Business intelligence and analytics

Amazon resists independent audit of warehouse working conditions

Two shareholder proposals pushing for an independent audit of working conditions at Amazon are being challenged by the ecommerce giant, which claims it is a matter for management rather than shareholders Continue Reading

Why some data-driven decisions are not to be trusted

Companies often express the desire to be data-driven – but what if the data isn’t right? Data democratisation could be part of the solution Continue Reading

Using technology to protect human rights

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we investigate how technology is being used to tackle human rights abuses worldwide. We offer a step-by-step guide to disaster recovery in the cloud era. And we examine the vital, and successful, role of digital and data in the UK Covid-19 vaccine roll-out. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

SAP and Oracle express solidarity with Ukraine against Russia

SAP and Oracle suspend operations in the Russian Federation after expressing solidarity with Ukraine in the face of the war against it being conducted by Russia Continue Reading

Workplace surveillance ‘spiralling out of control’, says TUC

Trade union body pushes for workers to be consulted on the implementation of new technologies at work, warning that invasive surveillance practices are getting out of hand Continue Reading

University of Amsterdam teams up with MIT to use analytics for a better world

Dutch and US universities join forces with tech company to help non-government organisations and the United Nations to harness data analytics to achieve sustainable development goals Continue Reading

Christal Bemont, Talend CEO: Show up as yourself

Christal Bemont, CEO of data management firm Talend, reflects on coming through difficult times in solidarity with co-workers, and how data quality assumes a heightened significance in the digital era Continue Reading

The complementary strengths of AI and human intelligence

Kathy Peach, director at Nesta’s Centre for Collective Intelligence Design, describes projects the organisation supports that explore the interaction between artificial and human intelligence Continue Reading

Paid-for advertising still not covered in Online Safety Bill

Consumer group Which? calls again for government to include measures against scam paid-for advertising in the Online Safety Bill Continue Reading

European Commission opens path to a Data Act to stoke digital economy

The European Commission has published a proposal for a Data Act that it hopes will stoke a digital economy, in part by unlocking IoT and other ‘industrial data’ Continue Reading

Software AG executives trumpet progress on Helix growth plan

Software AG’s executive team has confirmed progress on a cloud-oriented growth strategy named Helix, launched in 2019 and bolstered by 2021 investment by US technology firm Silver Lake Continue Reading

Union pushes for collective bargaining around technology and data

Prospect union releases guidance on how workers and unions can engage employers over the use of technology at work, with particular emphasis on the need to include technology provisions in collective bargaining agreements Continue Reading

Fuzzy logic: The challenge of building data science teams

In the face of a dearth of data science talent, and a crippling lack of diversity in the pool as it is, what are companies doing to build, manage and keep data science teams together? We find out Continue Reading

On a mission to track space junk

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to the space experts tracking orbital debris using graph database technology. We meet the startups taking very different approaches in trying to develop commercial quantum computers. And we ask why it’s so difficult to build a data science team and how to overcome the challenges. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Evolving a data integration strategy

Linking IT systems together is never going away, but the approach CIOs adopt is key to ensuring relevant data feeds the decision-making process Continue Reading

Rackspace buys Singapore firm to bolster analytics capability in APAC

Rackspace Technology’s acquisition of Just Analytics will bring delivery capabilities to Southeast Asia and pave the way for its expansion into Vietnam Continue Reading

CW Benelux: Unesco members adopt AI ethics recommendation

Unesco member state have adopted an AI ethics recommendation that seeks to define a common set of values and principles to guide the development of ethical AI globally. Also read about a large-scale national cyber exercise in the Netherlands, and the Estonian government’s Siri-like digital assistant. Continue Reading

Government earmarks £23m for 2,000 AI scholarships in England

The DCMS has confirmed £23m government funding for 2,000 scholarships in England for AI and data science Masters degree conversion courses Continue Reading

Data strategy highlights geospatial data challenges

A new assessment discusses the importance of data sharing, a lack of standards and the skills gap Continue Reading

Porn sites will be legally required to verify users’ ages

Porn sites could be legally obliged to verify that their users are 18 or over under proposed online safety rules, in UK government’s second attempt to prevent children from accessing pornography online Continue Reading

