What is Latos neural edge?
FEATURE
Leading the way – from left, Latos co-founder Matty Carlin, managing director Andy Collin and board member Peter Wilcock.
PICTURE: CHRIS BOOTH
infrastructure that will power the AI era.
“ We are incredibly proud of what we are doing here,” says Peter Wilcock, board member of Latos.
“ Back when broadband was first introduced, few imagined it would become the essential utility we now rely on above almost anything else. We see AI following that same trajectory. This facility will be the first AI-purposed data centre in the UK- a project set to have a major impact on the local economy, creating a significant number of highly paid jobs over its 18-month construction.
“ Latos is a vibrant, pioneering company. Global tech giants will depend on it as consumers see AI become part of their everyday lives. With our head office in Teesside, we’ re excited to have begun this journey right here where we call home.”
The Stockton data centre, which will be built using environmentally friendly materials, marks the start of Latos’ s ambitious national expansion, with 40 data halls planned across the UK by 2030.
The network will create a distributed AI processing capability that ensures no location is more than 40km from ultra-low latency AI services.
Peter adds:“ We’ ve focused our strategy on addressing the gap that must be filled in the AI space to ensure local and national communities aren’ t left behind in the digital future. Our vision is centred on scale and creating smarter, more agile builds that meet the demands of today’ s digital infrastructure.”
Future sites are planned for major urban
centres including Manchester, Leeds and Cambridge, creating a comprehensive neural edge network that positions Britain as the global leader in sovereign AI infrastructure.
“ Stockton-on-Tees made history 200 years ago when it launched the railway age, transforming the world,” adds Mike.
“ Now we’ re making history again by bringing the AI revolution to the same pioneering place. Just as the Stockton and Darlington Railway revolutionised how people lived and worked in the 19th century, the neural edge facilities we’ re building today will have a similar effect well into the 21st century.
“ We’ ve had excellent support from Stockton Borough Council throughout the process. Their efficiency and cooperation have helped accelerate plans for this development.”
Latos is prioritising North-East suppliers and contractors in the construction of the new data centre, helping to drive investment, create jobs and strengthen the region’ s economy.
As part of the company’ s environmental, social and governance policy, Latos will allocate a percentage of its capacity to local start-ups and schools. The firm has also become a headline sponsor of Stockton FC as part of its commitment to the local community.
What is Latos neural edge?
One of the best ways to understand the neural edge is by comparing it to the human nervous system.
Your brain is the central hub for decision-making, much like a hyperscale data centre, but not every signal in your body travels all the way to the brain and back. For example, reflexes happen locally to save time, ensuring an instant response when speed is critical.
The neural edge applies the same principle to data processing. Instead of sending every piece of information on a long round trip to a distant facility, it processes that data locally, nearer to where it originated.
Closing the physical distance between where data is generated and where it’ s processed provides three key advantages: lower latency( cutting the time it takes for information to travel means faster responses and smoother experiences), greater resilience( local processing reduces reliance on long, complex network routes, improving reliability) and improved efficiency( shorter distances mean reduced energy consumption and the potential for more sustainable operations).
These benefits are critical for real-time AI, where milliseconds can determine whether a process succeeds or fails.
For more information about Latos, visit latosdc. co. uk
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