In the wake of the AI boom, demand for advanced data centre infrastructure grew rapidly. As a result, the sector moved firmly onto the political agenda, with debates spanning planning, energy, skills, and the environment. Yet awareness of the industry’s role and requirements remained limited among policymakers, MPs, local authorities, and other stakeholders. Kao Data — one of the UK’s leading providers of AI-ready data centres, with established sites and new developments underway in emerging regions — recognised the need to educate decision-makers and ensure the sector’s voice was understood and represented in these discussions.

By using data to frame the national debate in Parliament and through media briefings, we mapped key issues, their audiences, and the reasoning behind them. This enabled us to shape Kao Data’s policy narrative so it could educate and anticipate the direction of the policy debate. We worked closely with Kao Data executives, positioning them as both educators and influencers who could support politicians and civil servants in understanding the challenges and benefits of digital infrastructure. As a result, policymakers came to see Kao Data not just as a data centre operator, but as a valuable, strategic British asset.

Our work delivered direct engagement with decision-makers with site visits by MP’s, leading think tanks, with multiple Government departments (DEFRA, DSIT, Office for Investment, DBT, and more) creating an opportunity for Kao Data to demonstrate its commitments in action and strengthen its policy influence at a critical moment. From this work we managed to secure Kao Data’s inclusion in the AI Energy Council’s support forum, ensuring their place at the heart of the UK’s policy-shaping discussions.