Right to disconnect and less monitoring key to better remote work

The World Health Organisation and International Labour Organisation warn against invasive workplace surveillance and promote right to disconnect in joint briefing on how to promote healthy and safe remote working Continue Reading

Why data integration is a business and CIO opportunity

With a focus an agile approach and continuous learning and improvement, data integration has proven integral to end-to-end digital transformation Continue Reading

Exploring the metaverse

In this week’s Computer Weekly, the metaverse is set to become a highly competitive commercial playground –profitable markets but also high-profile failures will follow. IT contractors have been hit by cyber attacks on the firms that pay their wages – we examine the impact. And we ask if it’s time to plan for quantum computing. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Four emerging data integration trends to assess

To accelerate their performance in data integration, companies are evaluating and adopting a range of contributing technologies Continue Reading

Data integration dogged by complexity and vital to business

Integrating data is one of the thorniest challenges in business intelligence and analytics – achieving it is technically and organisationally complex, while it is gaining in importance all the time Continue Reading

SAP full-year 2021: Revenue nudges up 1%, cloud growth up 17%

SAP has announced a 2% rise in full-year 2021 revenue, to just under €28bn, while S/4 Hana customer base increased by 18% to 18,800 Continue Reading

CORT deploys IoT to monitor indoor air quality

New Zealand community housing provider is rolling out sensors and analytics software to track the air quality of its premises Continue Reading

Space junk revealed by University of Texas graph database

Aerospace engineers, led by space environmentalist Moriba Jah, at The University of Texas at Austin have built a graph database, AstriaGraph, to track space junk that is a threat to life on Earth Continue Reading

Retailers mired by manual data integration

Retail relies on third-party data sources to drive business decisions and competitive pricing, but many struggle to pull in this data Continue Reading

Heathrow Airport takes to the cloud with Oracle Fusion Applications

Airport has implemented a full spread of Oracle Cloud Applications, including ERP and HCM, as it looks to recover from the pandemic Continue Reading

Automation and interoperability key to UK’s digital energy plans

Energy Digitalisation Taskforce recommends that policy-makers and regulators drive open standards across the energy sector Continue Reading

Twinings selects Rise with SAP to simplify its business brew

Tea company Twinings Ovaltine has chosen SAP’s Rise subscription service to simplify its relationship with the supplier and focus on future growth Continue Reading

CW Middle East: What does Saudi Arabia’s autonomous vehicle agenda mean for the world?

If all goes according to plan, within a few years, one million people will live in Saudi Arabia’s ‘city of the future’ – and every one of them will depend on a fleet of self-driving cars. Also in this issue, read about the UAE's bid to become a world-leading location for artificial intelligence innovation. Continue Reading

Government backs Turing Institute in bid to set global AI technical standards

The DCMS has announced an AI Standards Hub, comprising The Alan Turing Institute, the National Physical Laboratory and the British Standards Institution to set a global bar for AI technical standards Continue Reading

Companies propose scanning content pre-encryption to fight CSAM

Firms working on the UK government’s Safety Tech Challenge have suggested that scanning content before encryption will help prevent the spread of child sexual abuse material – but privacy concerns remain Continue Reading

How Pepsi is taking digital to the max

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to PepsiCo’s digital director about delivering innovation in customer experience. Our first buyer’s guide of 2022 examines hybrid cloud storage. And we find out how Arkwright and Granville from the BBC sitcom Open All Hours are inspiring retailers 40 years on. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

How to make AI greener and more efficient

Artificial intelligence promises both to combat the ill effects of climate change and to make the emergency worse with excessive energy use. How can AI be made greener? Continue Reading

How to create a sustainable continuous learning culture

How can organisations create a continuous learning culture that will militate against the so-called great resignation? We explore, using Vodafone and Deutsche Bank as cases in point Continue Reading

University of Edinburgh extends IoT data science to south-east Scottish pupils

The University of Edinburgh is part of a 15-year mission to educate the data scientists of tomorrow among school pupils in its south-east Scotland sphere Continue Reading

Fuzzy logic: The challenge of building data science teams

In the face of a dearth of data science talent, and a crippling lack of diversity in the pool as it is, what are companies doing to build, manage and keep data science teams together? We find out Continue Reading

SMEs step up e-commerce ventures under shadow of Covid

A raft of smaller retailers have stepped up their e-commerce businesses during the pandemic, ranging from books to candles, rugs to togs Continue Reading

How far has Saudi Arabia come with open data?

