Business intelligence and analytics

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

Ron Thompson, CDO, Nasa: Mind the data gap

Data is the crown jewels of business, but is often siloed. We speak to the chief data officer at Nasa about developing a data integration culture Continue Reading

Top women in UK tech, AI on puffin island – Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast

In this episode, Caroline Donnelly, Clare McDonald and Brian McKenna discuss CW’s annual programme to choose the most influential women in UK tech, as well as Newham Sparks, and puffin-counting AI Continue Reading

Netherlands’ Team Liquid revolutionises e-sports with data analytics

Data analysis is often used by enterprises, but the discipline is also gaining ground in other areas in the Netherlands, such as e-sports Continue Reading

The Most Influential Women in UK Technology 2021

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we reveal the 50 women chosen as the most influential in UK technology for 2021, and talk to the 10th winner of our annual list – Poppy Gustafsson, CEO of Darktrace. Also, our latest buyer’s guide looks at digital customer experience technologies. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

UK AI strategy focused on economic growth, resilience and ethics

Chris Eastham of law firm Fieldfisher looks at the government’s National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, and the merits of the 10-year plan and its approach Continue Reading

Big Data London: Mitigate AI bias rather than try to remove it, say experts

Bias cannot be stripped from artificial intelligence systems, but organisations can work to mitigate it, Big Data London 2021 attendees heard this week Continue Reading

Big Data London: NHS Digital data service struggled with Covid testing demands

A critical component of NHS Digital’s data processing struggled to cope with demand caused by Covid-19 testing, Big Data London 2021 attendees heard this week Continue Reading

Dreamforce 2021: Benioff declares Salesforce as net zero and Slack ubiquitous across stack

Marc Benioff, CEO and chair of Salesforce, declares his company net zero in a keynote at Dreamforce 2021 in San Francisco, alongside update on Slack integrations Continue Reading

Newham aims to harness local talent to build data economy in London

The London Borough of Newham sets out to enable its young, digitally savvy population to build a data economy for sustainable growth through the launch of Newham Sparks at London Tech Week 2021 Continue Reading

IDC: Salesforce-related economic activity will create 271,000 UK jobs and £52bn in sales by 2026

IDC research published on the eve of Dreamforce 2021 claims Salesforce-related economic activity will create 271,000 British jobs by 2026 and stoke £52bn in revenue Continue Reading

The cities planning for ethical use of AI

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we talk to tech leaders in Barcelona and London about a collaboration to ensure ethical use of AI in the era of smart cities. The UK government wants to reform data protection law – we assess the implications. And we examine the latest best practice in hybrid cloud. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Trust deficit retards predictive analytics adoption in banking, says Qlik

Concerns about trust and regulatory compliance are impeding the adoption of predictive analytics in financial services, according to data analytics firm Qlik Continue Reading

NGO Fair Trials calls on EU to ban predictive policing systems

The use of artificial intelligence to predict criminal behaviour should be banned because of its discriminatory outcomes and high risk of further entrenching existing inequalities, claims Fair Trials Continue Reading

Whittingdale and Warman ousting completes reshuffle of every digital, data and tech minister

All of the UK ministers responsible for technology, digital and data are moving on as a result of Boris Johnson's latest reshuffle Continue Reading

CW APAC: Buyer’s guide to robotic process automation

In this handbook, Computer Weekly looks at the adoption of robotic process automation in APAC and where the technology fits in the wider automation landscape Continue Reading

UN human rights chief calls for moratorium on AI technologies

High commissioner’s call for a moratorium on the use of AI systems that pose a serious risk to human rights is accompanied by a UN report on the negative human rights impacts associated with the technology Continue Reading

Oracle Q1 2021-2 results: Cloud revenue reaches a quarter

In its first-quarter results for fiscal 2021-22, Oracle claims that its IaaS plus SaaS revenue represents 25% of its total Continue Reading

The digital road ahead: National Highways puts technology in the driving seat

We speak to National Highways about its multi-year plan to tech-enable the management and operations of our motorways Continue Reading

Ali Ghodsi, Databricks CEO: Scandi-Californian hybrid is an ideal

Ali Ghodsi, CEO of Databricks, reflects on the business culture of Silicon Valley, his Iranian-Swedish background, and where big data analytics is going during these early days of machine learning Continue Reading

APAC organisations must do more to harness analytics potential

Organisations in the Asia-Pacific region still lack the necessary workforce and process capabilities that are required to realise the full benefits of data analytics initiatives, a study finds Continue Reading

Government opens £2bn chest for big data analytics

The Crown Commercial Service has published an early notification notice for a £500m per annum big data analytics procurement framework, which will run from 2022 to 2026 Continue Reading

Using geospatial data to unlock innovation in the property sector

Louise Weale from Ordnance Survey argues that geospatial data is key to unlocking business innovation in the property sector Continue Reading

Trust but verify: Digging into audits for AI algorithm bias

TechTarget editors discuss efforts to remove bias from AI and why algorithm auditing could be a fix -- provided challenges related to trust and standardization can be overcome. Continue Reading

How to structure and manage a data science team

Data science teams typically include various analytics and data professionals and can be set up in different ways, as explained here along with tips on managing them. Continue Reading

8 top data science applications and use cases for businesses

Data scientists engage in various applications to analyze data and create technologies. These are eight common ones, with examples from different organizations and industries. Continue Reading

Data science vs. machine learning vs. AI: How they work together

Data science, machine learning and AI are central to analytics and other enterprise uses. Here's what each involves and how combining them benefits organizations. Continue Reading

McLaren Racing pursues car build efficiency with Alteryx

McLaren Racing selects Alteryx analytics software in pursuit of greater car build efficiency in face of Formula 1 cost cap, and to improve fan engagement Continue Reading