IT innovation, research and development

Hancock sets out NHS tech vision

Government will mandate national open standards for the NHS and tech suppliers, build a health and caretech ecosystem and give local NHS organisations more flexibility in how and what tech they buy Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Nordic CTO interview: Anders Johanson, Husqvarna

Husqvarna is on a journey to transform itself into a product and services company by using the latest digital technology and Anders Johnson is a driving force behind it Continue Reading

By

• Jane Hamrin

There is more to fintech than meets the eye

Financial technology goes way beyond the flashy apps facing consumers and into the depths of the back office Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Big expectations, huge presence: Gitex 2018 opens

Artificial intelligence, blockchain, 5G, robotics, and virtual and augmented reality are all in the spotlight at Gitex Technology Week 2018 in Dubai Continue Reading

By

• Edward Banda

Research and innovation unit for healthtech opens at Great Ormond Street Hospital

Great Ormond Street Hospital’s Drive research unit is dedicated to bringing the latest technological developments into healthcare Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

The troublesome saga of Gov.uk Verify

As the government plans to hand over its flagship identity assurance programme to the private sector, Computer Weekly looks at the history of the troubled project and how Gov.uk Verify ended up on the chopping board Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Robots in the workplace supported by 81% of business chiefs

Robotic process automation continues to be taken up by more organisations – but despite proven benefits, those that already use it are struggling to scale it up Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

CW Middle East: Middle East warms to humanoid robots

Countries in the Middle East are warming to humanoid robotics, robotic process automation and artificial intelligence as these technologies become widely accepted globally. Also in this issue, read why Saudi Arabia has called on London’s fintechs to set up in the country with the promise of government support, and find out how the Gulf Warehousing Company has introduced cloud-based technology to replace paper processes used by its HR department. Continue Reading

Huawei Connect 2018: Huawei tackles barriers to effective AI

At its annual customer and technology event, Huawei chairman Eric Xu set out 10 key challenges facing AI, and revealed how the networking supplier’s strategy will help to address these Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Blockchain adoption hotting up in Australia

The emerging technology is being tested in several industries in a country aspiring to be a global leader in blockchain development Continue Reading

By

• Stuart Kennedy

NHS trust uses automation and virtual workers to speed up referrals

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation trust is using intelligent automation and virtual workers to monitor and process referrals from GPs in five of its specialist clinical units Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Geospatial Commission pumps £5m into unlocking value of location data

Commission wants to unlock the value of location data held by its partners through the use of emerging technologies Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

EE switches on 5G test network at Canary Wharf

MNO explores high-capacity zone testing for its 5G network roll-out, with the first phase expected to target hotspots such as London’s Canary Wharf Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Delivering Diversity in Technology: Jess Wade, Imperial College

A video of the presentation given by Jess Wade, postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Physics, Imperial College London Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Blind faith in AI risks flawed decisions

AI is the new snake oil. Mathematician and TV presenter, Hanna Fry believes humans should be cautious when using algorithms in critical decision making Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Matt Hancock plans to sequence five million genomes in five years

The health secretary aims to expand the government-funded 100,000 Genomes Project and sequence five million genomes over the next five years and roll out genomic testing across the NHS Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Filling the blockchain chasm

Blockchain as a term is becoming common language, but there is a long way to go before it will mean anything to the performance of most organisations Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Government explores blockchain to make buying and selling property easier and cheaper

HM Land Registry moves into the next phase of a project that will use the latest technologies to speed up property transactions Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

The Most Influential Women in UK IT 2018

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we announce our annual list of the 50 Most Influential Women in UK IT, and talk to this year’s winner, Code First: Girls CEO Amali de Alwis, about the challenges of achieving diversity and inclusion in IT. Also, our latest buyer’s guide looks at the future of collaboration software and asks how to avoid information overload. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Launch of NHS app marks a new era

The NHS has begun piloting its coveted app, but how exactly will it work, and what does it mean for patients accessing the health service? Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Police Scotland sets out 10-year digital plan

