IT innovation, research and development

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AI in the Netherlands: Talent, data and responsibility

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Is business ready for ChatGPT?

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

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

UK government sets up dedicated department for science and technology

For the first time, the UK has a Cabinet-level role responsible for all science and technology policy, as part of prime minister Rishi Sunak’s departmental reshuffle Continue Reading

Benelux CIO interview: Marijn Grevink, leader of digital transformation, Mars

In an interview with Computer Weekly, the digital head at Mars, Marijn Grevink, takes the wrapper off digital transformation at the company in the Netherlands Continue Reading

How artificial intelligence is playing a role in insect farming

An AI engine developed by Singapore startup EntoVerse is helping cricket farmers improve yield by optimising environmental and other conditions Continue Reading

UK seeks head of quantum office

A vacancy on the civil service jobs site suggests the UK’s new quantum strategy is about to be rolled out – and there’s going to be a new chief Continue Reading

Goodbye NHS Digital – a new era of NHS technology is upon us

As NHS Digital is officially merged into NHS England, Computer Weekly takes a look at the history of the organisation and what the merger could mean for the future of NHS IT Continue Reading

Innovative Technology deploys age estimation tech in shops and pubs

A company involved in Home Office-led trials of biometric age estimation technologies has begun rolling out its hardware to UK shops and pubs so they can use its facial recognition algorithm to assure customers’ ages Continue Reading

NASA works with IBM on foundational data model for Earth science

Using IBM’s foundational model for artificial intelligence, NASA plans to offer researchers a way to access the vast troves of data it collects about Earth Continue Reading

Crédit Agricole tests quantum in finance

The corporate and investment bank has run experiments with Pasqal and Multiverse to demo quantum computing in finance Continue Reading

Three outsourcing trends to look out for in 2023

ISG's Andreas Fahr outlines three IT sourcing trends to look out for in the coming year. Continue Reading

Digital banking changing the high street forever as banks close branches and open alternatives

Banks are reshaping their channels as customers move to digital services, with physical innovation complementing digital strategies Continue Reading

Mark Logan on his vision for a Scottish technology ecosystem

The Scottish Government’s entrepreneur advisor speaks to Computer Weekly about the philosophy behind an ambitious technology ecosystem strategy Continue Reading

BT tests out high-altitude flying antenna

The trial with Stratospheric Platforms may lead to hydrogen-powered drones being used to provide 4G and 5G rural coverage Continue Reading

Deci claims breakthrough inference performance on Intel Sapphire Rapids

Israeli startup Deci claims GPU-like performance in running computer vision and natural language processing models on Intel’s fourth-generation Xeon processors Continue Reading

Japan researchers develop new data encryption method

Researchers from Tokyo University of Science have combined the best of homomorphic encryption and secret sharing in a new method to handle encrypted data Continue Reading

Nationwide Building Society CIO to join Co-operative Bank

Gary Delooze to join Co-operative Bank as CIO after six years heading up Nationwide Building Society’s IT department Continue Reading

SMEs keen on embedded finance, but more choice needed to increase take-up

Suppliers to small and medium-sized enterprises need to offer more choice when embedding financial products in their services if take-up is to increase Continue Reading

Executive interview: Andrew Roughan, CEO, Plexal

Plexal CEO Andrew Roughan talks about how tech startups collaborate with the government to transform public services, the barriers to entry, and how the process can be improved Continue Reading

Royal Society calls on public sector to pilot privacy tech

The Royal Society says public sector bodies should lead the way in piloting privacy-enhancing technologies to unlock the value of data without compromising privacy and data rights, but lack of standards and incentives mean adoption is slow Continue Reading

Barclays Eagle Labs awarded Digital Growth Grant over Tech Nation

Barclays Eagle Labs incubator to take over Tech Nation’s role in administering UK government digital growth grant amid backlash from startup ecosystem Continue Reading

CW APAC January 2023 – Trend Watch: CIO Trends

As we enter a new year, it remains vital for IT leaders to keep track of the latest developments across the industry. In this handbook, focused on CIO trends in the Asia-Pacific region, Computer Weekly looks at predictions for 2023, how the Australian Red Cross managed a donation surge, Mondelez’s digital transformation and Singapore’s public sector IT strategy Continue Reading

Newham Council rejects use of live facial-recognition tech by police

Live facial-recognition technology should not be used by police in Newham until biometric and anti-discrimination safeguards are in place, according to a motion passed unanimously by the council, but the Met Police and the Home Office have indicated they will not suspend its use Continue Reading

Swedish government launches accelerated digitisation plan

The Swedish government has launched a four-year plan which will help to digitally transform the country’s public sector Continue Reading

Oracle and CBI: companies cautious, selective in 2023 IT, business investment

Oracle and the CBI are seeing much the same picture of cautious technology investment of UK businesses in 2023, in the context of long Covid and the energy price inflation crisis Continue Reading

Benelux CIO interview: Richard Ventre, SHV Holdings

In his role at Netherlands-based SHV Holdings, Richard Ventre is tackling the challenge of enabling a diverse set of digital transformations across a range of industries Continue Reading

StarHub to undertake major network transformation

Singapore telco StarHub is deploying a hybrid cloud architecture that will enable it to launch sovereign cloud services, among other capabilities Continue Reading

How India is driving the use of open government data

India’s Open Government Data platform has paved the way for new applications and services, but concerns around data quality and privacy remain Continue Reading

A passion for innovation

Food and drinks giant PepsiCo actively seeks out innovative tech startups. David Schwartz is vice-president of a programme it runs to find creative ways to use their products to benefit the business. Continue Reading

The Security Interviews: Protecting your digital self

Our digital self – the virtual presence of who we are online – has a pervasive influence in the real world. People make judgements based on these digital depictions, so what can be done to ensure positive representation? Continue Reading

Insights on Nordic artificial intelligence strategies

Report provides overview on how Nordic countries are dealing with challenges and opportunities brought on by artificial intelligence Continue Reading

Should we be worried about malicious use of AI language models?

