A recent surge in concern over data sovereignty is reshaping the priorities of UK IT leaders, following new US trade tariffs and growing unease with American cloud services. A study by Civo, surveying over 1,000 UK-based IT professionals, found that more than 60 percent believe reliance on US cloud providers undermines the UK's digital economy, domestic tech industry, and data security.

Nearly half of respondents actively consider pulling back from the cloud altogether-a trend known as 'cloud repatriation'-citing transparency and stricter alignment with the EU and UK data laws as key motivators. The distrust extends beyond cloud services, as over two-thirds said they would only adopt AI solutions if guaranteed full ownership and control of all data involved, something most major providers fail to offer.

That erosion of trust is causing a notable strategic shift, according to Civo CEO Mark Boost, who points out that demands for greater data visibility are growing rapidly. He warns that US legislation like the CLOUD Act, which could compel providers to hand over data regardless of where it's stored, poses a serious risk, especially for public sector institutions.

Boost urges the UK to follow Europe's lead in pushing sovereignty-focused initiatives like EuroStack, advocating for a more balanced approach that reduces dependency on US tech giants while preserving valuable international cooperation.

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