The Scottish government is set to consider a sweeping moratorium that would freeze all new datacentre projects in Scotland, following a motion passed by the SNP's national council. Because British officials have promoted Scotland — with its abundant renewable energy — as a prime location for datacentres, such a freeze could undermine a central plank of the UK government's national AI strategy, including plans for rural "AI growth zones".

The motion could apply to any project not yet granted planning permission, though implementation is left to the Scottish government. Critics argue current plans amount to "overdevelopment", noting that 24 planned "hyperscale" datacentres would together draw more than one-and-a-half times Scotland's peak power demand. The move comes amid wider upheaval in UK AI policy, with Andy Burnham reportedly set to review Keir Starmer's technology plans, allegations that several flagship AI projects were "phantom investments", and warnings from a Commons committee that the UK must protect its technological sovereignty after the White House restricted foreign access to leading US AI tools.