Tech sector needs a ‘shot in the arm’ to make UK’s Silicon Valley dreams come true, industry says TECHNOLOGY Britain’s ambition to create its own Silicon Valley is achievable but only if the government implements a long-term strategy to boost domestic and foreign confidence in the country’s tech sector, industry experts have warned. Last month, business secretary Grant Shapps set out plans to create a “Silicon Valley with a British edge”. Trade association techUK [...]
Third of London restaurants worried they can’t afford energy bills, new data reveals Cost of Living crisis A third of London restaurants are concerned they may be unable to pay their bills if energy prices keep rising, according to a new study by Uswitch for Business. In the capital, restaurants are currently operating at an average capacity of 54 per cent – six per cent lower than the UK average – with [...]
Neeva eyes future London growth as part of wider European expansion Sridhar Ramaswamy Neeva founder and former Google ads boss Sridhar Ramaswamy has endorsed London as a world class place for tech innovation as he rolls out his AI-powered startup across Europe. Speaking with City A.M., the former Silicon Valley exec turned search-engine startup founder said being in places like London is “top of mind” for Neeva as [...]
EV charging prices down but varying peak-rates threaten to drive up cost, AA warns February 15, 2023 The cost of charging electric vehicles (EV) fell in January but drivers should be aware that providers are now offering different rates depending on the time of day, a report by the AA warned. The insurance company found that slow charging costs dropped eight per cent last month to match home charging, but the average [...]
No layoffs for Arm as it expands UK workforce to meet rising chip demand February 14, 2023 Chip designer Arm has bucked the trend of tech companies cutting jobs, after it confirmed that it will grow its UK workforce in order to meet the rising demand for chips. The British firm plans to hire 500 new employees, with 350 of the roles spread across Cambridge, Manchester, Warwick, and Sheffield. In response to [...]
IBM finds the cost of training could scupper UK’s drive to become a ‘science superpower’ February 14, 2023 The cost of training for a scientific or technology-related career is seen as the number one concern of UK students, job applicants and career changers, a survey commissioned by IBM has revealed. IBM found that job seekers who were eyeing up roles in science and tech areas saw the necessary training as unaffordable. The global [...]
Betfair owner Flutter gambles on US market with plans to embark on secondary listing February 14, 2023 Flutter, the UK betting group that owns Betfair and Paddy Power, is contemplating a secondary listing in the US to tap into the American gambling market. The world’s largest online betting group plans to consult shareholders “extensively” on the matter and prioritise it over plans to list a stake in its US business, FanDuel, which [...]
Reining in ChatGPT: AI tech titans must navigate a regulatory maze to thrive in the UK and beyond February 14, 2023 As ChatGPT continues to amaze, and Alphabet and others try to follow suit, Jess Jones explores some of the legal and regulatory challenges facing AI tech, and what they mean for the UK’s ambition to become a science superpower. “The genie is out of the bottle – and it’s hard to imagine how it goes [...]
Lyft loses ground on Uber: Share price falls 30 per cent after profit down £100m on forecast February 10, 2023 Lyft is trailing behind competitor Uber as disappointing forecasts have caused investors to lose confidence. Shares in the ride-hailing company dropped more than 30 per cent this week after it reported lower than expected first quarter profit forecasts of $975m (£805m). Initially, analysts forecasted it would be at $1.09bn (£900m), according to Refinitiv data. Lyft [...]
Tech rout continues as Yahoo staff cull adds to over 30,000 job losses in sector this year February 10, 2023 Yahoo has become the latest tech giant to announce huge job losses, as the cost of living crisis forces digital advertisers to reign back on their spending. The American web provider said it was axing over 20 per cent of its entire workforce, with the cuts expected to make 1,600 current workers redundant, including 1,000 [...]