Ocado set to be crowned the FTSE’s most valuable tech giant December 17, 2019 Analysts have said Ocado has the vision to become the “Microsoft of Retail tomorrow” and transition into the FTSE’s most valuable tech giant. Once finalised, the decision by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to de-designate Ocado as a retailer in August will make it the largest listed tech company in the UK by valuation. [...]
It takes two chief executives to shake up a business December 13, 2019 In the words of Marvin Gaye, sometimes it takes two. And as the world of business changes and evolves, the same rule could also apply — because one person at the helm is no longer enough. The technological revolution of the past 20 years has had a huge impact on the economy, and disrupted nearly [...]
Opportunities in an evolving financial industry December 12, 2019 In today’s investment landscape, a paradigm shift is underway. Economic headwinds, ever-changing financial regulations, and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and financial technology are transforming the industry. What clients want is evolving, too. Returns alone are not enough. Clients today are looking for asset managers who can meet a comprehensive set of needs and deliver greater value [...]
Artificial intelligence could wipe out 13,000 legal sector jobs December 9, 2019 The adoption of new technologies such as artificial intelligence could lead to the UK legal sector shedding 13,000 jobs, according to a report by the Law Society of England and Wales. The report on the future shape of the legal workforce projected a 13,000 fall in the number of jobs by 2027, equivalent to a [...]
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 [...]
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. [...]
Alibaba IPO: E-commerce giant’s shares jump on blockbuster Hong Kong debut November 26, 2019 Alibaba, the Chinese online retail giant, has enjoyed a surge in its share price after floating on the Hong Kong stock exchange, in one of the year’s most hotly anticipated Initial Public Offerings. The firm, which is already listed in the US, raised around £8.8bn in its secondary listing, with chairman Daniel Zhang cheering on [...]
Twitter acquires London AI startup as it looks to target small businesses November 21, 2019 Twitter has snapped up artificial intelligence (AI) marketing platform Aiden as it looks to expand its advertising offering for small businesses. Read more: Twitter outlines political ad ban ahead of 2020 US election The social media giant today said it had agreed a takeover of the London-based startup, which provides a cross-platform advertising command centre, [...]