While clearly on the right path, Saudi Arabia still has a lot to do before it reaps the full benefits of open data Continue Reading

Top 10 Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcasts of 2021

The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast team began the year discussing the online fallout from the storming of the White House and finished it discussing IT and climate change, touching on bees and datacentres along the way Continue Reading

Top 10 technology and ethics stories of 2021

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 technology and ethics stories of 2021 Continue Reading

Top 10 information management stories of 2021

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 information management stories of 2021 Continue Reading

Top 10 business applications stories of 2021

2021 saw enterprise software suppliers and users envisaging a nimbler future, beyond the Covid pandemic, with more loosely coupled ERP systems, more flexible business processes, and a renewed digital-first focus on customers Continue Reading

Marks & Spencer upskills internal talent with data science education

Retailer is building up a data science capability that includes a Master’s degree-level apprenticeship as well as making data literacy a common currency up and down the organisation Continue Reading

Oracle buys Cerner for nearly $30bn in major push into healthcare

Oracle has bought healthcare IT provider Cerner for $28.3bn, in a major push into healthcare. It is its largest acquisition since NetSuite for $9.3bn in 2016 Continue Reading

What is Log4Shell - and why the panic?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we assess the risks from Log4Shell, a new web software vulnerability described as “catastrophic”. We look at SASE – secure access service edge – which is set to be one of the networking priorities for 2022. And some victims of the Post Office IT scandal are still waiting for proper compensation. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

CW APAC: Expert guide to cloud migration

Organisations are increasingly moving their workloads to public cloud. In this handbook, focused on cloud migration in the Asia-Pacific region, Computer Weekly looks at the key strategies to follow, how HPE has transitioned into an as-a-service company, the adoption of cloud in Australia and why VMWare’s chief technology officer endorses a cross-cloud approach Continue Reading

Finnish government launches digital economy transformation projects

The Finnish government launches two transformation projects as part of the country’s mission to pioneer a digital economy Continue Reading

CDEI research pinpoints barriers to trustworthy AI exploitation

Survey of UK business by the Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation has disclosed the patchiness of artificial intelligence and data-driven technology adoption across different economic sectors Continue Reading

Gig economy algorithmic management tools ‘unfair and opaque’

Report published by Worker Info Exchange warns of algorithmically enabled rights abuses in the gig economy, noting the insufficient transparency of employers and the lacklustre nature of legal redress Continue Reading

Asda follows EG Group sibling in selection of Rise with SAP

Retailer is looking to improve the agility of its operations in the cloud with a move to Rise with SAP on Microsoft Azure, and to streamline its procurement with SAP Ariba Continue Reading

Digital Ethics Summit: Innovation needs regulation to be ethical

Experts attending the 2021 Digital Ethics Summit spoke out against the idea that regulation will stifle technological innovation, arguing that setting clear rules will produce more ethical innovation Continue Reading

IT Priorities 2022: ERP gets back on the horse

Automation and going cloud-first have gained significant interest for enterprise software and data management investment in the UK, according to the annual TechTarget/Computer Weekly IT Priorities 2022 survey Continue Reading

Pandora Papers: How journalists mined terabytes of offshore data to expose the world’s elites

Six hundred journalists spent over a year mining 2.94 terabytes of data that revealed offshore companies and the politicians, world leaders and celebrities who secretly owned them Continue Reading

Unesco member states adopt AI ethics recommendation

The non-binding recommendation seeks to define a common set of values and principles to guide the development of ethical AI globally Continue Reading

MI6 will ‘open up’ to tech firms to innovate faster than adversaries, says chief Richard Moore

MI6 will use investment fund to back tech companies to develop long-term technologies that will help it to keep pace with China and Russia Continue Reading

Over 100 civil society groups call for changes to EU AI Act

Civil, human and digital rights organisations sign open letter calling on European policymakers to put fundamental rights at the heart of the proposed Artificial Intelligence Act Continue Reading

How Maxim’s Group is using Oracle Cloud

The Hong Kong-based F&B operator is using Oracle Cloud Infrastructure to run its VMware workloads and datawarehouse to improve resilience and productivity Continue Reading

