Cisco: Only 16 per cent of UK firms ready to deploy AI safely October 14, 2025 Britain’s race to embrace AI could stumble before it starts, as new research from tech giant Cisco has revealed that just 16 per cent of UK firms are adequately equipped to scale AI safely across their operations. The company’s ‘AI readiness index’, City AM can reveal, shows a sharp divide between businesses racing ahead and [...]
AI fraud surge squeezes UK retail margins as businesses fight back with tech October 13, 2025 UK retailers are under siege from a surge in AI-driven fraud, eroding thin profit margins and forcing a scramble for smarter defences. As economic headwinds bite, fraud losses are climbing, with businesses from high street giants to e-commerce heavyweights investing heavily in technology to stay afloat. Michael Reitblat, chief executive of fraud prevention specialist Forter, [...]
Reeves warns the rich will ‘contribute more’ as Budget tax squeeze looms October 12, 2025 Rachel Reeves has signalled that wealthier households will be asked to “contribute more” in her Budget next month, as the chancellor seeks to close a £20–30bn gap in the public finances without cutting spending or taking on new debt. Treasury sources told The Telegraph that Reeves will neither reduce public spending nor expand borrowing significantly, [...]
China fires back at Trump’s 100% tariff threat as markets jitter October 12, 2025 Just a day after president Donald Trump sent global markets reeling with his promise of a fresh 100 per cent tariff on Chinese imports, Beijing has struck back, accusing the US of “double standards” and warning that it could introduce its own countermeasures. A spokesperson for China’s Commerce Ministry said Washington’s threat to punish Beijing [...]
UK small businesses falling behind on AI, Google warns October 12, 2025 New research from Google has revealed a bottleneck in UK small business innovation. Over half, or 59 per cent, of SME owners say they have had to put ‘game changing’ ideas on hold over the past year, citing a lack of time to bring their concepts to life. For many, these stalled ideas are more [...]
China’s London mega-embassy plan in limbo amid site security fears October 12, 2025 China’s plans for a new mega-embassy in central London have been thrown into doubt amid mounting national security concerns that the proposed site sits directly above critical fibre-optic cables linked to the UK’s financial networks. The £750m project at Royal Mint Court, the former home of Britain’s coin-maker, located next to the Tower of London, [...]
William Hill could close 200 betting shops as gambling industry faces mounting tax pressure October 12, 2025 William Hill is eyeing shutting 200 of its UK betting shops as parent company Evoke looks to steady its heavily indebted balance sheet ahead of a potential tax raid in next month’s budget. The move comes as the Gambling Commission and Treasury consider tougher rules and levies for the gambling sector, which has already been [...]
UK businesses wasting millions on ChatGPT-style AI tools October 10, 2025 Companies could be wasting millions on AI tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Claude as they rush to boost productivity. MIT’s State of AI in Business 2025 study found that while employees in over 90 per cent of companies regularly use personal AI tools, only 40 per cent of organisations have official LLM subscriptions. Despite [...]
Google could be forced to change search in the UK October 10, 2025 Google may be forced to make changes to how its search engine operates in the UK after the competition watchdog granted it ‘strategic market status’ under the country’s new digital markets regime. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) confirmed the designation on Friday, giving it new powers to impose rules on Google’s search and advertising [...]
What an AI bubble could mean for Reeves October 10, 2025 The traditional ministerial photo-op of walking around a construction site clad in a high-vis jacket and a hard hat usually takes place at a factory or housing site. But last month, chancellor Rachel Reeves donned fluorescent yellow for a different facility – a huge data centre built to power the UK’s digital economy through AI. [...]
