Firms failing to get to grips with unconscious hiring bias, say headhunters Adecco November 20, 2017 Over a third of British businesses are failing to properly tackle unconscious bias when hiring new staff. Some 39 per cent of firms are not training hiring managers in unconscious bias best-practice, headhunter firm Adecco concluded in research released today. Meanwhile, almost two-thirds (65 per cent) of respondents are not using blind CVs. “Despite unconscious [...]
Autumn Budget 2017: Philip Hammond to accelerate Britain’s tech credentials with investment in AI and driverless car reforms November 19, 2017 The chancellor is expected to unveil a flurry of announcements to progress artificial intelligence, driverless and electric cars, and 5G across Britain in next week’s Autumn Budget, to help bolster the nation’s credentials as a leader in tech. Philip Hammond is poised to announce £75m for AI, £400m for electric car charge points, £160m for [...]
Philip Hammond mulls VAT overhaul as Budget day looms | City A.M. November 13, 2017 Philip Hammond is mulling an overhaul to the VAT system that could affect thousands of small businesses as part of next week’s Budget. The chancellor is considering dropping the current threshold – which stands at a turnover of £85,000 – in a move that could raise as much as £2bn in taxes. City A.M. understands [...]
Bill Gates pledges $50m for London-based Dementia Discovery Fund to search for cure November 13, 2017 The world’s richest man, Bill Gates, has promised $50m (£38.2m) to a London-based fund that’s exploring new ways to tackle dementia. The Dementia Discovery Fund (DDF), first launched in 2015 and run by venture capital firm SV Health, is focused on discovering and developing new therapies that are not in the mainstream for fighting the [...]
Virtual doctors and video appointments: Get ready for the rise of digital healthcare November 10, 2017 Healthcare matters, fundamentally, to everyone across the globe. Understandably, it is generally a risk-averse sector – lives are at stake. It is easy to see why this area is relatively resistant to change and innovation. This is a challenge I have been countering through the application of digital healthcare. Read more: If tech titans ruled [...]
We must lay the ethical groundwork for artificial intelligence now, before it’s too late November 7, 2017 Artificial intelligence (AI) is having an identity crisis. More specifically, the concept of AI is often wrongly portrayed as a thing, a noun, a sentiment being – which it is not. The danger of overhyping and objectifying AI is that we misunderstand the valuable opportunity that presents itself, fail to fully educate the global population, [...]
Facebook makes fintech move with UK launch of p2p payments via Messenger feature November 6, 2017 Facebook is making its first foray into finance in the UK with the launch of a new feature which lets users send and receive payments via Messenger. Cash can be transferred with just a message and users can even add emojis and gifs. Facebook’s artificial intelligence powered virtual assistant for Messenger, called M, will also [...]
Risks of artificial intelligence on financial markets must be monitored, warns Financial Stability Board November 1, 2017 The world’s top central bankers have warned that the spread of artificial intelligence could pose a threat to financial stability. The Financial Stability Board (FSB) said yesterday it was crucial for regulators to monitor the growing adoption of AI and machine learning technology across the financial industry, from hedge funds to brokers to banks. Read [...]
Ada Health lands €40m from Len Blavatnik, Amazon Alexa creator William Tunstall-Pedoe and Google business chief Philip Schindler’s June Fund October 31, 2017 The company behind a healthcare app which can help diagnose symptoms has landed a multi-million pound round of funding from investors, who include a top Google executive, the man who created Amazon's Alexa voice assistant and one of Britain's richest billionaires. London and Berlin based Ada Health has raised €40m (£35.2m) to grow the business [...]
The future may be powered by data, but it must be piloted by humans October 24, 2017 Of the six most valuable companies in the world, five are tech firms, whose worth is embodied less in physical assets than in intellectual property and customer data. Apple and Microsoft provide the tools to connect people, and to collect and process data. Google, Facebook and Amazon provide services, and in return accumulate more data [...]