Scottish Police Authority has approved Police Scotland’s 10-year digital transformation plan, which aims to bring the country’s police forces into the 21st century and requires £244m in capital funding and £54m in reform funding Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Two autonomous vehicle projects funded in government contest

The National Infrastructure Commission’s Roads for the Future contest has awarded a £50,000 prize fund to two projects exploring how to make the UK’s roads ready for connected and autonomous vehicles Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UKtech50 2018 – help us find the most influential people in UK IT

Computer Weekly’s annual search for the 50 most influential people in UK IT is on – let us know who you would like to nominate for this year's list Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Data analytics cuts queues and flight delays at Rome’s Fiumicino Airport

Aeroporti di Roma’s CIO, Emiliano Sorrenti, describes how the city’s main airport is using data analytics technology to reduce delays and queue times, securing it an industry award for customer service Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

No let-up in digital banking glitches as TSB and HSBC customers are hit on payday

Online and mobile app banking outages continue to increase in regularity as TSB and HSBC customers report problems Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Brighton’s 5G experiment enters new test phase with focus on virtual reality

The latest phase of the Digital Catapult’s 5G mobile network testbed in Brighton has begun, with digital businesses from across Sussex taking part in trials of augmented, mixed and virtual reality technology Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CIO interview: Fraser Ingram, Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank

Fraser Ingram joined the Clydesdale and Yorkshire banking group as CIO just at the right time – as it was embarking on its digital journey Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Prepare now for quantum computers, QKD and post-quantum encryption

The predicted processing power of quantum computers is likely to make existing encryption algorithms obsolete. Quantum key distribution (QKD) is a possible solution - we investigate whether QKD is viable Continue Reading

By

• Peter Ray Allison

NHS Digital to publish new guidance on data standards

Data could be a huge advantage for the NHS, but data quality and accessibility is still a big challenge, says NHS Digital CEO Sarah Wilkinson as she promises clear guidance on standards and interoperability Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Mapping the future at Ordnance Survey

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how the UK mapping agency, Ordnance Survey, is innovating to put geospatial data at the heart of smart cities. We look at how to manage subscription and licensing costs when moving to the cloud. And we examine how proposals to change the UK visa system could help to tackle IT skills shortages. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Government launches £7.5m digital innovation fund for local councils

Councils with digital innovation ideas can apply for grants up to £100,000 from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Businesses that take humans with them on robotics journeys gain the most

Businesses that put human development at the centre of their automation strategies will profit the most Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Pharmacy2U signs up to digital communications platform

Online pharmacy aims to make it easier for people to contact them, using an omnichannel system from RingCentral allowing arrange of services, including voice, chat, text and email Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Rural areas will be among the first to get Vodafone 5G

Parts of Cornwall and Cumbria will be among the first locations to get access to Vodafone’s 5G mobile network when it launches in 2019 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Alibaba debuts its first service robot

Chinese tech firm is eyeing a slice of the global robotics market, starting with a service robot that delivers items to hotel guests Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

AI laggards will lose out as rivals make efficiency gains

McKinsey expects artificial intelligence to benefit the economy overall, and early adopters may be able to double their cashflow Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Scottish government pumps £13.5m into The Data Lab

Funding will help data innovation centre to explore data opportunities for Scotland’s economy Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Alibaba Cloud making deeper push into smart cities

At its annual conference in Hangzhou, Chinese cloud supplier Alibaba demonstrated the transformative impact of its technologies on society and called for more manufacturers to adopt smart manufacturing processes Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Medical firm debuts internet-connected prosthetic limbs

Orthotic and prosthetic services business Hanger is trialling five connected prosthetic limbs with support from AT&T’s Foundry innovation lab Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Employers turn to wearable technology to help staff manage work-life balance

Companies are realising that there are sound business reasons for ensuring their employees get enough sleep and exercise, so they are turning to wearable technology to help their staff stay healthy, despite the pressures of work Continue Reading

By

• Christian Annesley

Santander plans UK tech hub in Milton Keynes

Santander is opening a UK tech hub in Milton Keynes that will have 5,000 staff Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

