IT innovation, research and development

Data a driving force at Aston Martin Formula One

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we speak to Aston Martin Formula One’s Clare Lansley to find out how digital transformation helps the team to move further up the F1 grid. We explore how automation and AI is helping businesses tackle rising costs and also look into the maturity of Industry 4.0 initiatives. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

How non-fungible tokens can be used to manage health data

Non-fungible tokens will give patients more ownership and control over their health data and improve its transparency in healthcare research, according to SingHealth clinicians Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Amazon Web Services selects 14 startups for space accelerator

The cohort of startups will use AWS and its resources to accelerate the research and development of their technologies and boost their growth Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Finland and Estonia deepen cross-border digital partnerships

Finland and Estonia, two global tech pioneers, are increasingly sharing their expertise Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

Swedish university demos quantum chemistry simulation

A quantum computer, named after a slaughtered pig, is being used to test a new approach to modelling quantum chemistry Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Prototype cyber tech has revolutionary potential

The so-called CHERI protection model developed at the University of Cambridge is showing great promise for future cyber security technologies Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

CW APAC April 2023 – Trend Watch: Business applications

Tech’s role in the workplace continues to grow. In this handbook, focused on business applications in the Asia-Pacific region, Computer Weekly looks at industry cloud platforms, how microservices improve customer experience, what automation brings to banking and Rimini Street’s approach to third-party support. Continue Reading

Beyond Web 2.0: A Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast

Like others who have developed technology that powers the internet, David Holtzman, chief strategist at decentralised cyber security network Naoris Protocol, has an unusual background Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Good Friday Agreement key to growth of Northern Ireland cyber hub

Now 25 years since the historic Good Friday Agreement ended the Troubles, Northern Ireland has become a flourishing centre of cyber security excellence and has ambitions to grow further Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK SMEs are the most tech savvy in Europe

UK SMEs have taken to contactless payments faster than their counterparts in continental Europe Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

TUC says government is failing to protect workers from AI harms

TUC issues warning about artificial intelligence leading to more widespread workplace discrimination if the right checks are not put in place Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

IT Priorities 2023: Budget optimism among EMEA IT leaders

IT leaders across the EMEA region are optimistic that their budgets will increase over the coming year Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

CyberUK 23: NCSC conference centres cyber collaboration

The NCSC’s annual CyberUK conference gets underway in Belfast this week, with collaboration and cooperation high on the agenda Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

UK presses on with post-Brexit data protection reform

The revised version of the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill has had its second reading in Parliament as the government presses on with post-Brexit changes, but critics remain sceptical that the EU will be convinced to maintain the UK's data adequacy agreement Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Tech spending in India to grow by 9.6% in 2023

Digital initiatives in the public sector along with investments in telecoms and other areas are expected to spur technology spending in India this year Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Government launches Smart Data Council to lower utility bills

The council aims to find ways to use and encourage uptake of smart data to make it easier to switch utility providers and save money Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Alibaba Cloud unveils cheaper cloud options, new language model

Alibaba has introduced cheaper instances of its compute and storage services in China and is jumping on the generative AI bandwagon with its Tongyi Qianwen language model Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

AstraZeneca launches African healthtech hub

AstraZeneca has launched its latest healthcare innovation hub, which will focus on using digital technology to improve healthcare in Africa Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

How Agoda is shaping up to be a technology powerhouse

Agoda’s CTO Idan Zalzberg explains why the online travel agency with a massive technology footprint prefers to run things in-house and not rely too much on public cloud services Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

With cyber attacks on the rise, businesses should prepare for quantum hacks now

Advances in quantum computing have brought the world is on the cusp of a technological revolution, but it is not without risk. Find out why you should start to prepare for post-quantum cryotography today. Continue Reading

By

• Ali El Kaafarani

Sweden and Finland make advances in quantum computing

Separate Swedish and Finnish quantum computing projects make promising advances in the technology of the future Continue Reading

By

• Gerard O'Dwyer

ICO responds to UK government AI regulation plans

The ICO has officially responded to the government’s plans for regulating artificial intelligence as outlined in its recent whitepaper, but called for clarity on certain aspects before the proposals are taken further Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

