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Over the past few years, cloud and AI adoption have skyrocketed, driving governments and businesses worldwide to invest heavily in digital infrastructure. These projects are complex, requiring global collaboration and investment. Yet, at a time of heightened geopolitical and economic uncertainty, the benefits of cross-border cloud cooperation risk being overlooked.
To test those benefits, we designed a thought experiment: what happens when a US tech company invests in a UK cloud region?
Our analysis assumed a phased 81 MW investment in a UK cloud region over a period of four years. We discovered that while the project would expand local capacity to support the UK’s digital economy, it also generates substantial economic value back in the United States.
We found two clear channels of impact:
- Infrastructure investment – With more than half of machine and IT provisioning sourced from the US, the build phase alone could add between USD 592 million and USD 671 million in value to the US economy, supporting up to 1,500 full-time jobs.
- Repatriated profits – Profits earned in the UK are assumed to flow back to the US and be reinvested, generating an additional USD 33 million and supporting another 100 jobs.
Taken together, the project could contribute up to USD 705 million in Gross Value Added (GVA) and support up to 1,600 jobs in the US in 2026.
This thought experiment highlights how cross-border digital infrastructure projects can deliver wins on both sides. The UK gains capacity to fuel its digital economy, while the US benefits from increased exports, revenues, and jobs.
Download the full report from the link below or the button in the sidebar to explore the scenarios and assumptions behind the thought experiment and to understand the implications for future cloud and AI investment strategies.
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