AI firms double London office space as tech boom fuels property demand September 16, 2026 AI firms snapped up more than 700,000 sq ft of London office space in the first half of 2026, more than double the amount taken across the whole of last year as fast-growing tech companies expand their footprint in the capital. AI businesses accounted for as much as a third of central London office take-up [...]
‘Underwhelmed’: Ofcom admits online safety impact falling short as full roll-out slips to 2027 September 15, 2026 Britain’s online safety watchdog has admitted its flagship rules have so far had an “underwhelming” impact on children’s safety, as it revealed the Online Safety Act will not be fully operational until the middle of 2027 and warned the government’s incoming social media ban could stretch its resources. Ofcom officials faced a grilling from peers [...]
Andrew Bailey: Latest AI advances are an ‘OMG moment’ for cyber crime September 15, 2026 The latest advances in frontier AI are an “OMG moment” and countries need to “arm themselves”, Andrew Bailey has said, as he highlighted the new threat of financial crime posed by the technology. Speaking at the annual City of London Police Authority Board dinner at the Merchant Taylor’s Hall on Monday, the Bank of England [...]
UK government opens door to AI laws as safety warnings mount September 15, 2026 The UK government has left the door open to tougher AI regulation after the companies building the world’s most powerful models called for slower development, fearing safety has fallen behind. City AM understands ministers believe AI is already covered by laws spanning data protection, competition, product safety and online safety, but accept those rules may [...]
Microsoft vows AI will ‘always work in service of people’ as safety fears spread September 14, 2026 Microsoft has drawn up new limits for its homegrown AI models after Silicon Valley’s sudden reckoning with the risks of increasingly powerful systems spreads to one of its biggest companies. The US tech giant published a provisional code of conduct on Monday that requires its future models to remain under human control, accept correction, shut [...]
London software stocks enjoy ‘boon’ after calls for AI slowdown September 14, 2026 London-listed software stocks jumped on Monday as calls from the world’s biggest AI companies to slow development offered some relief to businesses previously seen as vulnerable to the technology. Sage climbed more than five per cent to rise the fastest among FTSE 100 firms, while RELX also rose after Anthropic, OpenAI and Elon Musk backed [...]
Tech stocks slide as AI extinction warnings rattle markets September 14, 2026 Tech stocks tumbled across Asia and US futures pointed lower on Monday after some of the world’s most powerful AI bosses called for the industry to slow development over safety fears. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite dropped 1.6 per cent shortly after the opening bell, while the S&P 500 fell 0.7 per cent and the Dow [...]
Big Technologies founder talks collapse as profits rebound from boardroom battle September 14, 2026 Big Technologies’ bitter battle with founder Sara Murray has flared up again after settlement talks collapsed, overshadowing a return to statutory profit and a raised outlook at the electronic monitoring group. The AIM-listed company said on Monday that mediated discussions with Murray had ended without an agreement, meaning it would continue pursuing legal proceedings against [...]
Burnham told to deliver 10 per cent hospitality VAT after backing tax cut September 14, 2026 More than 800 hospitality businesses have called on Andy Burnham to make good on his support for lower VAT, piling pressure on the prime minister ahead of next month’s Budget. Pub giants, restaurant chains, hotels and some of Britain’s best-known chefs have signed an open letter demanding the government cut hospitality VAT from 20 per [...]
Reform hits back at Tory plan to ‘abolish inheritance tax’ September 13, 2026 The Conservatives and Reform UK have clashed over plans to abolish inheritance tax as Kemi Badenoch prepares to put tax cuts at the heart of her pitch to voters. Badenoch is considering pledging to scrap inheritance tax if the Tories win the next general election, with the policy potentially forming the centrepiece of her party [...]
