IT innovation, research and development

CW Europe: Russia banks on electronic payments

A recent study by Sberbank, Russia’s largest state-run lender, shows the country has experienced a cashless payment boom over the past decade. Also read about the attempt by four Russians to break into the networks of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in The Hague, and why the Estonian government is directly targeting IT professionals in the UK. Continue Reading

Sberbank partners US accelerator for startup programme

Russian state-run bank links up with San Francisco-based accelerator 500 Startups to provide expert advice to startups in a variety of tech fields Continue Reading

UKtech50 2018 – the most influential people in UK IT

Computer Weekly has announced the ninth annual UKtech50 – our definitive list of the movers and shakers in the UK IT sector Continue Reading

UKtech50 2018: Women are making their mark

Women are making strong progress in the UK technology industry, with seven of the top 10 on Computer Weekly’s UKtech50 list being female Continue Reading

UKtech50 interview: Jacky Wright, CDIO, HMRC

The UKtech50’s most influential person in UK IT 2018, HM Revenue and Customs’ chief digital and information officer, Jacky Wright, on balancing priorities, leveraging new technologies and the changing role of the CIO Continue Reading

Finland’s IT sector recovers after break-up of Nokia

Finnish government plays vital role in helping IT sector recover from the shock of Microsoft taking over the country’s biggest company Continue Reading

Manchester’s evolution from rag trade to digital hub

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we visit Manchester to examine the city’s expanding digital and e-commerce industry and find out the key to tech sector growth in the former home of the UK rag trade. We look at the challenges of IT security in the quantum computing age. And we talk to Bloomberg’s CTO about tech innovation, machine learning and blockchain. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Councils awarded funding for digital innovation projects

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government digital innovation fund awarded to a range of projects, including chatbots, artificial intelligence and town planning transformation Continue Reading

Finnish government announces research and development ecosystem

Finland has launched an innovation ecosystem that will support IoT and AI developers amongst others Continue Reading

Douglas Engelbart, the forgotten hero of modern computing

Half a century ago, Douglas Engelbart demonstrated an experimental computer that laid the foundations for modern computing. His vision to use computing power to solve complex problems in all areas of human activity has become reality, but not in the way that he imagined Continue Reading

UK can do more to explore potential of quantum tech

The government has been urged to address use cases, security and skills, and proposed a series of new innovation centres, to enable the UK to fully capture the opportunity presented by quantum technology Continue Reading

Australia races towards commercial quantum computing

Universities make headway in the challenge of commercialising quantum computing Continue Reading

GovTech Catalyst Fund awards contracts to five SMEs to tackle rural isolation and loneliness

Five small tech companies have been awarded contracts through the GovTech Catalyst Fund to come up with innovative solutions to rural isolation and loneliness Continue Reading

Zopa gains banking licence and prepares launch

Peer-to-peer lending pioneer Zopa is turning its attention to retail banking in the UK, with plans to offer savings, credit and money management products Continue Reading

Lloyds to use core banking technology from Google-inspired UK fintech

Banking group explores cloud-based core banking technology as part of a major transformation programme Continue Reading

CIO interview: Theo Blackwell, London chief digital officer, Mayor of London’s Office

After more than a year in post, London’s chief digital officer reflects on changes, collaboration between boroughs and developing a smart city Continue Reading

UK cyber security strategy making ‘good progress’

The National Cyber Security Strategy is making good progress, but there is much left to be done, according to a Cabinet Office official Continue Reading

Danish government launches wide-ranging digital services project

Denmark's government has launched an ambitious project to digitise and automate public services Continue Reading

Health and care must prepare for a digital world, says Scotland’s digital director

Challenges include dealing with ethical questions, data and collaboration needs in a digital environment, says Scottish government’s Colin Cook Continue Reading

Scottish Government and Nesta launch health data challenge

Partnership between the Scottish Government and Nesta will see funding available for innovative projects driving the use of technology to give citizens access to data and help them live healthier lives Continue Reading

More effective digital transformation through the power of your own people

The old model of escalating decisions up and down the management chain does not work any more. Business leaders need to delegate responsibility for projects to business and technology specialists and eliminate the fear of failure Continue Reading

FCA deeply concerned as no end in sight for IT failures in banking

The FCA has reported a massive increase in the number of banking IT failures in the UK and admitted there is no end in sight Continue Reading

Nordic IT network attracting big brands as well as startups

Tech Nordic Advocates is now seen as the go-to place for access to the Nordic tech startup sector Continue Reading

China leapfrogs US in supercomputer deployments

China has more than twice the number of supercomputers than the US, and it is finding a ready market for its Lenovo supercomputers among US tech companies in Ireland, the latest top 500 supercomputer list reveals Continue Reading

