By GREG HEFFER, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT Published: 17:42 BST, 17 September 2025 | Updated: 17:42 BST, 17 September 2025
Labour has been warned that Britain will need gas turbine power stations for new Artificial Intelligence (AI) infrastructure despite the Government's Net Zero goals.Jensen Huang, the boss of AI chipmaker Nvidia, said the UK can be an 'AI superpower' - but admitted electricity prices were a 'challenge' in the 'near term'.The Taiwanese and American businessman is chief executive of the world's most valuable company. He will attend a dinner at Windsor Castle tonight as part of US President Donald Trump's state visit to Britain.As reported by The Telegraph, Mr Huang said he had 'every confidence that the UK will realise that it takes energy to build new industries'.'There is going to be a lot of motivation and incentives to want to bring more power to bear,' he added.'Sustainable power like nuclear, wind, and solar – but I am also hoping that gas turbines are going to also contribute.'The comments present a challenge to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Ed Miliband, who is Labour's Energy Secretary. Labour has been warned that Britain will need gas turbine power stations for new Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) infrastructure despite Ed Miliband's Net Zero goals Jensen Huang, the boss of AI chipmaker Nvidia, said the UK can be an 'AI superpower' - but admitted electricity prices were a 'challenge' in the 'near term'As well as a commitment to reach Net Zero by 2050, Labour also wants to decarbonise the UK's electricity grid by 2030.Mr Miliband has pledged a permanent ban on fracking to extract natural gas, in line with Labour's general election manifesto.He has also vowed not to appove new oil and gas licenses in the North Sea as he spearheads Labour's efforts to transition to green energy.AI systems require huge amounts of energy to power vast data centres, with countries around the world scrambling to meet increased electricity demand.Mr Huang said he had spoken to Sir Keir earlier this summer and the PM relayed an 'urgent request' for AI infrastructure in Britain to help 'turbocharge' the UK economy.The Nvidia boss said he expected some AI companies will 'become power generators themselves' with on-site energy capacity.He added that his company would 'push just about every possible angle' to cut AI's carbon footprint.This includes investing in small nuclear reactors and building 'the most energy efficient computing systems'.As part of a US-UK tech deal struck at the start of Mr Trump's state visit, Nvidia has agreed to deploy 120,000 advanced processors across the UK to help the country's AI sector. Mr Huang said: 'Today marks a historic chapter in US-UK technology collaboration.'We are at the Big Bang of the AI era – and the UK stands in a Goldilocks position, where world-class talent, research and industry converge.'