UK police double down on ‘improved’ facial recognition

The Met and South Wales Police have doubled down on their use of facial recognition technology after research found improved accuracy in their algorithms when using certain settings, but civil society groups maintain that the tech will still be used in a discriminatory fashion Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Bank of England starts recruiting Britcoin team

The Bank of England is recruiting people to join its team focused on the development of a digital pound Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UKtech50 2023: 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 back – let us know who you would like to nominate for this year’s list Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

DWP appoints former Boots IT chief Richard Corbridge as CDIO

In his new role as the chief digital and information officer for the Department for Work and Pensions, Corbridge will be responsible for a £1.4bn annual budget Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

How India’s Cropin is tapping the groundswell in agritech

Cropin, one of the first movers in agriculture technology, has built an industry cloud platform that is now used by the likes of PepsiCo to maximise crop yields Continue Reading

By

• Pratima Harigunani

Government to pump more than £100m into digital social care

As part of its Better Care Fund framework, the government has allocated £100m to accelerate digitisation in social care, £50m to improve data, as well as £35m for the creation of an innovation and improvement unit Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Inspired by the human brain, Belgian researchers develop a new generation of sensors

Belgian researchers have found ways of mimicking the human brain to improve sensors and the way they pass data to central computers Continue Reading

By

• Pat Brans, Pat Brans Associates/Grenoble Ecole de Management

Huawei upgrades OpenLab innovation centre in Singapore

Chinese tech giant Huawei has recently upgraded its OpenLab innovation facility in Singapore to drive the development of industry specific applications such as smart classrooms and horizontal ... Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Italy’s ChatGPT ban: Sober precaution or chilling overreaction?

Italy’s data protection authority issued a temporary ban on ChatGPT citing data protection concerns and alleged breaches of the GDPR. Is this a reasonable precaution, or a chilling restriction on personal freedoms? Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Revitalising UK digital government

In this week’s Computer Weekly, as the UK plummets down the international rankings for digital government, can its £400m identity system revitalise the UK’s digital strategy? We examine the container management platforms from the big six storage suppliers. And we look at the challenges of achieving IT sustainability while continuing to drive digital innovation. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Wales launches innovation fund for pharmacy systems suppliers

The fund aims to help suppliers of pharmacy systems in the country to deliver an electronic prescription service Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

Generative AI central to Accenture’s tech vision

Generative AI will play a central role over the next 10 years as the digital and physical world become more and more integrated Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Wales is building a dragon of an NHS app

As NHS Wales is due to launch the public version of its own app, Computer Weekly takes a deep dive into the technical aspects of the Welsh NHS app, future plans and whether the expectations for the programme have stacked up to reality Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

How millions of consumers and businesses are using open banking

SMEs and consumers are increasingly turning to open banking services to help them manage their businesses and lives Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Preventing artificial deception in the age of AI

The proposals contained in Westminster’s AI whitepaper are a good start, but more creative thinking and investment will be required to achieve a truly pro-innovation regulatory environment Continue Reading

By

• Alwin Magimay

Naver Cloud teams up with Korean tourism body

The South Korean hyperscaler has teamed up with the Korea Tourism Organisation to improve visitor experience using its cloud capabilities Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

UK government publishes AI whitepaper

Artificial intelligence whitepaper outlines UK government’s proposals to regulate the technology, which are based around creating an agile, “pro-innovation” framework Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Lloyds Bank looking for fintech partners

Lloyds Banking Group wants to partner startups in the financial services sector in its latest fintech and insurtech programme Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Generative AI presents opportunities and challenges to UK schools

Generative AI and LLMs hold great potential for use in the classroom, but the privacy and security implications of its use must be carefully considered, says the Department for Education Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Alan Turing Institute unveils strategy to support UK AI

The strategy is built around helping the UK government realise its artificial intelligence ambitions, and focuses on areas where the UK can play a transformative role in shaping AI development Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

