North Yorkshire Combined Authority has submitted a proposal to become one of the UK’s five designated Artificial Intelligence (AI) Growth Zones, projecting an £85 billion economic uplift for the region if successful.
The joint bid, backed by North Yorkshire Council, Drax Power Station, the University of York, and other regional partners, positions the area as a hub for AI innovation across key sectors including agriculture, life sciences, clean energy, creative industries, and rail.
Central to the proposal is the creation of a new AI and Clean Energy campus at Drax Power Station, which would explore bio-energy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) as a route to carbon-negative power generation. The initiative is also expected to help safeguard 7,000 jobs, with 3,500 of those in northern England.
The submission estimates that North Yorkshire could capture up to 15% of the UK’s projected AI economic growth by 2035, aligning with national ambitions to integrate AI technologies across industries and enhance digital inclusion.
An official announcement on the AI Growth Zones is expected on 11 June as part of the government’s Comprehensive Spending Review.
