UK tech race at risk from ‘far too cautious’ government, warns watchdog October 21, 2026 Britain risks falling behind in the global tech race unless the government takes greater risks backing British startups, the chairman of Parliament’s spending watchdog has warned. In a report published on Wednesday, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) urged UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to take more equity stakes in companies it funds, arguing taxpayers are [...]
Amazon pledges 30,000 jobs for Neets ahead of Budget October 21, 2026 Amazon has pledged to create 30,000 entry-level roles for young people by the end of the decade, in the latest sign of firms rowing in behind the government’s effort to tackle the youth unemployment crisis. The tech and retail giant has announced its “Youth Promise” programme amid growing concerns about youth joblessness and the number [...]
Nscale eyes second $45bn deal with Anthropic after Microsoft setback October 20, 2026 British AI infrastructure firm, Nscale, is in talks to secure a second $45bn (£33.5bn) computing deal with Anthropic, just a day after Microsoft pulled out of its flagship UK data centre project. The Nvidia-backed company is negotiating an agreement to supply the US AI giant with computing power from a second facility at its Monarch [...]
Clearview AI fights £7.5m UK privacy fine over scraped web photos October 20, 2026 US tech firm Clearview AI is challenging a UK privacy watchdog ruling that found it breached GDPR rules by collecting and using images of UK residents scraped from the internet and social media. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) imposed a £7.5m fine on the US-based tech company in May 2022 and asked it to delete UK residents’ [...]
AI giant Perplexity taps London startup Valarian in sovereign tech drive October 20, 2026 US AI giant Perplexity has struck a deal with London-based startup Valarian to bring its technology into the UK government and defence systems, a major boost to Britain’s ambition to reduce its reliance on foreign tech infrastructure. The partnership will let governments and businesses handling sensitive information deploy Perplexity’s AI within their own infrastructure, keeping [...]
Bellingham leads $10m fund raise of Premier League-backed tech firm Rezzil October 19, 2026 Jobe Bellingham has led a $10m fund raise of Premier League-backed technology firm Rezzil. The 21-year-old Borussia Dortmund midfielder – whose brother Jude starred for England at the Fifa World Cup this summer – is part of the round alongside putting coach Phil Kenyon, who has worked with the likes of Rory McIlroy and Scottie [...]
Microsoft pulls out of Nscale deal for UK’s largest AI data centre October 19, 2026 Microsoft has pulled out of plans to build the UK’s largest AI data centre in a deal with Nscale. The global tech giant, which had previously planned to fund a supercomputer at the site, has ended its involvement in the partnership following concerns over supply issues. Plans were first announced last year, with Nscale pledging [...]
IMF boss warns on AI ‘tax erosion’ if jobs are wiped out October 15, 2026 The head of the International Monetary Fund has warned financial ministers that widespread AI adoption could erode tax bases across the world as incomes are squeezed by the technology. Kristalina Georgieva, the managing director of the IMF, said governments may be ill-prepared for a potential slump in tax revenue brought on by AI’s impact on [...]
Nvidia’s $250m UK AI bet sparks warning over ‘foreign dependence’ October 15, 2026 Nvidia’s $250m investment in the UK’s AI safety research risks deepening the country’s dependence on American tech unless ministers ensure researchers retain control over safety standards, analysts have warned. The world’s most valuable company has pledged $50m a year in computing power over five years to support British research into autonomous AI agents, alongside plans [...]
Salesforce offers free AI tools to UK students as graduate job market lags October 15, 2026 As UK graduate vacancies hit their lowest level since 2020, Salesforce is offering free AI tools to six million students to help them meet employers’ growing demand for artificial intelligence skills. The US tech giant announced the scheme on Thursday, giving universities and colleges access to its workplace platform Slack and AI tools to help [...]