How ChatGPT will become a programmer’s best friend

ChatGPT has shown it can produce code. It can also identify bugs and even figure out what a code snippet is trying to do Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Europol warns cops to prep for malicious AI abuse

In a report looking at how large language models can be used by criminals, Europol’s Innovation Lab calls on law enforcement agencies to prepare themselves for wide-ranging impacts on their work Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Many of world’s biggest banks lack transparent policies for responsible AI

It is unclear whether many of the world’s largest banks have adopted and are using ethical artificial intelligence development principles Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

How APCOA is using big data to reinvent car parks

Car park operator APCOA is using big data to transform traditional car parks into mobility hubs that will offer electric vehicle charging, space for small businesses and depots for delivery companies Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Lords AI weapons committee holds first evidence session

In first evidence session of Lords AI weapons committee, expert witnesses unpack claims that artificial intelligence in weapon systems will help military organisations to improve their compliance with international humanitarian law Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Dutch discovery brings energy-efficient computers a step closer

An international group of researchers at the University of Twente have developed a molecular switch that can increase the energy-efficiency of electronics Continue Reading

By

• Kim Loohuis

How large language models address enterprise IT

It’s being pitched as Microsoft versus Google, but the large language models from these two giants are likely to revolutionise IT usability Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

Podium taps ChatGPT for reputation management

The customer interaction and payment specialist with operations in Australia has integrated ChatGPT into its platform to help local businesses respond to customer reviews on social media Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

MPs explore how to expand quantum computing in business

Commons Science and Technology Committee is looking for evidence of where the UK’s new quantum strategy needs improvement Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

The risks of an imbalance in AI

In this week’s Computer Weekly, a leading AI expert explains the risks of an arms race in artificial intelligence caused by the domination of private sector providers. Our latest buyer’s guide examines ways to reduce IT’s energy use. And we analyse the latest damning revelations from the Post Office scandal inquiry. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

NatWest announces ID service for its customers

The identities of NatWest customers engaging with businesses online can be confirmed by the bank's ID service in seconds Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Government should invest in maritime tech, say MPs

Report from the Transport Committee calls for investment in technology for the maritime sector, and wants the government to make it easier to scale-up innovation Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

CIO interview: Russ Thornton, chief technology officer, Shawbrook Bank

Russ Thornton swapped life on the theatre podium for financial services IT, but thrives in an environment where orchestrating IT teams is a core skill Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

UK government to create code of practice for generative AI firms

The code will look to strike a balance between copyright holders and generative AI firms so that both parties can benefit from the use of copyrighted material in training data Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

The changing role of the CIO from a Finnish perspective

A small country with a sophisticated workforce, Finland has its own perspective on how IT leadership is changing in both the public and private sector Continue Reading

By

• Pat Brans, Pat Brans Associates/Grenoble Ecole de Management

UK government's 'tech superpower' ambitions must be matched by realism and collaboration

Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt went for it in a big way in his Budget speech this week. Fewer than 400 words were spoken, barely three minutes completed, before we got to cross off the ... Continue Reading

By

• Bryan Glick, Editor in chief

Developing countries risk being left behind by green tech revolution, warns UN development body

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development urges action from governments and developed countries to ensure the developing world does not miss out on the opportunity to benefit economically from the green tech revolution Continue Reading

By

• Caroline Donnelly, Datacentre Editor

NCSC warns over AI language models but rejects cyber alarmism

The UK's NCSC has issued advice for those using the technology underpinning AI tools such as ChatGPT, but says some of the security doomsday scenarios being proposed right now are not necessarily realistic Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

As Covid fades away, what’s the future of remote work in Europe?