Hamburg has ambitions to be a virtual reality hub

The German city of Hamburg is setting itself up as a potential hub for virtual reality startups Continue Reading

IKEA to focus on digitisation and convenience shopping

Swedish furniture brand IKEA will be cutting jobs and focusing on smaller stores and its digital pipeline in a bid to usher in a new era of business transformation Continue Reading

CW Nordics: Swedish IT sector advises on election security

The security measures assembled and implemented around the 2018 election in Sweden were devised in consultation with leading actors within the country’s private IT sector. Also read about how Denmark’s ambition to become a leading ocation for hyperscale datacentres is gaining momentum, and why Estonia wants to recruit IT professionals from the UK. Continue Reading

TechUK calls on Matt Hancock to fast-track NHS digitisation

The tech industry body’s ‘Manifesto for Matt’ calls on the health secretary to focus on empowering citizens, enabling a world-class workforce and making the UK the number one place for health tech innovation Continue Reading

IBM pushes boundaries of AI, but insists companies take an ethical approach

Researchers at IBM are pushing the boundaries of what artificial intelligence and machine learning can do, but remain wary of the ethical implications that accompany the proliferation of this technology Continue Reading

CIO interview: Graham Evans, CITO, North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust’s chief information and technology officer talks about joining up health and care, the importance of keeping up to date with technology, and why trying to deliver perfection won’t work Continue Reading

How Singapore Airlines is flying the digital skies

Top Asian carrier Singapore Airlines has been building a digital foundation to fend off potential disruption, but it is not just the IT team that is leading the charge Continue Reading

CDO interview: Aidan Millar, DNB

Norwegian bank hires chief data officer to lead its data-driven transformation Continue Reading

Top IT predictions in APAC in 2019

Edge computing, data management and microservices will play a bigger role in the Asia-Pacific region in 2019 as enterprises reshape their technology architectures to become ‘digitally determined’ organisations Continue Reading

Post Office executives cross-examined in Horizon IT system trial

A High Court trial, where subpostmasters are suing the Post Office for damages caused by an allegedly faulty IT system, ended its second week. Continue Reading

An overview of deep learning tools

As AI and deep learning matures, we look at advanced tools that enable developers to start building sophisticated, intelligent applications Continue Reading

Challenger bank ready to get its banking licence back

CivilisedBank is reapplying for a banking licence after giving it up to focus on its technology Continue Reading

CIO interview: Barry Libenson, global CIO, Experian

Experian’s global CIO has worked to change the company’s IT set-up from a “free for all”, taking a standardised approach to development, infrastructure and platforms Continue Reading

Microsoft’s Xiaoice chatbot is now designing textile patterns

Software giant claims the design knowhow of its popular AI chatbot is a breakthrough in the field of image-based creation Continue Reading

Home Office to use smartphone ID for EU Exit scheme

The Home Office will use smartphone digital identity verification to support applications for the government’s EU Exit Settlement Scheme   Continue Reading

GCHQ offers help to embryonic Irish cyber security organisation

Ciaran Martin head of the UK's National Cyber Security Centre, part of GCHQ, builds bridges with the Republic of Ireland's intelligence community during an official visit to Dublin Continue Reading

Businesses can no longer neglect IT if they want to remain competitive

Businesses lack IT leaders with the skills and resources needed to promote innovation and change in the context of technological upheaval Continue Reading

How Hive balances platform stability with innovation

The smart home thermostat division of British Gas has made developers fully responsible for supporting and monitoring the code they deploy Continue Reading

Welsh NHS IT programme is ‘outdated’ and could put patients at risk, report finds

Welsh Public Accounts Committee is concerned the country’s outdated NHS IT systems are putting patients at risk, and found the culture at NHS Wales Informatics Service is the ‘antithesis of open’ Continue Reading

M&S admits online remit “well behind” competitors

Food and clothing retailer Marks and Spencer has admitted its website and online fulfillment capabilities are behind that of its competitors, but it is seeing progress since implementing changes Continue Reading

Self-driving cars may have to break law, says Law Commission

Self-driving cars may have to break the rules of the road to operate safely, and the Law Commissions of England, Wales and Scotland are embarking on a consultation to seek input on how to manage this Continue Reading

CW Benelux: Bikes face scooter challenge in Netherlands

The concept of rental scooters is perfect for the Netherlands, where bicycles are already the most widely used method of transport. Scooter startups see the potential to apply the latest smart technologies to the concept, but regulations could be a barrier. Also in this issue, read how chatbots are taking off with Dutch organisations, with KLM's chatbot a pioneering example, and find out how Dutch bank ING is getting a financial boost from an employee performance management rethink. Continue Reading