UKISUG 2021: S/4 Hana skills deficit and legacy custom code hamper migration

On the opening day of its 2021 conference, the UK and Ireland SAP User Group unveils member research showing concerns that an S/4 Hana skills deficit and a surfeit of legacy customisation is retarding migration to the Hana-based ERP Continue Reading

NetSuite CEO Goldberg: Growth companies nimble for post-Covid normality

Evan Goldberg, executive vice president of Oracle NetSuite, reflects on the post-Covid-19 pandemic economy through the prism of the Oracle-owned SaaS company Continue Reading

Harness data to make better business conversations

Productive business conversations require a data culture underpinned by data literacy and balanced by humanistic values Continue Reading

Societe Generale accelerates data and artificial intelligence strategy

French investment banking giant increases its focus on data and artificial intelligence as digital transformation matures Continue Reading

Inside Informatica’s cloud journey

Informatica’s chief product officer talks up the company’s journey back to the public market and where Asia-Pacific fits in its growth strategy Continue Reading

Unit4 research finds divergence between decision-makers and employees in SMEs

Sponsored research among mid-sized enterprises finds decision-makers and employees to be radically at odds in reading what makes a successful organisation Continue Reading

Blueprint for future high street shows tech’s role in creating thriving communities

Technology will play an important role in creating thriving communities after Covid-19 lockdowns renew interest in local high streets Continue Reading

Government bodies refuse FOI requests on basis of misleading database search times, says academic

The Information Commissioner’s Office tells tribunal it would need to bring in external experts to search data using an Excel spreadsheet Continue Reading

New law needed to rein in AI-powered workplace surveillance

MPs and peers call for new legislation to regulate the growing use of artificial intelligence in the workplace, which is being used to surveil workers’ performance and behaviour Continue Reading

CW Benelux: Dutch IT company rips up the HR rule book for better work-life balance

One Dutch tech firm has used learnings from the pandemic to rip up its HR rule book and implement an official work-from-home policy. In fact, Infolearn has gone further than hybrid working, with a personal mobility budget for staff and a four-day working week, all with retention of full-time salary. Also in this issue, read how Dutch education administrators appear to be underestimating the threat of cyber crime. Continue Reading

Lloyd v Google Supreme Court verdict brings end to privacy class actions against big tech in UK

A ruling by the Supreme Court has left it financially unviable for individuals to bring class actions in the UK against big tech companies for privacy breaches Continue Reading

Financial Conduct Authority chooses Aiimi for improved information discovery

The Financial Conduct Authority has awarded a three-year contract to UK enterprise search firm Aiimi to enable the regulator’s staff to find documents more easily and collaborate better Continue Reading

Vast Data: Big shifts promised for an AI future

Purveyor of Universal Storage says AI and GPU-based compute will dominate, and is set to benefit with its (relatively) cheap, deep and quick QLC-plus-Optane offer Continue Reading

Real Madrid teams up with Adobe to enhance global fan experience

Real Madrid is using Adobe’s Experience Cloud software to better connect with its fans in Spain and worldwide Continue Reading

Mining for intelligence: Why business process intelligence makes for agility

Business process improvement is a never-ending quest for betterment that can be lit up by a new generation of process mining software. We take a deep dive Continue Reading

Watching me, watching you – challenging the rise of digital surveillance at work

Unprecedented levels of digital monitoring at work is embedding a culture of surveillance, despite workers’ opposition to the practices, says Prospect Union Continue Reading

Reaching the data gold standard: dream or reality?

The pandemic has forced businesses to adopt digital technology at a record pace but most organisations find themselves at the beginning of a long journey towards making the most of their data Continue Reading

Petrol station retailer EG Group opts for Rise with SAP to fuel growth

EG Group, a petrol station and food retailer, is looking to improve its operations with a move to Rise with SAP on an SAP private cloud alongside an implementation of the SuccessFactors HR system Continue Reading

Rise with SAP attracts 11% interest from SAP customers

Research from the UK & Ireland SAP User Group has found only 11% of members plan to use SAP’s Rise with SAP business transformation as a service offering Continue Reading

Quarter of people don’t plan to visit a bank branch again

A quarter of people have no intention of visiting a bank branch again after experiencing the benefits of digital banking when branches were closed during Covid-19 lockdowns Continue Reading

