The University of Edinburgh has been announced as the home of the UK's next national supercomputer. The significant investment represents a huge endorsement of the University and its future as a world-leader in supercomputing and AI, recognising the strength and value of Edinburgh’s expertise. Major investment The UK Government has confirmed funding of up to £750 million for this vital piece of national infrastructure, which will be located at the University's Advanced Computing Facility. Announced as part of the Chancellor’s Spending Review, the new supercomputer will give scientists across the UK access to compute power on a world-leading scale. It places the University, the city of Edinburgh and wider region at the centre of a nation-wide effort to drive technological innovations and support industry using computing and AI. The decision will protect jobs, which may otherwise have been lost from Scotland, and provide further benefits and investment to the regional economy. This significant investment will have a profoundly positive impact on the UK’s global standing, and we welcome the vast opportunities it will create for research and innovation. Building on the University of Edinburgh's expertise and experience over decades, this powerful supercomputer will drive economic growth by supporting advancements in medicine, bolstering emerging industries and public services, and unlocking the full potential of AI. We look forward to working alongside the UK Government and other partners to deliver this critical UK-wide resource. Professor Sir Peter Mathieson Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh An aerial view of the University's Advanced Computing Facility, which will house the UK's new national supercomputer. New horizonsOnce operational, the supercomputer will provide high-performance computing capability for key research and industry projects across the UK. It will enable researchers to undertake large-scale complex modelling, test scientific theories and improve products and public services in areas including medicine, climate change and national security. The new supercomputer will vastly exceed the capacity of ARCHER2, the current national supercomputer also hosted by the University. It will work alongside the forthcoming AI research resource, a network of the UK’s most powerful supercomputers built to bolster scientific research. I am incredibly proud that we have been confirmed to host the UK’s new national supercomputer. These are immensely complex systems, and we will use everything we have learned over the past 30 years to run the best possible service for our thousands of users from across the UK’s scientific and industrial research communities. Professor Mark Parsons Director of EPCC and Dean of Research Computing at the University of Edinburgh The UK's current national supercomputer ARCHER2, hosted at the University of Edinburgh. Building on expertise The University has been home to the UK’s high-performance computing services for more than 30 years. The new supercomputer will be housed in a new wing of the Advanced Computing Facility (ACF), operated by EPCC and its team of staff. The University has been a world-leader in AI and computing for more than 60 years. It is the birthplace of AI research and learning in Europe. From the shipyards of the Clyde to developments in steam engine technology, Scottish trailblazers were central to the industrial revolution – so the next great industrial leap through AI and technology should be no different. Basing the UK’s most powerful supercomputer in Edinburgh, Scotland will now be a major player in driving forward the next breakthroughs that put our Plan for Change into action. Peter Kyle UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology We are investing in Scotland’s renewal, so working people are better off. Strong investment in our science and technology sector is part of our Plan for Change to kickstart economic growth, and as the home of the UK's largest supercomputer, Scotland will be an integral part of that journey. Rachel Reeves Chancellor of the Exchequer This is a landmark moment and will place Scotland at the forefront of the UK's technological revolution. The £750 million investment in Edinburgh's new supercomputer places Scotland at the cutting edge of computing power globally. This will see Scotland playing a leading role in creating breakthroughs that have a global benefit - such as new medicines, health advances, and climate change solutions. This is the Plan for Change – delivering real opportunities and economic growth for communities across Scotland. Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray Related Links EPCC ARCHER2 | EPCC Advanced Computing Facility Artificial Intelligence at University of Edinburgh Tags AI and Data Science EPCC Research 2025 Publication date 11 Jun, 2025