Singapore’s SunMoon uses blockchain to trace apples

Fruit and vegetable distributor has implemented a blockchain platform that enables consumers and suppliers to trace the origin of Fuji apples – with other fruits to follow Continue Reading

DXC makes digital transformation push in Asia

IT services firm uses automation and AI to trim its portfolio and size as it helps customers on their digital transformation journey Continue Reading

Creativity will ensure humans won’t be left behind by tech, says Fujitsu president

Fujitsu’s president has claimed humans don’t need to be worried about automation because people and creativity will always be needed for innovation Continue Reading

Emerging govtech – a new opportunity for innovation in public service delivery?

The government has started to engage with the IT sector over how best to introduce emerging technologies in public service delivery – an initiative that, if successful, should be welcomed Continue Reading

CIO interview: Chris Barnicott, chief technology officer, SSE

Energy supplier’s CTO is driving innovation through AI, augmented reality and robotic process automation while still keeping the business running Continue Reading

BEIS to fund five healthcare AI innovation centres

Five healthcare innovation centres will receive a total of £50m in funding to use artificial intelligence to improve diagnosis and treatment of diseases Continue Reading

Fujitsu powers forward with business restructure

Technology firm Fujitsu has announced a number of plans for restructuring its business, including the closing of its German manufacturing plant and a number of board resignations Continue Reading

Professor Brian Cox discusses aliens and the risks of tech advances

In an entertaining discussion at VMworld, Brian Cox raised questions over why technologically advanced societies don’t exist elsewhere in the universe Continue Reading

Introducing ‘focus and leverage’ – the value algorithm of the internet era

Anyone pitching a business idea or designing a new service needs to understand the economics of mature internet technology Continue Reading

UK winners and losers in digital tech

The UK's retail and telecoms companies are among the best in the world at digital technology, but a survey of digital leaders shows there is still room for improvement for many UK firms Continue Reading

Banking sector leading CIAM innovation, say Big Four

Maturity in consumer identity and access management (CIAM) differs from sector to sector, with the banking sector taking the lead in terms of innovation, according to the Big Four accounting firms Continue Reading

NHS to use predictive tech to prevent illnesses

Health secretary Matt Hancock wants to use technology to predict disease and stop people falling ill, with AI and genomics having the ‘potential to change everything’ Continue Reading

Deutsche Bank to create cloud-based digital cheque processing system

German banking giant Deutsche Bank will replace manual and paper-intensive cheque processing methods with an automated system in the cloud Continue Reading

Gartner Symposium 2018: Why culture hacks spell digitisation success

Changing the way people do their day-to-day work is the hardest part of a CIO’s job. Gartner has a few tips on how to twist people’s arms Continue Reading

UKtech50 2018: Vote for the most influential person in UK IT

Tell us who you think should be chosen as the most influential person in the UK tech scene for 2018 by submitting your vote now Continue Reading

Future Decoded 2018: How Seadrill uses IoT 3km undersea

Sensors on deep sea rigs are part of Seadrill's digital transformation strategy, which combines advanced analytics, the internet of things and machine learning Continue Reading

Government is open for business, says SME Crown Representative

The government’s Crown Representative for SMEs, Emma Jones, sheds light on her three-pronged approach to increase spend with smaller businesses Continue Reading

The Asian tech century

At IDC's annual FutureScapes event this week, the APAC group vice-president of the technology analyst firm, Sandra Ng, took a shot at predicting the technology trends that will shape the things to ... Continue Reading

Key elements to success in consumer identity management

Success in consumer identity management is not just about getting the technology right, it is also about keeping in mind the consumer needs, preferences and concerns, says KuppingerCole Continue Reading

How Bahrain plans to become a regional fintech hub

Bahrain is a small island with big plans for its financial technology industry Continue Reading

IoT R&D projects missed out on £10m of government funding

A series of delays and disruption caused chiefly by changes in project ownership meant the government’s IoT UK Research and Innovation Programme failed to use a quarter of its allocated budget between 2015 and 2018 Continue Reading

Digital services tax weakens the case for tech startups to choose the UK

The UK government’s plan for a tax specifically targeting big digital firms risks undermining international efforts to reform corporate taxation for the digital age Continue Reading

UK Post Office looks to enable reusable digital ID

The UK Post Office is investigating the possibility of enabling UK citizens to re-use their passport data for other applications where digital identity is a key component Continue Reading

Inside Schneider Electric’s Batam smart factory

The French energy management and automation firm has nearly halved material wastage by applying smart manufacturing technologies at its Indonesia plant Continue Reading

