The Financial Times reported on Tuesday that the United States had halted a technology trade deal with Britain as officials in Washington became dissatisfied with the pace of progress.
Announced in September during President Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK, the Technology Prosperity Agreement is a comprehensive agreement aimed at boosting cooperation between the two countries in technology areas such as artificial intelligence, nuclear fusion and quantum computing.
At the time, President Trump said the agreement “ensures that our two countries will lead together in the next great technological revolution.” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the deal was a “generational change in our relationship with the United States” and would deliver “growth, security and opportunity for the whole country”.
Negotiations were called off by the United States last week, the FT reported, citing unnamed British officials.
Asked to comment on the report, a British government spokesperson told CNBC: “Our special relationship with the United States remains strong and the UK is resolute in ensuring that the High Tech Prosperity Agreement provides opportunities for the hard-working people of both countries.”
The agreement will establish research programs leveraging AI in areas including the development of models and datasets in mutual priority areas such as AI for biotechnology, precision medicine for cancer, rare and chronic diseases, and fusion energy, the two countries announced in September.
This comes after the UK signed deals totaling £31 billion ($41 billion) with US tech companies including Microsoft, Nvidia, Google, OpenAI and Coreweave to build the country’s AI infrastructure. The United States is Britain’s largest trading partner.
The US Department of Commerce has been contacted for comment.
