Uber quest for long-term London licence faces rejection August 4, 2019 London’s transport bosses are set to snub Uber’s bid for a long-term licence in London when its probationary period runs out next month. The ride-hailing giant has been seeking a five-term licence to operate in the capital but is instead likely to be granted a shorter one that will run for less than two years, [...]
US threatens ‘no free trade deal’ unless UK scrap digital tax plans August 3, 2019 The US is set to demand that the UK drop a new digital services tax if a free trade deal is to be agreed between the countries The measure, introduced by former chancellor Philip Hammond in 2018, is due to come into effect in April next year. Read more: Global markets recoil and China wants [...]
Facebook’s libra cryptocurrency ‘poses global currency threat’ August 2, 2019 Facebook’s new cryptocurrency libra poses a threat to global financial policy, according to former Bank of Japan executive Hiromi Yamaoka. Worldwide, Facebook has over 2.4bn active monthly users and, should a significant proportion of these start using Facebook’s new currency, Yamaoka warned that this could significantly devalue trade and monetary policies globally. Read more: MP’s [...]
Artificial intelligence could solve Britain’s productivity puzzle August 2, 2019 At a time of technological innovation and low unemployment, why is UK productivity close to 16 per cent behind other advanced economies in the world? Experts disagree on the causes of the UK’s “productivity puzzle” but they, the government, and technology companies like ours agree that artificial intelligence (AI) will form a crucial part of [...]
With Boris onside, we can boost connectivity across the country August 2, 2019 The successful economies of the future will be those that effectively seize the potential of digital technology. It is particularly important that we in the UK take heed of this message, as businesses face ongoing uncertainty in the approach to the government’s Halloween Brexit deadline. So what progress is being made to realise this potential? [...]
Two thirds of adults fear AI will take jobs August 2, 2019 The public is concerned about the impact of artificial intelligence on their jobs and personal data, while some fear the technology could ultimately be responsible for the end of humankind, a new survey has revealed. 67 per cent of UK adults worry that AI will result in machines taking peoples’ jobs, according to a study [...]
Jeff Bezos sells $1.8bn worth of Amazon shares August 1, 2019 Amazon founder and chief executive Jeff Bezos has sold roughly $1.8bn (£1.5bn) worth of shares in his company over the last three days. Read more: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos unveils plans to send Blue Origin rocket to the moon Filings to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revealed Bezos offloaded more than 900,000 shares [...]
Qualcomm shares tank as China weakness chips away at revenue August 1, 2019 Qualcomm has warned of a sharp drop in revenue for the fourth quarter as it battles against a slowdown in the smartphone market and difficulties in China. The chipmaker warned of “continued weakness” in China demand, and blamed the growing market share of tech giant Huawei. Read more: EU fines Qualcomm €242m for ‘crushing’ 3G [...]
MPs call on Facebook to explain ‘contradictory’ Cambridge Analytica evidence August 1, 2019 MPs have ramped up the pressure on Facebook to explain alleged contradictions in its testimony about the Cambridge Analytica data scandal. Facebook executives told a parliamentary committee they had learned that user data had been misused for political advertising following a Guardian report in December 2015. Read more: ITV used Facebook to find Jeremy Kyle [...]
Email belongs in the trash, not your inbox August 1, 2019 Email has become a ubiquitous form of communication since it was invented in 1972. Its ability to connect people and facilitate digital conversations has been an innovation like no other. However, almost 50 years since its inception, electronic mail is no longer fit for purpose as the main communication tool in today’s enterprise. A combination [...]