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UK Prime Minister sets out blueprint to turbocharge AI
Artificial intelligence will be unleashed across the UK to deliver a decade of national renewal , under a new plan announced in January by the UK Government .
In a marked move from the previous government ’ s approach , the Prime Minister is throwing the full weight of Whitehall behind this industry by agreeing to take forward all 50 recommendations set out by Matt Clifford in his game-changing AI Opportunities Action Plan .
The plan introduces new measures that will create dedicated AI Growth Zones that speed up planning permission and give them the energy connections they need to power up AI .
It comes as three major tech companies – Vantage Data Centres , Nscale and Kyndryl – have committed to £ 14 billion investment in the UK to build the AI infrastructure the UK needs to harness the potential of this technology and deliver 13,250 jobs across the UK . That ’ s on top of the £ 25 billion in AI investment announced at the International Investment Summit .
Damian Stirrett , Group Vice President & General Manager UK & Ireland at ServiceNow , said : “ The Prime Minister ’ s announcement of the new AI Opportunities Plan is an exciting milestone for UK industries . To remain competitive as a country , we must put the plan ’ s ambitions into action through
investing in education , upskilling initiatives and partnerships between the public and private sectors . We are at a critical point in time , where political leaders recognise the great potential of technology as a growth driver leading to impactful business transformation .”
Jack Daniel ’ s maker announces job cuts and plant closure
The Brown-Forman Corporation has announced a series of strategic initiatives to position the company for continued growth in the dynamic global spirits market .
The company ’ s portfolio of premium brands includes the Jack Daniel ’ s family of brands , Woodford Reserve , Herradura , The Glendronach and more .
The announcement includes restructuring the executive leadership team , implementing a workforce reduction affecting approximately 12 % of the company ’ s global workforce and closing the Louisvillebased Brown-Forman Cooperage .
To enhance operational efficiency and agility , Brown-Forman has made the difficult decision to reduce its global workforce by approximately 12 % of its 5,400 employees worldwide .
Brown-Forman will close its Louisville-based barrel-making operation , Brown-Forman Cooperage , by April 25 , 2025 . This closure , which will impact approximately 210 hourly and salaried employees , is part of the overall 12 % workforce reduction . Brown-Forman will offer severance , outplacement services and benefits consistent with their terms of employment .
Moving forward , Brown-Forman will source barrels from an external supplier to ensure a steady supply of the same high-quality barrels at a competitive price .
Collectively , these actions are projected to deliver approximately US $ 70 to US $ 80 million in annualised cost savings , a portion of which is expected to be reinvested to accelerate growth . In addition , the company will receive more than US $ 30 million in proceeds in connection with the sale of the cooperage assets . The company expects to incur approximately US $ 60 to US $ 70 million in aggregate charges for severance and related costs associated with the workforce reduction and cooperage closing . x
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