BMW innovation lab bears fruit with insurtech deal

BMW has struck a deal with one of the tech startups that participated in its innovation incubator Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

CW500 interview: Boris Spremo discusses blockchain

Boris Spremo, head of operations at Trustology speaks about what blockchain really means for IT leaders Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

CW500 interview: Mirka Skrzypczak discusses blockchain

Mirka Skrzypczak, head of working capital & trade products at Royal Bank of Scotland speaks about what blockchain really means for IT leaders Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

CW500 interview: Carlo Del Mistro discusses blockchain

Carlo Del Mistro, head of innovation at Premier Inn speaks about what blockchain really means for IT leaders Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Sky mixes Adobe machine intelligence and intuition

With data collected from the Sky Q box, the broadcaster can figure out who’s watching what and why customers’ viewing habits change Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

EU needs clear 5G regulation to guarantee mobile success

The mobile ecosystem could be worth more than 4% of European GDP by 2022, if the right regulatory actions are taken by the European Union government Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

The importance of smartphone sustainability

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we examine the considerable environmental footprint of the mobile phone industry and ask what can be done to further the circular economy. We find out how disaster recovery as a service (DRaaS) is being used and when it’s an option for businesses. And we look at some of the UK’s emerging fintech success stories. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Nationwide Building Society adds over a billion pounds to IT spend

Nationwide is increasing the budget for its latest multi-year IT project Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Invest to be customer obsessed

We share insights from Forrester’s ‘Digital Store Playbook’ on how to transform retail operations to enhance the digital customer experience Continue Reading

By

• Michelle Besson, Forrester

Cutting through the blockchain hype

Blockchain adoption is still in its infancy, with security challenges standing in the way of more widespread deployment, according to a blockchain expert Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

CIO interview: Amir Nooriala, chief operating officer, OakNorth

The challenger bank’s COO on wanting to be fully cloud hosted, going through a huge cloud migration and being able to rebuild its core banking platform in five hours Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

Capitalism too short-termist? The tech sector suggests otherwise

Many observers criticise businesses and stock markets for being too short-termist – but if that was the case, how did Amazon, Uber and their ilk ever come into existence? Continue Reading

By

• Tim Worstall, Adam Smith Institute

Culture, not tools, is key to unlocking innovation

Australian organisations should focus on bringing in agile practices and foster a culture of trust and transparency to drive innovation and improve business agility Continue Reading

By

• Beverley Head

Autumn Budget 2018: Guarantees sought over future funding of national quantum computing programme

The chair of the Science and Tech Committee has written to the chancellor Philip Hammond to demand assurances that more funding for the UK's quantum computing efforts will be forthcoming in the Autumn 2018 budget Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Senior Editor, UK

Tech Nation startup programme demonstrates richness of UK fintech

A Tech Nation programme to support the UK's financial technology startups demonstrates the increasingly diverse range of business-to-business products and services available through the country's fintech community Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Fashion retailer Desigual boosts sales opportunities with data-sharing technology

Spanish fashion group Desigual reports 2% fewer lost sales after investing in technology to share stock, sales and pricing data between stores, websites and franchise partners Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Can technology save our NHS?

By the technophiles, digital is seen as the holy grail that will save our NHS, but is technology the answer, and how long will it be before we have a digital NHS? Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Irish tax office testing out artificial intelligence for customer services

The Irish tax office and IT supplier Accenture tries out artificial intelligence for its customer service Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Government positive to Science and Technology Committee’s report on algorithms

The government has issued its overwhelmingly positive response to the Science and Technology Committee’s report on the use of algorithms in decision making, published earlier this year Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

The use cases, challenges and benefits behind retail AI

Retailers have been collecting customer data for years, and with AI technology now available to help them use it effectively, they’re jumping at the chance – but what challenges lie ahead? Continue Reading

By

• Clare McDonald, Business Editor

RBS announces branch closures as part of cancelled project to create challenger bank

The Royal Bank of Scotland has announced more branch closures and job losses as digital transformation continues to transform the sector Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Health secretary Matt Hancock to boost NHS IT with £200m fund

