Don’t let the doom-mongers stand in the way of our robot-driven future December 1, 2020 Are the robots coming for our jobs? That has been a perennial worry ever since the initial technological advances of the first industrial revolution. But there are concerns that this time is different — and that artificial intelligence (AI) requires government intervention. Some estimates suggest that 40 per cent of jobs are at high risk [...]
How to stage a limited capacity match in the Covid era, from socially distanced seating to ordering drinks November 25, 2020 Sports clubs across England are preparing to host limited-capacity events when lockdown ends next week, but Harlequins are one step ahead. The Premiership rugby club had 2,800 at their home, The Stoop, for a match against Bath in early September, as part of a nationwide pilot scheme. Here, Adrian Wells, chief marketing officer at Harlequins, [...]
How smart buildings can power the green revolution November 25, 2020 The Prime Minister’s decision to base last week’s so-called “reset” around a 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution tells us a lot about where he thinks the country needs to go over the next decade. Indeed, it hints at what kind of country we are after Brexit: not one that looks back complacently to [...]
How Can I Invest in Blockchain? November 24, 2020 With the current frenzy of interest in bitcoin, there is an increasing number of people interested in trying to ride the ‘hype’ wave and invest in blockchain. And like any investment, you should always do your research. This article is not a recommendation or endorsement for any specific token or platform. So if you’re looking [...]
Singing of arms and the man: Behind the big Boris defence announcement November 20, 2020 The announcement was preceded, of course, by a leak to the media, so that it could make a splash in the morning press. Standard practice these days, unfortunately — but the story was still an impressive one: the Prime Minister was giving the Ministry of Defence an extra £4bn a year for the next four [...]
Boris Johnson vows to make UK Europe’s greatest naval power with new defence spending November 19, 2020 Boris Johnson has vowed the UK will return to its place as “the foremost naval power in Europe” through a landmark increase in military spending. Johnson said the country will benefit from a “renaissance of ship building”, while also focusing on space-based defence technologies that will destroy “targets with inexhaustiable lasers”. The government will increase [...]
Data first: How tech startups build trust and tap investment November 19, 2020 When Phil Marshman set about launching his health startup Sentai this year he faced a challenge. For the serial entrepreneur, it was not the pandemic or the intricacies of artificial intelligence or even getting to market that posed a challenge, it was customer data. “For any product team you need to be data first… We [...]
TODAY: Boris Johnson to unveil largest military spending increase in decades November 19, 2020 Boris Johnson will today announce he is tripling a planned increase of the country’s military budget in what will be the largest defence investment in decades. The government will spend an extra £16.5bn on the UK’s military over the next four years, which will take the total increase over this time period to about £24.1bn. [...]
How central bankers see the prospects for digicurrencies November 17, 2020 Last week three of the world’s central bankers met for an online European Central Bank Forum: BoE Governor Andrew Bailey, ECB President Christine Lagarde, and Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Their opinions will affect policy for the near-term—policies that determine inflation, interest rates, economic activity, the sales your company makes and the salaries or raises you [...]
DEBATE: Will the National Security and Investment Bill make it harder for the UK to remain a business hub? November 13, 2020 Max von Thun, senior associate at political advisory firm Global Counsel, says YES. Under the screening regime proposed by the new National Security and Investment Bill, a much higher number of deals will be subject to potential government intervention on national security grounds for up to five years after they have taken place. In addition [...]