British consultants face slowdown as corporate spending slumps Consulting The British consulting industry is set to grow by a single digit this year as the sector faces a slowdown in spending from corporate clients. According to research from the Management Consultancies Association (MCA), the primary representative body for management consulting firms in the UK, the UK consulting sector’s predicted growth for 2026 stands at [...]
When AI’s taken all the work, what will we all do? Opinion The possible abundances of the AI-powered future mean that our lives won't be nasty, brutish and short – but will they be devoid of meaning?
Three UK cities make world’s 10 ‘smartest’ tech hubs – and Oxford is higher than Silicon Valley Tech London, Oxford and Cambridge are among the 10 most vibrant tech centres in the world, according to a closely watched study which found that Singapore had leapfrogged both Zurich and London to clinch top spot. The two university towns both climbed up the rankings of Z/Yen’s Smart Centres Index, making Britain the only country to [...]
Weather or not to stock – AI aims to shelter UK business from the classic (wet) British summer May 21, 2026 A chilly spring, a sluggish UK economy and hard-pressed household budgets at a time of rising interest rates have combined to put a national talking point – the weather – into the spotlight in the City. Seasonal trends, or the lack of them, can make or break trading at retailers and hospitality companies. Disruption from [...]
Big Tech’s big problem? Consumers are paying to opt out May 19, 2026 Many executives approving AI copilots are also privately paying for products to shield their own children from technology.
Nothing Headphone (a): We review Charli XCX’s new collab May 15, 2026 Charlie XCX has been unveiled as the new face – and presumably ears – of the Nothing headphones (a). Our Life&Style editor Steve Dinneen, of course, was wearing them long before the Brat superstar. Here’s his review of the weirdest headphones on the market. Nothing Headphone (a) | £150 | ★★★★★ | nothing.tech When upstart [...]
Cisco’s ‘record highs’ face AI earnings reality check May 13, 2026 Cisco is set to report its quarterly earnings after the bell on Wednesday, and Wall Street is looking for evidence that the software giant’s AI-fuelled rally still has legs. Investors expect the Silicon Valley group to post third-quarter revenue of roughly $15.56bn (£11.52bn), up from $14.15bn a year ago, with earnings per share forecast at [...]
Corvera co-founder: Brits have it too comfortable May 5, 2026 The boss of Corvera has said Brits take a too comfortable, risk-averse approach after moving his AI startup from London to San Francisco. Corvera co-founder and chief executive Christopher Kong, an Oxford graduate who launched a fast-growing vegan food range before setting up the AI business in October last year, said he found it easier [...]
Palantir revenue rockets past forecasts May 5, 2026 Revenue at Palantir rocketed past analyst forecasts as the AI-powered firm ramped up commercial and government deals. The US tech firm posted revenue of $1.6bn (£1.2bn) in the first three months of the year, above investor expectations of $1.5bn and 85 per cent ahead of last year. The firm upped its revenue guidance to $7.6bn [...]
I’m a hotel expert. Here’s why I hate in-room technology April 17, 2026 At the newly opened Treehouse Hotel in Manchester, the rooms are designed to look like… well, treehouses. But the feeling of arboreal living was disrupted when I tried to order room service, which you must do through the TV. It didn’t work. I was no longer in a treehouse. I was in a hotel, unable [...]