Future Decoded 2018: Adopt AI or get left behind, Microsoft warns

Research shows business leaders see artificial intelligence and machine learning as key to enabling them to adapt to market disruption Continue Reading

Budget 2018: A mixed bag

Computer Weekly looks at some of the detail in the tech-laden 2018 Budget and can’t get away from the big elephant in the room: the impact of a potential No Deal Brexit Continue Reading

UK government taskforce commits to distributed ledger technologies

Report says distributed ledger technology “has the potential to deliver significant benefits in financial services and other sectors in the future” Continue Reading

Traditional financial services firms face extinction within 12 years

A large number of large banks could disappear within 12 years unless they change business models and economics Continue Reading

Inside PropertyGuru’s DevOps journey

The online property search firm is at ease with microservices, containers and serverless computing, even as it grapples with legacy applications that were developed earlier on in its history Continue Reading

Chancellor Philip Hammond’s 2018 Budget dishes out £1.6bn for ‘advanced’ tech and innovation

The 2018 Budget promises £1.6bn to fund “advanced technologies” such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing, £200m for rural broadband and £150m for tech fellowships, along with plans to impose a digital services tax for web giants Continue Reading

Philips looks to artificial intelligence to train its workforce

Healthcare company is looking to AI, chatbots and learning playlists to help staff learn new skills more quickly as it adapts changing business priorities Continue Reading

Will the EU Copyright Directive ‘break the internet’?

A new European Union law proposed for copyrighted material has provoked strong reactions from all sides – but what does it mean? Continue Reading

Trusted nodes: The next generation in quantum key distribution

QKD is a form of protection against interception by quantum computers, but cost and technical limitations have made the technology impractical. Could trusted nodes make all the difference? Continue Reading

Consumer rights champion Which? begins digital journey

Consumer rights organisation has always had a subscription business, but is now transforming into a digital one through cloud computing Continue Reading

Vodafone claims UK 5G first

Mobile network operator Vodafone claims the activation of a trial site in Manchester marks the first time mobile data traffic has been streamed to and from the internet exclusively over 5G technology Continue Reading

UK unicorn creation goes unrivalled in Europe

The UK's regional cities are creating more billion-dollar tech startups than many European capitals, with the UK as a whole creating more unicorns since 2016 than France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands Continue Reading

HP ties up with Singapore university on Industry 4.0

The personal computing and printer giant has opened a research facility at Nanyang Technological University to advance digital manufacturing technologies Continue Reading

CIO interview: Julie Dodd, director of digital transformation and communication, Parkinson’s UK

In her combined role as director of digital transformation and communication, Julie Dodd oversees both IT and marketing at Parkinson’s UK, making it easier to ensure collaboration Continue Reading

CIOs and the cloud: The future of European enterprise software

European organisations are moving to the cloud rapidly, but trepidation remains in concerning certain aspects, such as security Continue Reading

Government pumps more funding into NHS ‘test beds’ programme

Seven new “test beds” will receive £7m to trial a range of technologies to improve patient care in the second wave of the NHS Test Beds Programme Continue Reading

Government to invest an extra £215m in UK innovation centres

The extra funding will be given to the Catapult network of innovation centres, focusing on digital, medicines discovery, future cities and transport systems Continue Reading

Cab firm to map 250,000 miles of London roads for CAVs

Cab operator Addison Lee has teamed up with CAV software specialist Oxbotica to start preparing the streets of London for self-driving cars Continue Reading

A new era of collaboration for the NHS

Great Ormond Street Hospital's new research and innovation unit, Drive, marks a significant shift towards greater collaboration between NHS organisations and third-party industry partners Continue Reading

Russians using less cash after accelerated use of electronic payments

Russians are increasingly using electronic payments rather than cash, a recent study by Sberbank has found Continue Reading

Postal delivery robots trialled in Norway

The Norwegian postal service is testing out the value and viability of robots delivering mail to homes and businesses Continue Reading

No new funding for Hancock’s NHS tech vision

Getting the technology plan right is more about standards than money, says health and social care secretary Matt Hancock, as he explains why NHS organisations won’t be given additional funding to deliver on his vision Continue Reading

How Heathrow transformed using analytics for the people

A Microsoft Azure platform and PowerBI have provided the people who work at Heathrow Airport with a way to use analytics directly to help them improve their performance Continue Reading

Hancock sets out NHS tech vision

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

Nordic CTO interview: Anders Johanson, Husqvarna

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

There is more to fintech than meets the eye

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

Big expectations, huge presence: Gitex 2018 opens

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

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

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

The troublesome saga of Gov.uk Verify

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

Robots in the workplace supported by 81% of business chiefs

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