alone under the UK-US Tech Prosperity Deal.
Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.
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