US-based data and AI company Databricks is investing more than £670 million ($850m) in UK expansion plans through to 2028, with London set to become the firm's EMEA headquarters as demand for AI-powered enterprise solutions accelerates across the region.

According to Manufacturing Digital, the investment will fund a quadrupling of Databricks' London office footprint, with a new headquarters spanning almost 13,000 square metres in Fitzrovia. The facility will accommodate the company's growing UK and Ireland team of more than 500 people, a figure that could surpass 1,000 by 2028.

The expanded hub will serve manufacturers and enterprises across EMEA, with existing clients including Unilever and Rolls-Royce. Databricks currently serves more than 20,000 organisations worldwide, including at least 60% of the Fortune 500.

Central to the investment is a commitment to close the AI skills gap. Databricks has pledged to train 100,000 people across the UK and Ireland in data and AI skills by 2028, backed by £8 million ($10m) in platform access funding for students and aspiring professionals. Partnerships with the London School of Economics and University College Dublin form part of its University Alliance Program.

The new headquarters will also support growth of a local R&D team and feature a dedicated executive briefing centre for partner and customer events.

"Our investments in the UK are a true vote of confidence in our team, partners and customers that are driving the future of agentic AI," said Samuel Bonamigo, SVP and GM for EMEA at Databricks.

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