Matt Hancock will announce a £200m fund for further digital centres of excellence and plans to pilot the NHS app across England, but shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth calls the plans a “pipe dream” Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Element AI teams up with AI Singapore

The Canadian upstart is co-developing AI applications for local industries as part of its efforts to build new research capabilities via local talent pools Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Three forthcoming government services to use Gov.uk Verify

Government Digital Service is in the process of private beta testing its identity assurance platform with three new central government services Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Power play – how GE builds digital into its products

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we speak to Bill Ruh, the head of GE Digital about how the business has changed to focus on customer outcomes following a change in senior leadership. The company is exploring new industries to take its Predix platform, such as the hospitality sector. We look at the problems of implementing SAP S/4 Hana and speak to experts about how to maximise success. We also explore the challenges of networking microservices. Our CIO interview is PayPoint CIO Jon Marchant. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

From Aberdeen to Brighton: Investing in the UK’s digital future

More investment in the UK’s broadband infrastructure is critical to ensure the UK’s future success in technology in a post-Brexit world Continue Reading

By

• Russ Shaw, Tech London Advocates and Global Tech Advocates

CIO interview: Ian Cohen, global CIO, Addison Lee

Addison Lee’s global CIO is building a business strategy and ensuring the transport company has a flexible platform for growth Continue Reading

By

• Mark Samuels

UK partners with African countries to boost innovation

UK government has launched partnerships in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria to help startups grow and boost technology innovation in the region Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Voice set to project into workplace, predicts Gartner report

AI-powered voice recognition is set to become part of the office environment within two years, according to Gartner Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Singapore broadens access to AI skills

A national artificial intelligence initiative in Singapore is being extended to the general population to dispel fears that machines will take over people’s jobs Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

IT leaders at a crossroads as they grapple with digital technology

CIOs have the opportunity to influence their company strategy as digital technology reshapes business. A survey of CIOs across 70 countries charts a path for IT leaders through emerging technologies Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Home Office launches EU nationals registration system pilot

EU citizens working at NHS trusts in the north-west of England – and students and staff at Liverpool’s universities – will be able to apply online for settled status in the UK post-Brexit, as part of private beta pilot Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

CW Nordics: Sweden eyes geo-fencing to protect against terror attacks

Sweden is developing an integrated IT/geo-fencing system to protect the country’s towns and cities against attacks by terrorists using vehicles as “killing machines”. Also read about Microsoft building two more datacentres in Norway to support its cloud computing services in Europe, and find out why investigators have closed the Nokia extortion probe without finding a motive or making an arrest. Continue Reading

Language barrier won’t hold back chatbots in the Netherlands

The use of chatbots by Dutch organisations is on the up, with KLM's chatbot a pioneering example Continue Reading

By

• Tijs Hofmans

CEOs held back by boards wanting quick digital turnarounds

Digital transformations tend to have a long return on investment, but most CEOs are failing to convince their boards that these things take time Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Barclays appointment will step up use of AI in investment bank

Ex-Goldman Sachs expert will focus on improving Barclays’ trading services and making internal systems more efficient Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Government departments are exploring new tech, according to GDS report

A GDS-commissioned report has found artificial intelligence and blockchain are the most popular among emerging technologies in government, but projects are often done in silos and departments risk “reinventing the wheel” Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

CIO interview: Celia Pronto, chief customer and digital officer, Casual Dining Group

Casual Dining Group’s chief customer and digital officer, Celia Pronto, is overhauling technology, consolidating IT and improving collaboration across its 300 restaurants Continue Reading

By

• Angelica Mari

AI: Black boxes and the boardroom

Computers can and do make mistakes and AI is only as good its training so relying purely on machine intelligence to make critical decisions is risky Continue Reading

By

• Tim Wright and Antony Bott

Gartner recommends CIOs get skilled up on deep learning

There may be some wacky predictions in Gartner's emerging trends hype cycle, but AI and even quantum computing need to be taken seriously right now Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Is IBM relevant to today’s mainstream?

