CMA pushes back on Google’s AI overviews January 28, 2026 The UK’s competition regulator has fired an early warning shot at Google’s AI-powered search, in a move that suggests the era of unfettered scraping and summarising may be coming to an end. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on Wednesday set out proposed rules that would force Google to loosen its control over how search works in the UK. [...]
Anthropic and OpenAI raise billions as LLM race accelerates January 28, 2026 The AI boom took another leap forward this week as rival labs Anthropic and OpenAI moved to lock in eye-watering sums of funding, as the chatbot race accelerates. Anthropic has closed a funding round of between $10bn and $15bn at a valuation of around $350bn, comfortably overshooting its original target. The round was led by [...]
Whitehall leans on AI to fix failing public services January 27, 2026 The UK government is accelerating its use of AI across public services, as ministers look to modernise creaking systems, boost productivity and strengthen national security. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has announced a new cohort of British AI specialists who will spend the next year embedded in government. They will be backed [...]
Financial services set for hiring spree for AI experts in 2026 January 26, 2026 British banks and finance firms are hunting for behavioural science and psychology experts for ethical AI jobs, as worries about misusing the technology build, experts have said. A desire to accelerate recruitment in 2026 comes after one of the worst years for hiring in the financial services sector since the 2008 financial crisis. Some 55 [...]
2026 could be crisis year for UK’s graduate workforce January 20, 2026 This year could become a graduate abyss for the UK job market if AI skill shortages are not tackled, writes Rod Flavell.
UK financial system exposed to ‘serious harm’ from AI risks January 20, 2026 The Treasury, the financial watchdog and the Bank of England have been handed a stiff warning that the nation’s financial system is not adequately prepared for an AI shock. A group of influential MPs sat on the Treasury Select Committee took aim at the institutions for “not doing enough to manage the risks presented by [...]
Bankers and bots: City lenders to face scrutiny on AI ambitions January 15, 2026 Banks have been tipped as a big winner of AI integration but face a major test in selling their tech narrative to investors. As City lenders gear up to report their 2025 financials, shareholders will be looking past balance sheets for progress on digital ambitions. “This may be the year the market makes up its [...]
Big Tech steps up energy hiring as grid creaks under AI pressure January 14, 2026 Big Tech is increasingly recruiting energy specialists as access to electricity becomes a central constraint on the expansion of AI infrastructure. Energy-related hiring at tech firms rose 34 per cent year on year in 2024, according to Workforce.ai data, and has remained around 30 per cent above pre-2022 levels. The increase reflects growing demand for [...]
AI and defence demand for chips sends IQE shares soaring January 12, 2026 Shares in semiconductor giant IQE surged 25 per cent to 9.18p on Monday morning, after the wafer supplier said it expects its full year results to hit the upper end of its guidance, thanks to a recovery in AI and defence-related demand. The Cardiff-based company now forecasts 2025 revenue of around £97m, and adjusted earnings [...]
UK job applicants double amid AI-driven squeeze January 9, 2026 Britain’s hiring market has become more competitive than any major economy, City AM understands, as workers and recruiters struggle to adapt to AI in recruitment. Britain’s job market is entering an AI-driven bottleneck, with the number of applicants per open role having more than doubled since Spring 2022, according to data shared by LinkedIn. The [...]