In focus: Getty and Shutterstock merger gets CMA probe October 20, 2025 The $3.7bn (£2.7bn) merger between Getty Images and Shutterstock is to be the subject of an in-depth probe from the UK’s competition watchdog after ‘substantial concerns’ were flagged. The deal, which was first announced in January, had already attracted the eye of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in June but will now be looked into [...]
Three Points Law: Former Mishcon sports pair go it alone – with help from AI October 20, 2025 For a combined 25 years Simon Leaf and Tom Murray have worked at the cutting edge of sports law, advising clients including England footballer Marcus Rashford, Formula 1 driver Alex Albon, TikTok and the Saudi Sports Ministry for Mishcon de Reya. This week they have officially launched their own practice, Three Points Law, formed in [...]
Google boss Pichai admits OpenAI won the first round October 20, 2025 Google chief Sundar Pichai confirmed the intense internal pressure within the Magnificent Seven firm, widely reported as a ‘code red’, that followed the late 2022 launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, admitting that the smaller rival deserved credit for launching its chatbot first. Speaking at Salesforce’s annual tech conference in San Francisco, Dreamforce, tech heavyweight Pichai spoke [...]
Rachel Reeves’ growth policies scored by City AM October 20, 2025 As Rachel Reeves does her maths ahead of the 26 November Budget, she will hope that Labour’s policies have delivered enough growth to limit the number of tax hikes needed to restore her £9.9bn fiscal headroom. The fiscal black hole facing the Treasury could be between £20bn and £30bn due to higher borrowing costs, productivity [...]
Government must increase financial education in order to boost investment, think tank warns October 20, 2025 The government must do more to encourage wealth building and increase financial knowledge as Brits continue to turn away from retail investing, a think tank has warned. According to the latest report from the Startup Coalition, only 50 per cent of adults invest in the stock market, leaving billions in low-yield accounts and cash ISAs, [...]
I tried a self-driving taxi ahead of Waymo’s UK debut October 17, 2025 When Waymo announced this week that London will host its first European fleet with autonomous taxis hitting the capital’s streets from next year, I thought it was the perfect time to test one out. It’s an unusual feeling, sitting in a car with no one in the driver’s seat, watching it turn, brake and steer [...]
London is still home to the best tech founders in the world October 17, 2025 London may be criticised for “losing its edge” to Paris or Stockholm, but the reality we see every day is the opposite. London still attracts the best founder talent in Europe, says Adam French If you only read the headlines, you might think building a start-up in the UK right now is an act of [...]
Britain has 18 months to pick a lane, or lose the lead in AI October 17, 2025 US–UK momentum and fresh American capital give Britain a another shot at establishing AI leadership. The job now is execution: choose a stack lane, make services AI-first, attract global talent, and move faster safely, says Puneet Jindal The UK has a rare chance to turn new investment into real AI leadership – not through glossy [...]
Premier Inn owner warns of ‘mounting pressure’ of tax rises before Budget October 16, 2025 Whitbred, the owner of Premier Inn, has warned that tax rises are becoming more likely and could pose a serious risk to the UK’s hospitality industry. Chancellor Rachel Reeves faces a £40bn gap in the nation’s finances, which is ever-more likely to be filled by a tax-raising Autumn Budget. The target of those tax rises [...]
Salesforce: Trust is ‘critical’ when it comes to AI October 16, 2025 Trust has become key when it comes to businesses using AI. As Salesforce’s Brent Hayward, head of competitive intelligence, told City AM: “I don’t think there’s any more valuable thing. If you’re in the business of working with other businesses or customers, then trust… It is the foundational level”. Hawyard insisted that this trust ‘layer’ [...]