When IT vendors talk about the market, they tend to focus on how they would like the world to be rather than how it actually is. This often means they fail to connect as well as they could with the ... Continue Reading

By

• Dale Vile, Freeform Dynamics

The dawn of open banking in Australia

Financial services firms will need to embrace DevOps and modernise their IT infrastructure to compete with more nimble fintech companies in an open banking regime. Continue Reading

Scotland's Improvement Service signs up to pilot digital identity platform

The Improvement Service will pilot the Yoti digital identity platform, test the use of blockchain applications and take a cloud first approach with its myaccount citizen portal Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

O2 tests Li-Fi transmission technology to enhance home networks

Mobile operator O2 is testing the application of Li-Fi technology, using LED light bulbs to transmit data packets, to enhance consumer wireless networks Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CIO interview: Richard Corbridge, CDIO, Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Leeds Teaching Hospitals’ new chief digital and information officer is putting together a plan for smarter use of information Continue Reading

By

• Mark Samuels

Driverless cars heading for Bromley and Croydon

A 10-month data-gathering exercise will pave the way for an autonomous vehicle ride-sharing service to start operation in 2019 Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

ICO strengthens commitment to technology and innovation

Information Commissioner’s Office has demonstrated its commitment to technology and innovation by appointing a new executive director to focus on this area Continue Reading

By

• Warwick Ashford, Senior analyst

Government pumps £51m into Welsh tech hub

Chancellor Philip Hammond promises £51m in additional investment for researchers and entrepreneurs to drive tech innovation in Wales Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Photobox gets snappy with mass-data migration to AWS cloud

Photobox Group’s CTO, Richard Orme, has revealed details of how a mass-data migration to the Amazon Web Services cloud has set the firm on the path to embrace artificial intelligence Continue Reading

By

• Zach Emmanuel, Computer Weekly

UK above average on strategic use of analytics

The UK has slightly more chief data officers than the global average, which helps drive strategic initiatives – but security is still seen as a major hurdle Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

CW Benelux: Netherlands to experiment with self-driving trains

In this issue, read how Dutch railway operator ProRail will test self-driving trains on a small set of railroad tracks to learn if they can be part of the country’s notoriously busy network. Also, find out how a network of smart towns and cities is growing in the Netherlands, and why Dutch organisations are being urged to unite to fight DDoS attacks. Continue Reading

Government sets out vision for better use of rail data

The government and the rail industry have developed a joint action plan to remove barriers to better data use by improving access to data, developing better standards, increasing skills and encouraging collaboration Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Dutch healthcare institutions need to think like tech sector

The healthcare industry needs to approach technological innovation in a different way if it is to maximise the benefits for staff and patients Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

How digital is driving golf to the connected course

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how one of the most traditional of sports, golf, is turning to technology to engage a new audience and build the connected course. Industry legend Dame Stephanie ‘Steve’ Shirley discusses IT talent, diversity in tech and Brexit fears. And we assess the offerings of four of the biggest cloud storage providers, AWS, Azure, Google and IBM. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

The rise of humanoid robotics in the Middle East

Middle East CIOs are planning to roll out intelligent automation technologies such as artificial intelligence and humanoid robotics Continue Reading

By

• Edward Banda

BEIS research and development budget nearly £8bn in 2018/19

Working to reach the government’s target of spending 2.4% of GDP on research and development by 2027, BEIS has increased its budget to nearly £8bn in 2018/19 Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

CIO interview: Alex von Schirmeister, CDTIO, RS Components

The electronics distributor’s chief digital, technology and innovation officer (CDTIO) on putting in place a new IT infrastructure, creating a digital business and accepting risk Continue Reading

By

• Mark Samuels

Audi to test 5G use cases in car production

German carmaker Audi is working with Sweden’s Ericsson to run field tests of 5G mobile networking technology exploring its applications on the factory floor Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Data has potential to enhance UK economy and productivity, says government

Government paper sets out potential for data to drive economic value, and highlights series of challenges that need to be addressed to fully gain benefits Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad