The UK and the US are about to sign a cutting-edge technology cooperation agreement, and OPENAI is entering the blockchain industry

The UK and the US announced that they will sign a groundbreaking technology cooperation agreement next week. This agreement is scheduled to be officially signed during US President Trump's state visit to the UK from September 17th to 19th, aiming to deepen cooperation between the two countries in key technological fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, semiconductors, and telecommunications. The UK government has stated that this move will bring significant benefits to businesses and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic and may lead to significant investments.

1、 Background and core content of the agreement

The UK and the US have a long-term foundation of cooperation in fields such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, telecommunications, and quantum technology. This agreement is seen as an "important upgrade" to the existing cooperation framework, aimed at establishing a "more systematic cooperation mechanism". The UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology emphasized that "cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing will change our lives, including bringing new ways to treat diseases and improve public services." A UK government spokesperson pointed out that the UK and the US are "natural partners" and the only two allies with trillion dollar technology industries.

With the signing of this agreement, it is expected that a series of US tech giants will announce significant investment commitments to the UK, particularly in the data center sector. The delegation of American corporate executives accompanying Trump's visit is strong, including Nvidia CEO Renxun Huang, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and asset management giant BlackRock CEO Larry Fink. According to insiders, Nvidia and OpenAI plan to commit to supporting "billions of dollars" in UK data center investments, while BlackRock also plans to invest up to £ 500 million in the UK data center market. CoreWeave, a US cloud computing provider that went public this year, may also announce investment plans in the UK. If these investments are realized, they will significantly enhance the UK's digital infrastructure and send a positive signal to the market.

2、 Industry call: Incorporate blockchain into cooperation framework

At a time when the official agreement has not yet been fully disclosed, a coalition of more than ten industry associations from the UK financial, technology, and cryptocurrency industries is actively lobbying the government to include distributed ledger technology, or blockchain technology, in the cooperation framework of this "UK US Technology Bridge".

These associations, including the UK Cryptocurrency Business Council and the Financial Association of the UK, jointly wrote a letter to the UK Secretary of State for Business last Thursday. They warned in the letter that excluding digital assets from this collaboration would be a 'missed opportunity' and could lead to 'marginalization of the UK', while other regions such as Asia and the Middle East are leading the way in setting 'standards that shape the future of finance'. They specifically pointed out that stablecoins (cryptocurrencies linked to fiat currencies) and asset tokenization (converting traditional assets such as stocks and bonds into digital tokens) are "strategically relevant and important areas" for both economies.

3、 UK's Crypto Ambition and Regulatory Challenges

This lobbying campaign highlights the gap between the UK's ambitions and reality in the field of encrypted assets. Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak promised to turn the UK into a "global hub for cryptocurrency technology" in 2022, but the UK has yet to introduce a comprehensive set of industry regulations, lagging behind the EU, the US, and parts of Asia and the Middle East in the adoption of cryptocurrency.

The lobbying group also warned in the letter that "without concerted action, UK companies may face a fragmented regulatory environment, reduced opportunities to enter deep transatlantic markets, and increasing competitive pressure." It is worth noting that the United States has made progress in stablecoin regulation, with President Trump signing a landmark bill in July this year targeting this area. At present, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK is consulting on the regulatory framework for cryptocurrency assets, with the goal of accepting relevant license applications starting next year. The UK Chancellor of the Exchequer has previously stated that he will collaborate with US officials on regulatory plans for the cryptocurrency industry.

The upcoming signing of the UK US technology cooperation agreement next week marks a new stage of cooperation between the two tech giants in cutting-edge technology fields. Its core focuses on fields such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, and is expected to bring huge investments. However, domestic industry groups in the UK are working hard to promote the inclusion of blockchain technology in cooperation frameworks to avoid being at a disadvantage in future digital finance competition. The outcome of this lobbying will affect whether the UK can achieve its ambitions in the field of cryptocurrency and keep up with the pace of global financial technology innovation.