WithSecure research into GPT-3 language models, used by the likes of ChatGPT, surfaces concerning findings about how easy it is to use large language models for malicious purposes. Should security teams be concerned? Continue Reading

How to find winning artificial intelligence use cases

Choosing use cases for artificial intelligence requires organisations to take a hard look at business value, risk, data and other capabilities required to realise the technology’s full potential Continue Reading

How to identify a strategic technology platform

A strategic platform has to be broad enough to support a range of business functions while being open, extensible and modular at the same time, according to Forrester Continue Reading

How cloud technology is supporting space missions

Cloud-based machine learning and other services are finding their way into space to analyse satellite imagery and monitor space debris, among other space applications Continue Reading

How technology is fuelling CommBank’s customer experience

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia has built up capabilities in cloud and microservices while empowering engineering teams to solve complex customer problems Continue Reading

Traditional banking under threat from platform-based alternatives

Banking as a service embedded in non-banking business offerings will take large chunks from traditional banks Continue Reading

CDO interview: Barry Panayi, chief data and insight officer, John Lewis Partnership

Data science and analytics is an increasingly important function across the John Lewis Partnership, covering its retail, grocery and financial services brands Continue Reading

High tech meets agriculture in Denmark

Thanks to a few strategic investments, Denmark may one day become a major exporter of farming technology Continue Reading

CIO interview: David Schwartz, vice-president, PepsiCo Labs

The food and drinks giant actively seeks out innovative tech startups and runs a programme to find creative ways to use their products to benefit the business Continue Reading

How Finland develops its national plan for investment in innovation

A small country with limited resources, Finland carefully chooses strategic technologies to lead it into the future Continue Reading

Top 10 technology and ethics stories of 2022

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 technology and ethics stories of 2022 Continue Reading

Top 10 Nordic IT stories of 2022

Here are Computer Weekly's top 10 Nordic IT articles of 2022 Continue Reading

Developed for Big Science in Europe, highly accurate time protocols ensure fair trading in finance

Protocols developed for use at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research are now being used for many other applications, including financial services Continue Reading

Why the current fraud model is broken, and how to fix it

Scammers and fraudsters are catching up with the good guys; a new technological approach is needed to fight skyrocketing volumes of digital fraud, says Darwinium founder Alisdair Faulkner Continue Reading

Top 10 Middle East IT stories of 2022

Here are Computer Weekly's top 10 Middle East IT articles of 2022 Continue Reading

Top 10 financial services IT stories of 2022

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 financial services IT articles of 2022, looking back at the moves and changes over the past year Continue Reading

Top 10 Benelux IT stories of 2022

Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 Benelux articles of 2022 Continue Reading

TSB hit with huge fine after IT migration disaster

TSB has been fined nearly £50m due to failings during its IT migration catastrophe Continue Reading

Digital Ethics Summit: Who benefits from new technology?

Experts at the 2022 Digital Ethics Summit say expedited development cycles and obviously over-hyped PR material, in tandem with the public’s near-total exclusion from conversations around technology, is creating distrust towards the tech sector Continue Reading

CW APAC: Tech career guide – women in IT

Efforts continue apace to bridge the IT gender gap. In this handbook, focused on tech careers for women in the Asia-Pacific region, Computer Weekly looks at what can be done to attract more women into software development, the architecture graduate who now works as a back-end engineer, how to make a mark in fintech and the story of a coder who became an engineering leader. Continue Reading

NHS gets new guidance on public benefits of data sharing

NHS national data guardian Nicola Byrne has published new guidance on how health and social care bodies should approach the task of evaluating public benefit when using data for purposes beyond individual care Continue Reading

Microsoft and London Stock Exchange agree £2.3bn 10-year cloud deal

The London Stock Exchange is building on its acquisition of financial data provider Refinitiv through a deal with Microsoft Continue Reading

To maximise potential, mainframers must reach out and engage

The team here at Freeform Dynamics has always had immense respect for the mainframe community, without whom big chunks of most developed economies would grind to a halt. That said, we sometimes ... Continue Reading

Special educational needs students use virtual reality to help navigate real world

Students on the autistic spectrum are using virtual reality to help them prepare for real-world interaction Continue Reading

AI experts question tech industry’s ethical commitments

In this week’s Computer Weekly, the proliferation of ethical frameworks has done little to change how artificial intelligence is developed – we look at the challenges. We examine the future of the UK semiconductor sector as the government launches a review. And we hear how NatWest has put data at the heart of customer strategy. Read the issue now. Continue Reading