Many IT leaders are still supporting some form of work from home, and a trend is beginning to take shape in Europe Continue Reading

By

• Pat Brans, Pat Brans Associates/Grenoble Ecole de Management

AI interview: Elke Schwarz, professor of political theory

Elke Schwarz speaks with Computer Weekly about the ethics of military artificial intelligence and the dangers of allowing governments and corporations to push forward without oversight or scrutiny Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Generative AI at watershed moment with spate of legal challenges

Just over 20 years ago, Napster was closed on copyright grounds for allowing users to access digital copies of music for free. Now, a spate of legal cases have experts questioning whether OpenAI and other generative AI innovators will go the same way Continue Reading

By

• Andrew Kersley

Technology minister Michelle Donelan defends data reforms

Secretary of state Michelle Donelan has defended the government’s new data reforms as providing certainty for businesses while simultaneously retaining high standards of data protection, but industry figures are having mixed reactions Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Government departments need to better understand digital transformation or efforts will ‘peter out’

National Audit Office report says that the people making digital transformation decisions in government don't properly understand the challenges Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

CW EMEA: How Sweden is accelerating digitisation

Large conglomerates with diverse business portfolios face challenges when digitally transforming because one size cer-tainly doesn’t fit all. In this month’s CW EMEA, we find out how Richard Ventre, group CIO at Dutch company SHV Holdings, goes about ensuring his IT department pro-vides the foundations for a wide variety of businesses to thrive digitally. We also find out how to make the most of a composable enterprise architecture and how green storage can deliver savings if done right. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

UK government introduces revised data reform bill to Parliament

Designed in close collaboration with technology businesses, the UK government is re-introducing an updated version of its Data Protection and Digital Information Bill to Parliament, which civil society groups say upends key safeguards Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

AI in the Netherlands: Talent, data and responsibility

Applied researchers in the Netherlands are working to bring AI to a higher level Continue Reading

By

• Pat Brans, Pat Brans Associates/Grenoble Ecole de Management

Taking back control: Could a distributed model breed a better AI?

AI tools such as ChatGPT are trained on datasets scraped from the web, but you don’t have much say if your data is used. Technologist Bruce Schneier says it’s time to give control of AI training data back to the people Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

APAC IT leaders bullish on tech spending

Over half of respondents in this year’s IT Priorities study have bigger IT budgets as they continue to make strategic investments in cyber security, cloud and automation, among other areas Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Fintech industry calls for regulatory change to help struggling consumers

Fintech trade body calls for regulatory changes to allow fintechs to broaden services for people struggling in the cost-of-living crisis Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Lords Committee to investigate use of AI-powered weapons systems

House of Lords to investigate the use of artificial intelligence in weapons systems, following UK government publication of AI defence strategy in June 2022 Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Government announces Science and Technology framework

The government has announced the first major work completed by its recently launched Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Software enables new business model for Sweden-headquartered car manufacturer

One of the many things software now does with cars is to enable ‘mobility as a service’, a new business model that provides people with freedom of movement, without the cost and hassle of ownership Continue Reading

By

• Pat Brans, Pat Brans Associates/Grenoble Ecole de Management

White House unveils National Cybersecurity Strategy

The strategy will focus on ensuring closer collaboration on cyber security between government and industry, while giving software and other tech companies a bigger role in combatting threats due to their resources and expertise Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

AI interview: Michael Osborne, professor of machine learning

Artificial intelligence researcher speaks with Computer Weekly about the implications of a market-driven AI arms race and the overwhelming dominance of the private sector over the technology Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Genomics England to use Sectra imaging system for cancer data programme

Genomics England has deployed an enterprise imaging system from supplier Sectra to link radiology and pathology images with whole genome sequencing data Continue Reading

By

• Lis Evenstad

APAC is proving to be ‘substantial growth engine’ for Rimini Street

Rimini Street CEO Seth Ravin outlines growth opportunities in Asia-Pacific and discusses the company’s move up the support value chain Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

Industrial safetytech startups secure £150m funding since 2020

Industrial safetytech investment reached a record high of $100m in 2021, and remains significantly ahead of pre-pandemic funding levels despite a dip in 2022 Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Two years on from the Kalifa report, UK fintechs speak out

Two years after the UK government’s Kalifa fintech report, entrepreneurs warn of a continuing Brexit headache and slow regulatory reform Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Korea telecom giant SKT doubles down on AI

SKT plans to broaden the use of AI across its business, from delivering AI-powered services to improving customer experience using generative AI models Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

