Letters: We can win AI, if we invest right Letters [Re: UK set to become next AI superpower says new report, Nov 22] The UK has a strong tradition of research and innovation, a capability that continues to help drive advances in the application of high-end computing and AI. While the US, China, and EU have larger budgets for supercomputing, the UK can differentiate itself [...]
Letters: Looming talent shortages Letters [Re: Halfords focusing on offering shoppers more essentials as they slash discretionary spending, Nov 23] Unsurprisingly, the cost of living crisis is impacting shopping habits. In fact, Fourth’s data shows consumers will spend less on a variety of items from holidays to groceries next year. So we may expect more announcements from retailers, and whilst [...]
Letters: Support for small businesses Letters [Re: Exclusive: Business rates hike a ‘ticking time bomb’ for London economy, Mayor warns, November 29] The nation’s small and independent retailers are often described as the backbone of our high streets because of their important role in local communities and how much they contribute. While it’s rarely an easy environment for small businesses to [...]
Letters: 1 + 1 = too few good at maths December 1, 2022 [Re: Terrible at times tables? Our reliance on fintechs doing our maths dents our income, Nov 28] Maths used to be seen as something for boys; young women boasted of being “bad at maths”. However, arithmetic, the stuff of primary school, is what is needed in every day life. Mathematics can be daunting and abstract [...]
Letters: Reading into the data of AI November 25, 2022 [Re: UK set to become next AI superpower says new report, Nov 23] Amidst the hype about the UK as the “next AI superpower”, the WPI Economics Report should be seen as a much bigger call to action to improve how the UK public sector approaches data. Having enhanced AI capabilities is all very well [...]
Letters: Time to regulate cryptocurrencies November 24, 2022 [Re: Bitcoin tumbles below £13,500 as FTX turmoil continues, Nov 21] The collapse and ensuing investigation of FTX has cast a spotlight on the cryptocurrency ecosystem, sparking a wider public discourse on whether decentralised finance has a future role to play. While not downplaying the impact this collapse will continue to have on the crypto [...]
Letters: Tech giants need to be flexible November 18, 2022 [Re: Elon Musk fends off daily losses with jobs and ticks, Nov 6] The latest series of lay-offs from Big Tech companies and Twitter show that the tech bubble is bursting. Many more businesses may follow suit. The pandemic called for companies to hire tech talent in swathes as they raced to adapt. That digital [...]
Letters: Running away from the banks November 17, 2022 [Re: Computer says no: Frustrated businesses screaming for fresh cash struggle to get bank loans, Nov 15] As the cost-of-living crisis rumbles on, the computer says no attitude of the traditional banking system is causing huge issues for SMEs who need access to finance to survive and grow. When the going gets tough and businesses [...]
Letters: Easy target for a windfall tax November 16, 2022 [Re: Windfall tax hike risks no new investment in North Sea, warns analyst, yesterday] In addition to a potential increase in the oil and gas energy profits levy to 35 per cent over an extended period, it is increasingly likely that the UK will also introduce a new “excess returns” tax on energy generators more [...]
Letters: Fertile ground for change November 11, 2022 [Re: Metro Bank, NatWest and Hospitality UK among top employers to back fertility pledge, Nov 2] I was delighted to read your news that companies are signing up to the Fertility Workplace Pledge as part of Nickie Aiken’s campaign. By committing to providing better support to women undergoing IVF, these organisations are helping to close [...]