A stark display of the growing influence of Silicon Valley over British politics unfolded at a private event in central London this September. The host was Jensen Huang, the billionaire CEO of the AI chipmaking giant Nvidia, and the guest of honour was Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The Nvidia Show: A New Power Dynamic
Following meetings at the Prime Minister's country retreat, Chequers, Huang took to the stage before hundreds of venture capitalists. Against a backdrop dominated by a huge Nvidia logo, he proclaimed the dawn of "a new industrial revolution" and announced billions in AI investment for the UK. His most dramatic move, however, was summoning the British Prime Minister to the stage like a prized guest.
An apparently slightly dazed Starmer praised Huang's "absolutely phenomenal" presentation, revealed they had been "texting away," and effusively thanked one of the world's richest men for his "confidence" in the UK government. The Prime Minister left with a personalised gift: an inscribed AI processing unit. The parade of power continued as Huang then called up Science Secretary Liz Kendall and Business Secretary Peter Kyle, underscoring the deep access US tech oligarchs now command at the highest levels of the British state.
The Revolving Door Spins Fast
This courtship is part of a systematic recruitment drive. This week, former Chancellor George Osborne joined OpenAI, the $500bn maker of ChatGPT, declaring it "the most exciting and promising company in the world." He is merely the latest in a line of senior figures crossing from Westminster to Silicon Valley.
In October, former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak took advisory roles with Anthropic—a key OpenAI rival—and with Microsoft. His chief of staff, Liam Booth-Smith, also joined Anthropic this summer. They follow former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, who spent seven years leading public affairs for Meta, earning tens of millions of dollars. Meanwhile, Tony Blair is increasingly shaping UK tech policy through his institute, which is partly funded by Oracle founder Larry Ellison's foundation.
Regulatory Capture and State Contracts
This revolving door is causing significant concern in Parliament. Alex Sobel MP, a member of the committee investigating AI, warned: "I am deeply concerned tech companies may be using their huge buying power to water down much needed regulation by hiring those who have served at the highest level."
The motivation for tech firms is clear. As AI products increasingly target government clients, former ministers like Osborne are seen as ideal for opening doors. OpenAI already has government deals with countries including the UK, Germany, and Australia, but seeks more. The competition is fierce; Palantir, which hosted Starmer in Washington and partners with the UK Ministry of Defence, is pushing its systems into the NHS, police forces, and local councils.
Britain is a prime target for this influence. Its AI regulations are looser than the EU's, its universities are innovation hubs, and it hosts a world-respected AI safety institute. The door also swings the other way, with figures from Google DeepMind and fintech being appointed as government "AI ambassadors."
The flow of personnel and influence between Whitehall and Silicon Valley represents a fundamental shift in power, raising urgent questions about who truly shapes the future of critical technology in the UK.
