Changing of the guard: Google founders make way as tech giant gears up for new era December 4, 2019 Google’s announcement that co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin will step back from their top roles is, in some senses, a groundbreaking moment. Since starting the iconic search engine in a rented California garage in 1998, the pair have grown the firm into one of the world’s most valuable companies, turning themselves into two of [...]
Buzzfeed issued strike-off warning over late company accounts December 4, 2019 Buzzfeed is under fierce pressure from financial authorities for failing to produce its company accounts more than two months after the deadline. Government agency Companies House has lodged a proposal to strike Buzzfeed from the official register as its 2018 accounts, which were due by 30 September this year, have still not been submitted. Read [...]
The election could redraw the country and reshape the Tories November 29, 2019 Opinion polls don’t just report the state of play, they can help fashion what comes next. The huge YouGov survey of 100,000 voters that translated into a Tory majority of 68 was unusual not just because of its scale but because it analysed every constituency. Most polls take a small national sample and use that [...]
Russia’s Sberbank moves into driverless cars with joint venture November 28, 2019 Sberbank, Russia’s largest lender, is moving into driverless cars with a new investment in AI transport startup Cognitive Technologies. Read more: Uber partly to blame for driverless car death, says US watchdog The state-owned bank will take a 30 per cent stake in a new company, Cognitive Pilot, while Cognitive Technologies will take a 70 [...]
Ursula von der Leyen pledges action on artificial intelligence during first 100 days in office November 27, 2019 The European Commission’s incoming President Ursula von der Leyen has called for the EU to draw up rules to regulate the use of artificial intelligence during her first 100 days in charge. The German politician and her commission were coronated in the European Parliament today, winning 461 MEP votes in favour compared to 157 against. [...]
Top entrepreneurs call for reforms to boost UK startup scene November 27, 2019 More than 250 British entrepreneurs have signed an open letter urging the next government to roll out a string of reforms to help the UK’s startup sector. The appeal, dubbed the Startup Manifesto, called for a reform of the visa system so that startups can attract the best talent without the barrier of bureaucracy. Read [...]
UK marketing budgets hit five-year low as Brexit uncertainty weighs November 25, 2019 Marketing budgets at UK firms have fallen to their lowest level in more than five years as ongoing political uncertainty continues to take its toll. On average, marketing budgets slipped to 9.3 per cent of overall company revenue this year, down from 11.4 per cent in 2018, according to research firm Gartner. Read more: AI [...]
Michael Bloomberg joins crowded US presidential race November 24, 2019 Donald Trump made history after becoming the first New York billionaire to move into the White House, but now it looks as if a fellow titan of the Big Apple is hot on his feels. Michael Bloomberg officially kicked off his campaign to become the next US president today, entering an already-packed field of Democratic [...]
Huawei: The fake choice between US and China will weaken the world economy November 22, 2019 Over the last year, the UK and its European partners have been asked to make a false choice between the US and China. What started with a series of false claims about Huawei’s role in telecoms infrastructure has broadened into a wider campaign that places the very concept of globalisation and the global economy at [...]
General Election 2019: Twitter ban on political ads comes into effect November 22, 2019 Today is the first day of Twitter’s political ad ban, less than a month out from the general election and a year ahead of the 2020 US presidential election. The social media firm revealed last week that it’s ban would include all mentions of political candidates and legislation. All three leading parties – Conservatives, Labour [...]