London Tech Week 2025 day one live - Jensen Huang, Keir Starmer, and much more as it happens

Bit of a fun one for me next, with Redbull's Christian Horner talking to LinkedIn's former Tech Editor Sam Shead. They're discussing the dynamic relationship between tech and racing. Horner says that staff are an organisation's biggest asset, so providing a comfortable and productive environment is key. Horner's personal leadership style is 'one of empowerment' he says - its about making sure people have the right tools and right direction in the area they're recruited for.

It's super busy on the floor today, and finding someone to speak to on the more popular stands is proving pretty difficult (although it doesn't come close to the line for coffee). I'm yet to find a stall that doesn't mention AI at least once...

Next, it's AWS - who very kindly give me a demonstration of their Checkbot agentic AI. In the demonstration, the chatbot is asked to create a newsletter using trusted sources, and is given prompts to tweak the output. It did manage to produce a newsletter, albeit a simple one. I also took a look at a demonstration of the "GenAI Flywheel" - which puts AWS at the centre of data, security, and governance.

I’ve stopped by Dell, who are talking me through their work to support AI ecosystems and infrastructure - they centre security and sustainability, although their stall guide is happy to admit that AI and sustainability is a difficult conversation to have. I did ask if they were at all concerned about recent news that Microsoft and AWS have paused data centre projects, but Dell’s spokesperson says no. Demand is still high, so they’re confident in what they’re doing - ‘if everyone stops their projects we’ll start worrying’ he says.

Now I’m heading down to the floor to take a look at the exhibits - there are hundreds of sponsors and exhibitors this year, so I’m sure there’ll be plenty to find!

Microsoft tools like Azure and Copilot will help build an AI powered UK - where no ambition is too big, and no idea is too small. If you see greatness by standing on the shoulders of giants, then “Together, we’re building the giant”, he says.

He also addresses concerns, but they’re for Microsoft to help resolve, not dismiss, he assures. Copilot is focused on security and inclusivity ‘building a fair AI economy means making sure everyone moves forward together’.

Now, we're hearing from Darren Hardman, Corporate Vice President & CEO - Microsoft UK. He's talking about the power of Agentic AI - and announces a deal with Barclays to deliver 100,000 Microsoft 365 Copilot agents for employees.

He gives examples from the NHS and the civil service for allowing agentic AI to turbocharge productivity by freeing up time.

There's "only one way you can survive" a technology that moves as fast as AI - Huang argues, and that's by engaging it. Sciences, schools, financial services are all "deeply engaged by Ai" now, he says.

Starmer argues a very similar point. He understands that partnership with AI will push productivity and growth across the UK.

Huang predicts that thanks to AI, every industry in the UK will soon be a tech industry. He urges all sectors to apply tech and AI to their workplaces. The UK is an envy of the world thanks to its "abundance" of AI researchers - and investments keep growing.

The UK is in the 'goldilocks' region - Huang argues. This is because of its fantastic universities, and research communities. Pair this with the 3rd largest AI venture capital investment (behind the US and China) - and you have a perfect ecosystem. However, he points out, this is hindered by the lack of infrastructure - but Huang and the PM agree that this will soon change.

Nvidia is set to start an AI lab, and investments into quantum computing power will 'get the flywheel going' Huang points out - he says the UK is the 'perfect place' to invest.

Huang calls AI 'The great equaliser' - thanks to the way it makes programming and cybersecurity more accessible. AI uses prompts, and 'speaks human' - so no need to learn python or C++ anymore. Both the PM and Huang argue that AI will "make humans more human".

AI is not just a technology, but an infrastructure, Huang argues, and that infrastructure requires serious investment and commitment.

The training for workers and students in AI technologies will be crucial, Starmer argues, and exposing young people to AI and tech will open the landscape and encourage young people to excel in the workforce.

He introduces Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang for a conversation with himself and Poppy Gustafsson - Minister for Investment. Starmer and Huang both agree that the UK need to 'lean in' to AI - they argue it will make the country more secure with cybersecurity protections and economic growth.

That's not all though, he talks about an innovative tool being trialed around councils in the UK that takes hand written planning permission forms and turning them into digital copies in seconds - saving hours for admin workers (but admin workers shouldn't be concerned about their jobs....?).

Starmer announces plans to ensure that 7.5 million workers are to be trained in AI by 2030 - and NVIDIA are set to sponsor a "talent pipeline". A new tech-first training programme, a £185m investment into education at school and university level will help to "build a better future" for children across the UK - Starmer thanks the tech industry for its investment into Britain's future.

Two big announcements come with the PM's introduction this morning - the first is that Liquidity will base their European headquarters in London, he announces - a £1.5b investment - a "vote of confidence", he says.

The second is £1b funding for compute power to scale up capabilities by 20x - a serious investment

Kier Starmer takes the stage now to talk about tech as bringing about great change, and the ‘incredible contribution’ of tech and AI in health and defence - calling AI a transformative in a ‘number of industries’.

Ellen here, and I'm finally sat down for the keynote - there's definitely a buzz here today. We're not set to kick off for a few minutes, but I'd say the seating is pretty much full.

The stairway to (London Tech Week) heaven...

We've made it inside Olympia, but the queues for this morning's opening sessions are going to be major...wish us luck!

Good morning and welcome to our coverage of London Tech Week 2025!

We're live on the ground and ready for the event, which kicks off today at London's Olympia with a welcome from the Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

That's followed by no less than the CEO of Nvidia himself - Jensen Huang will be on stage soon. It's bound to be a busy talk, so we're hoping we can get in and seated soon...