UK police have ‘culture of retention’ around biometric data

A culture of retention around biometric data in UK policing is damaging public trust, says UK biometrics commissioner, who is calling for clear regulation to govern police use of biometric technologies Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

UK HSE to launch regulatory sandbox for industrial safety tech

The sandbox will see the regulator work with industry and tech startups to accelerate the development and adoption of a range of safety-related technologies, with a particular emphasis on data and analytics Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Innovation not infestation – digitising pest control

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how Rentokil Initial is using the latest in digital innovation to improve the age-old task of pest control. The leading experts offer a 15-point plan to improve diversity and inclusion in IT. And with all the excitement around ChatGPT, we ask whether business is ready to use the AI chatbot. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Care provider’s IT capability expands to support wider sector and beyond

Care Plus’s IT operation went from being under NHS control to an autonomous department selling its services Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Average consumer spent more than £3,300 using contactless payments in 2022

The amount of money spent using contactless payment technology continues to rise as consumers take advantage of higher allowable spending limits Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

CIO interview: Hans van der Waal, director of global IT, Travelex

Travelex has weathered a storm that saw it sink into administration, before emerging to solidify its digital foundations for the future Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Helsinki’s tech and business ecosystem in 90 days

Helsinki gives tech entrepreneurs a taste of life and business in Finland for 90 days as it bids to attract global tech startups Continue Reading

By

• Matthew Staff

UK saw fintech investment collapse in 2022, but is still a world leader

Fintech investment in the UK sees steep drop, but the country was still a top destination for capital Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

OSC&R framework to stop supply chain attacks in the wild

The backers of a new MITRE ATT&CK style framework called OSC&R hope to help organisations get to grips with threats to their software supply chains Continue Reading

By

• Alex Scroxton, Security Editor

Akamai eyes cloud market with Connected Cloud

Akamai marks foray into cloud computing with a distributed cloud computing platform that is touted to make it easier for enterprises to get applications and data closer to their customers Continue Reading

By

• Aaron Tan, TechTarget

What’s the technology talent and recruitment outlook for 2023?

Despite layoffs from technology companies demand for IT staff in 2023 is expected to be robust, but organisations may turn towards contractors and off-shoring Continue Reading

By

• Andy Heyes and Rhona Carmichael

KPMG launches metaverse and digital twin hub in Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Arabian government’s commitment to investing in metaverse technology has attracted a KPMG centre of excellence to its shores Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Investigatory Powers Act: Home Office proposes rethink of safeguards on bulk data collection

David Anderson KC will review the safeguards on intelligence service and police use of bulk datasets following a Home Office assessment that they are 'disproportionate'. Continue Reading

By

• Bill Goodwin, Computer Weekly

Police tech needs clear legal rules, says biometrics regulator

Police use of artificial intelligence and facial recognition needs to be controlled by strict rules and mechanisms to ensure public trust Continue Reading

By

• Sebastian Klovig Skelton, Data & ethics editor

Rebooting digital government to (finally) bring it into the 21st century

Nearly 30 years after the UK's first pan-government website, what has been achieved in digital government - and how do we make it better? Continue Reading

By

• Jerry Fishenden

Gartner Hype Cycle

The Gartner Hype Cycle is a graphical representation of the lifecycle stages a technology goes through from the initial development to its commercial availability and adoption, as well as its eventual decline and obsolescence. Continue Reading

By

• Katie Terrell Hanna
• Ivy Wigmore

BNPL accounted for 12% of UK online spending in January

Buy now, pay later products from fintech providers accounted for 12% of the £8bn spent online in the UK in January, according to analysis Continue Reading

By

• Karl Flinders, Chief reporter and senior editor EMEA

Is business ready for ChatGPT?

Generative AI models like ChatGPT promise to revolutionise the way people gather data and make informed decisions Continue Reading

By

• Cliff Saran, Managing Editor

India launches homegrown BharOS

The homegrown Android-based mobile operating system could reduce India’s reliance on foreign software, but uncertainties around market adoption and software updates remain Continue Reading

By

• Pratima Harigunani