Channel 4’s investment arm gives £3m backing to UK fintech Sprive April 29, 2025 Channel 4 has entered the fintech realm after its investment arm participated in a funding round that topped £5.5m. Channel 4 Ventures injected £3m into mortgage overpayment app Sprive, in a fundraiser led by venture capital firm Ascension. The funding aims to assist the early-stage consumer fintech’s in fulfilling its mission to help millions repay [...]
AI use rising in legal services, but public trust remains low April 29, 2025 While AI’s potential to reduce costs and improve efficiency is making waves within the industry, both public and legal professionals remain cautious about fully embracing the technology, especially for legally complex issues. A recent survey by Robin AI found that only 10 per cent of people fully trust law firms, with only 30 pert cent [...]
The UK isn’t celebrating risk takers and wealth creators – Castore boss April 29, 2025 The UK is at risk of “taking too many steps down a road of not wanting to celebrate risk takers and wealth creators”, according to the co-CEO of sports apparel brand, Castore. Tom Beahon, who shares the top job with his brother Phil, added “there’s not a lot of incentive for anyone to take risks [...]
M&S breach exposes retail sector’s security risks April 28, 2025 Marks and Spencer (M&S) has been grappling with a serious cyber attack that forced the retailer to suspend online orders, disrupted in-store operations, and blocked its remote staff from working on its system. The attack, which began over the Easter weekend, has left M&S unable to fulfil many customer orders – driving its stock down [...]
Sir Ben Wallace: Former defence secretary gets new job April 28, 2025 Former defence secretary Sir Ben Wallace has taken up his second private sector role since retiring from politics, joining the board of an engineering firm specialising in energy security. Advanced Innergy Holdings (AIS) supplies industrial and energy clients with technology used to protect a wide range of assets, ranging from subsea cables to offshore wind [...]
Dolls, brands and biases: How businesses are using AI image generation April 26, 2025 In recent weeks, a viral trend has emerged, where people use AI to create their own personalised barbie-like dolls, using platforms like ChatGPT. What started as a fun, self-expression experiment soon gained popularity, giving rise to a phenomenon now dubbed “barbification”. The trend allowed users to transform themselves into digital dolls, creating hyper-realised versions of [...]
Don’t let Black Mirror spook you. The future of tech is cause for optimism April 25, 2025 Black Mirror may feel close to reality, but the reality of the AI revolution should give us more optimism, writes Naji El-Afiri.
How AI-powered compliance could fight financial crime April 25, 2025 The financial services sector is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the rapid advancements and accessibility of artificial intelligence (AI). No longer an experimental concept for the future, AI is being deployed at scale today, fundamentally changing how every financial institution operates globally. The rise of generative AI, in particular, has spurred adoption, with around [...]
Google maintains search dominance thanks to ads, AI and cloud April 25, 2025 Google’s parent company, Alphabet, reported a blockbuster earnings report on Thursday evening, driven by surging profits and rapid advancements in AI and cloud computing. The Magnificent Seven tech behemoth posted revenue of $90.2bn, a 12 per cent increase year over year. Meanwhile, net income surged 46 per cent to $34.5bn, far exceeding Wall Street expectations. [...]
Building bridges: the UK’s global tech opportunity April 25, 2025 Britain has the chance to become the world’s most globally connected tech ecosystem, says Russ Shaw As global economic turbulence intensifies – marked by escalating tariff wars, supply chain disruptions, and uncertain investment climates – the UK stands at a pivotal moment. The US – long the dominant force in international innovation – is becoming [...]