Local business research
National Grid's land deal at Dorman Point signals big investment in AI infrastructure for the north-east — and the data on how AI already shapes everyday searches shows why local firms can't afford to wait for the cables to arrive.
What's planned at Dorman Point
National Grid has agreed to buy land on Teesside for what The Guardian reports would be Britain's biggest electricity substation. The company agreed last week to purchase 29.5 hectares (73 acres) of land at Dorman Point. The site is owned by Teesworks, a local private-public partnership. The deal was first reported by Sky News.
The substation could supply power to a large datacentre planned next door. The Guardian says the new capacity would help the north-east attract investment in large-scale AI infrastructure.
That is good news for the region. Big infrastructure brings construction work, supply contracts and attention from investors. It also raises a practical question for the many small firms nearby: how do they get everyday value from the same technology the datacentre is built to serve?
A datacentre supplies the computing power. The day-to-day value comes from people who know how to use AI tools in their own work. That know-how can grow at the same pace as the cables and buildings.
How AI already shows up in everyday searches
AI already shapes how customers find businesses online. Sayu's study checked 360 everyday UK searches in October 2026. Google showed an AI Overview on 69.4% of them. That is one month's snapshot of a fixed set of searches, so it shows a level at one point in time. It does not show a change over time.
The type of search made a big difference. AI Overviews appeared on 97.1% of how-to and question searches, but on 9.5% of "near me" searches, in the same October 2026 check. The "near me" group was smaller, at 74 searches, so treat that figure as a guide.
For a local firm, this matters in two ways. Customers who ask a question are likely to see an AI-written answer first. Customers looking for a nearby business still mostly see ordinary results and maps. Both routes reward clear, useful information about what you do.
AI assistants also differ in how often they point people to websites. In the same study, Perplexity linked to at least one site in 100% of its answers, ChatGPT in 69.4%, Gemini in 53.6% and Claude in 26.9%. These results come from one set of everyday UK searches in October 2026, and they could change as the tools are updated.
What this means for UK businesses
The Teesside plans are about national-scale power. The useful step for most businesses is much smaller: try AI on one real task and learn from it. This applies across the UK, wherever you are based.
- Start with one task. Good options are replying to common customer emails, drafting product descriptions or summarising a monthly report.
- Keep a person in charge. Check every draft for accuracy, tone and anything confidential before it goes out.
- Write for questions. Customers often see AI answers to how-to searches, so plain answers to the questions customers really ask give AI tools something clear to draw on.
- Keep local details tidy. "Near me" searches still lean on ordinary listings, so keep your address, hours and services up to date.
Analysis compiled by Sayu (sayu.co.uk), drawing on The Guardian's report and Sayu's published research.
