Andreessen Horowitz leads $19m injection into London ‘voice AI’ firm June 20, 2023 Heavyweight Silicon Valley investor Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) has led a $19m funding injection into London-based AI firm ElevenLabs to help accelerate a new wave of “voice AI research”, the firm announced today.
UK must balance innovation with safety to help firms adopt AI, tech bosses say June 19, 2023 The UK must not let safety concerns about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) fall by the wayside as it pushes for a pro-innovation model for regulating the technology, tech bosses have warned. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has reportedly told ministers to speed up the adoption of AI across the private and public sector, including the [...]
Digital stores predicted to appear on the high street as automation threatens retail jobs June 19, 2023 Large e-commerce stores are likely to crop up as physical stores across the UK high street in the next five to ten years, according to predictions aided by AI. Money saving website Savoo used AI to visualise the future of the British high street and it suggested more than 11,000 chain stores would disappear by [...]
UK businesses face regulatory minefield as EU votes in new Artificial Intelligence Act June 18, 2023 UK businesses must brace themselves to adhere to new EU artificial intelligence (AI) standards if they plan to trade in the bloc, lawyers and industry experts have said. It comes as members of the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly last week to adopt the Artificial Intelligence Act, which aims to encourage “human-centric and trustworthy” AI. Tamara [...]
Tech experts support UN calls for global AI watchdog June 13, 2023 Tech experts have voiced their share in concerns over the safety of artificial intelligence (AI) this week, following world leaders’ calls for a global regulator. Antonio Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations (UN), declared on Monday that he “would be favourable to the idea that we could have an artificial intelligence agency”, suggesting it could [...]
What we learned from Keir Starmer on AI, Boris Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon June 13, 2023 Keir Starmer hit the stage at London Tech Week this morning to mount Labour’s charm offensive on the great and good of London tech. Starmer’s address to the conference followed a major presence from top Tory figures yesterday, with talks from both Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt. Speaking on the main stage in Westminster, the [...]
The Notebook: Ian Whittaker is sceptical about AI – plus his take on the Telegraph takeover June 13, 2023 The Notebook is a column where interesting people say interesting things. Today, it’s Ian Whittaker, media analyst and founder of Liberty Sky Advisors Is AI’s biggest benefit its use as a buzzword? BT announced last month it is cutting up to 55,000 jobs as it restructures and stream lines its business. What particularly caught the [...]
AI can help capital tackle climate threat, Sadiq Khan says June 12, 2023 Artificial intelligence (AI) can be deployed to help London tackle the threat from climate change, Sadiq Khan has said. The mayor of London has launched a review exploring how data and technology can help the capital thrive in a changing environment. At the opening of London Tech Week on Monday, Khan outlined how blistering heatwaves [...]
The Notebook: Octavius Black on HR’s ‘Davos’, how to fix low productivity rates and wellbeing June 12, 2023 The Notebook is a column where interesting people say interesting things: today, it’s Octavius Black, CEO of learning platform MindGym, to discuss productivity, wellbeing and workplace culture’s Davos. Big hitters gather to look at HR’s biggest 2023 challenges The floorboards of the Royal Opera House have been trodden by many a global superstar over the [...]
Sunak in DC: Britain to host AI summit amid creators’ ‘nuclear war’ risks June 8, 2023 The UK will host the first global summit on artificial intelligence (AI) safety, Rishi Sunak announced ahead of talks on the issue with Joe Biden. The summit, which will be held in the autumn, will consider the need for international co-ordinated action to mitigate the risks of the emerging technology. Ahead of Thursday’s meeting with [...]