Wednesday briefing: From missing billions to nonexistent datacentres, inside Britain’s AI drive

In today’s newsletter: Enormous investments in artificial intelligence promised to transform Labour’s growth problems. The reality is much murkier Good morning. For the last few years artificial intelligence has been heralded as the technology that will transform economies. Governments have promised billions in investment, datacentres and supercomputers, and a wave of new jobs as AI is “mainlined” into the economy. But what happens when the numbers behind those promises are examined more closely? That question sits at the centre of a series of recent investigations by The Guardian . The findings were remarkable – not least that the location for a much-trumpeted new supercomputer intended be up and running by year’s end to help fire up the British economy remains a scaffolding yard. Middle East crisis | Tehran residents say the Iranian capital has endured what they described as its worst night of aerial bombardment, as the US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, followed Donald Trump’s suggestion on Monday the war could soon be over with a warning of more strikes to come. Environment | Climate breakdown is shrinking the amount of time that people can safely go about their lives, according to a study that shows a third of the world’s population now resides in areas where heat severely limits activity. Labour | Plans to curtail the number of jury trials in England and Wales have been described as “unpopular, untested and poorly evidenced” by thousands of lawyers who have written to the prime minister. UK economy | UK inflation could end the year higher than previously expected at 3% because of the US-Israel war in Iran, the government’s economics watchdog has warned . Travel | Tube drivers in London are to strike across 12 days in the spring in a row over a four-day working week, the RMT has announced . Continue reading...