UK under-16s social media ban could land before year end February 16, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer is considering banning under-16s from social media within months, as ministers crack down on children’s online activity following a deepfake scandal on Elon Musk’s Grok. The prime minister has insisted that “no platform gets a free pass” on child safety, with a formal consultation on tougher social media protections launching in March. [...]
Arm boss says lack of risk appetite ‘holding UK back’ February 2, 2026 The chief executive of British semiconductor company Arm has said the UK’s lack of risk appetite is holding businesses back. Speaking on the Master Investor Podcast with Wilfred Frost, Rene Hass, who leads the Nasdaq-listed firm Arm holdings, said startups in the UK struggled to grow because of scale opportunities in the UK arising from [...]
Liz Kendall welcomes X’s Grok changes as Ofcom probe continues January 15, 2026 The government has welcomed new safety measures introduced by Elon Musk’s X to curb abuse linked to its Grok AI tool, as the UK’s online safety regulator presses ahead with a formal investigation into the platform. Tech secretary Liz Kendall said she “welcomed” X’s move to restrict Grok’s image generation capabilities, but stressed that regulators [...]
After Grok, should the UK opt for an Australia-style social media ban? January 13, 2026 When, in December, Australia enacted a nationwide ban of social media platforms for under-16s, critics called it heavy-handed, and easy to bypass. This week, as Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok flooded the social media platform, X, with AI-generated explicit photos of women and girls, some even involving minors, that argument begins to lose its legs. [...]
Trump official warns UK on ‘Russia-style’ X ban after Grok row January 11, 2026 A key Trump administration official has sent the UK a firm warning following speculation Elon Musk’s X platform may face a ban after a scandal around AI-generated images. Sarah Rogers, under-secretary for public diplomacy at the US State Department, issued a series of messages criticising the UK on the rumoured ban. Rogers said the UK [...]
Google DeepMind partners with the government on AI innovation December 11, 2025 The government has struck a major deal with Google DeepMind which will see UK scientists gain priority access to its AI technologies. The Alphabet-owned AI giant will also create a new AI system aimed to cut government bureaucracy, and develop a version of Gemini – Google’s largest AI model – to be integrated into schools. [...]
MPs push for stricter AI rules as UK lags December 8, 2025 Over 100 UK parliamentarians have called on the government to tighten the reigns on AI regulation, warning that ministers risk letting the technology race ahead unchecked. The cross-party push, led by figures including former defence secretary Lord Des Browne and ex-environment minister Lord Zac Goldsmith, argues that superintelligent AI could become “the most perilous technological [...]
UK and US agree to zero tariff deal on pharmaceuticals December 1, 2025 The government has agreed to a major deal with Washington that will see the UK become the only country to secure zero import tariffs on pharmaceutical products into the US for at least three years. The deal follows months of negotiations between the government and the Trump administration, after the June trade deal left the [...]
Labour hopes AI will save UK economy from jobs crisis November 20, 2025 The government has announced a sweeping package of AI investment intended to create thousands of new jobs across the UK, at a time when businesses warn that rising employment costs and rapid advances in AI are already driving workforce reductions. Ministers have confirmed billions of pounds of private and public AI investment, including a new [...]
Cyber roles demand soars as UK firms scramble to plug skills gap November 13, 2025 Demand for cybersecurity training across UK businesses has surged following a wave of cyberattacks on major firms and public bodies, as employers scramble to strengthen defences ahead of new government rules. The rise in attacks, including one that crippled Jaguar Land Rover’s operations earlier this year, has coincided with a sharp rise in firms seeking [...]