Salesforce plans to invest $4 billion in the UK and create a new AI center in London

The enterprise computing behemoth Salesforce is placing a bold wager on the United Kingdom as a major global hub for technology by establishing an artificial intelligence center in London.

The massive American software company said in a statement on Thursday that it is constructing a more than 40,000-square-foot facility that can accommodate more than 300 staff in London’s Blue Fin Building.

It will be used, according to the business, to support AI training and upskilling programs and foster industry cooperation among tech companies, AI specialists, Salesforce partners, and customers.

According to Salesforce, the AI center will help create 500,000 AI-related employment in the United Kingdom.

More than 100 developers will receive free training during the facility’s official opening on June 18.

Salesforce stated that the center will serve its operations in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is intended to be the first of several centers worldwide. CEO of the company for the UK and Ireland, Zahra Bahrololoumi, will be in charge of it.

The AI center is a component of Salesforce’s $4 billion commitment to invest in the UK over a five-year period starting in 2023.

Salesforce said that it had invested over $200 million in U.K. firms through its venture capital arm, Salesforce Ventures, in addition to announcing the inauguration of its AI center. These include Eleven Labs, an AI-powered text-to-speech and voice generator, and the procurement platform AutoGen AI.