ODI Summit 2021: ‘Social prescribing’ for mental health lacks data infrastructure

A report published at the Open Data Institute’s annual summit finds social prescribing activities geared towards improving mental and physical health lack sufficient data infrastructure Continue Reading

IT’s role in sustainability for a resilient supply chain

A circular economy is among the long-term measures needed to combat climate change. This requires data transparency across supply chains Continue Reading

Amazon Q3 2021: AWS nears 40% in year-on-year growth

Amazon has reported 39% year-on-year growth for its public cloud division AWS and posted overall third quarter revenue of $110.8bn, up 15% on last year Continue Reading

Benioffs and Salesforce put $300m into combating climate change on eve of COP26

$200m committed to reforestation and restoration efforts, and $100m for non-profits over the next 10 years Continue Reading

How software can help clean up emission-intensive industries

The potential to reduce emissions by making heavy industries and commercial buildings more efficient using software is immense. We explore the field Continue Reading

COP26: Is the tech sector ready to rise to climate challenge?

There is growing recognition that the tech sector produces mountains of e-waste and consumes significant amounts of energy and natural resources Continue Reading

Government selects network analytics tech to combat Covid-19 loan fraud

The UK government has awarded a contract to network analytics software provider Quantexa as part of its efforts to fight fraud, especially that connected with Covid-19 business support schemes Continue Reading

Managing cyber risk by integrating supply chains

In this week’s Computer Weekly, our latest Buyer’s Guide examines the security and IT integration challenges of modern supply chains, especially post-pandemic – while we also talk to the CEO of software provider SolarWinds about how the company overcame its huge supply chain attack. And we look at how a small town in Lancashire was chosen as the HQ for the UK’s new National Cyber Force. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

The future of data analytics

The rise of no-code and event-driven architectures are among the developments that will shape the future of data analytics, according to Tibco’s regional chief technology officer Continue Reading

SAP Q3 2021: Cloud year-on-year revenue up one-fifth, S/4 Hana adoption steady

SAP’s third quarter 2021 showed 20% year-on-year growth in cloud revenue and steady, incremental growth in S/4 Hana adoption Continue Reading

Vast boosts QLC flash offer with ransomware-proof snapshots

Vast majors on QLC flash bulk storage with 3D Xpoint cache to smooth out traffic into sequential flows Continue Reading

Zopa becomes unicorn with latest funds to go to bank operation

Zopa will invest in its growing digital bank operation after becoming a unicorn in its latest fund-raising round Continue Reading

Making the case for and against police use of facial recognition technology

In this week’s Computer Weekly, as the Met Police enhances its facial recognition capabilities, we examine the pros and cons of law enforcement use of the technology. Three in five IT professionals want a new job – is there a tech exodus in the industry? And we take an in-depth look at the growth of the Nordic datacentre sector. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

How companies are rethinking digital customer experience in wake of pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed much digital rhetoric as hollow, as companies are now rethinking the digital customer experience, leveraging instant messaging and other tools Continue Reading

Manchester City teams up with Qualtrics for fan experience management

Manchester City is teaming up with online survey software firm Qualtrics, part-owned by long-term City Football Group supplier SAP, to engage more intelligently with the football club’s fanbase Continue Reading

Explainable BI: eliminating the black box of human decision-making

This is guest blog post by James Fisher, Chief Product Officer, Qlik No, it’s not a typo – Explainable BI. Not to be mixed up with its close relative, Explainable AI. It is rapidly becoming ... Continue Reading

What lies beyond the data warehouse?

Has the traditional data warehouse finally reached the end of its life? If so, what will follow it? Will it be a hybrid? We find out Continue Reading

CW Middle East: Middle East hospitals accelerate take-up of healthcare technologies

The Middle East is accelerating its take-up of digital healthcare technologies following lessons learned during the Covid-19 pandemic, with regional government turning to technology to track disease trends and monitor treatment. Also read in this issue how the UAE’s National Program for Coders will offer ‘golden visas’ to 100,000 entrepreneurs, enterprise owners and startups. Continue Reading

How data drives Air Canada’s cargo business

Data-driven insights and artificial intelligence are helping Air Canada to find a new business path as it expands its cargo business following the pandemic Continue Reading