Why media tech is central to the UK’s tech and talent strategy

Media tech, where creative industries, digital platforms, adtech, createch, gaming and AI-enabled content are rapidly converging, plays a big part in the UK’s tech strategy. But alongside long-term investment in infrastructure and innovation, the UK needs to deepen its pool of world class AI researchers and engineers. The talent is scarce, highly mobile and decisive in shaping where the next generation of AI-enabled media businesses are built.

The government’s Modern Industrial Strategy 2025 underpins current tech and talent policy. It identifies the Creative Industries and Digital & Tech as two crucial sectors for targeted government support. That strategy is being delivered through initiatives including the Creative Industries Sector Plan, the Creative Places Growth Fund, the Sovereign Venture Fund (“Sovereign AI”), the Global Talent Taskforce and the Global Talent Fund. This is not just industrial policy, it explicitly links growth to immigration, with measures such as visa fee waivers, accelerated processing, greater Home Office support, and improved business mobility. Talent policy is being treated as core economic infrastructure.

The government’s Creative Industries Sector Plan aims to make the UK the leading destination for investment in creativity and innovation by 2035. The wider creative industries contributed £124 billion in GVA in 2023 and supported 2.4 million jobs, with growth outpacing the wider economy over the last decade.

Media tech’s strategic value lies in its ability to bridge research, creativity and commercial deployment. It builds on existing UK strengths: advertising, film, TV, music, publishing, gaming, and converts AI capability into products that scale quickly in global markets. For government, it offers a rare combination: fast translation of investment into jobs, exports, productivity and soft power.

What measures have the government introduced?

Sovereign AI is a £500 million state-backed vehicle for early-stage British AI companies. It offers equity investment of between £1 million and £10 million, access to government procurement opportunities and, separately, access to the UK’s largest supercomputers. Companies supported by Sovereign AI may access ten cost-free visas for world class research and development (“R&D”) talent, with decisions fast tracked within one working day. The scheme therefore treats immigration as part of the infrastructure of innovation. However, start-ups must meet demanding criteria, including showing substantive AI R&D activity in the UK in an area of strategic importance to national capability.

The government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan set a goal of attracting leading AI R&D talent, including creating new pathways for graduates not currently covered by the High Potential Individual route. In response, the High Potential visa eligibility list was expanded and the Global Talent Taskforce and Global Talent Fund were introduced. The Taskforce is designed to identify leading researchers, entrepreneurs, investors and senior technical or creative talent overseas and connect them with UK universities, research bodies and high-growth companies. Candidates must still qualify under existing immigration routes, such as Global Talent, High Potential Individual or Skilled Worker.

The £54 million Global Talent Fund is distributed to universities and research institutes and covers relocation and research costs, as well as visa fees for researchers and their dependants.

By way of example, in a press release on 5 June 2026, the government announced the attracting of leading international researchers, including a researcher working at the intersection of Advanced Manufacturing and the Creative Industries.

Fellowships for AI researchers have also been expanded. The Turing AI Global Fellowships are currently closed to new applications, while the Encode: AI for Science Fellowships remain open. Fellowship applicants must meet the Global Talent visa requirements and may be eligible for the fast-track route.

What do these measures mean for immigration?

Sovereign AI backed businesses may benefit from a wider talent pool through fast tracked visas, funding for application costs, a direct escalation route to the Home Office and links to the Global Talent Taskforce.

This directly addresses a persistent challenge: the gap between the speed of scaling businesses and the friction of immigration processes.

Importantly, the measures do not include a bespoke “AI visa”. Instead, the strategy continues to rely on existing routes such as Skilled Worker, Global Talent, Innovator Founder, UK Expansion Worker, High Potential Individual and Government Authorised Exchange.

For media tech employers and founders, the key issue is not whether a new route exists, but which existing route best suits the business model and the individual.

The complexity has not disappeared. Routes still vary significantly in cost, eligibility and long-term implications. For founders and employers, success depends on choosing the right route at the right time and aligning it with business strategy.

What has changed is the level of support for strategically important talent: top tier AI researchers, specialist engineers, founders and individuals in R&D intensive roles now benefit from a more coordinated system.

How can we assist?

Bates Wells supports media tech businesses, founders and institutions across this landscape, including:

• identifying the most effective immigration routes for hiring or expansion
• advising on eligibility and preparing applications
• supporting compliance with Right to Work and sponsor obligations
• planning pathways to settlement and long-term residency

To find out more, get in touch.