Innovation never stops: What’s next for the tech startups in Bird & Bird’s Digital Innovators showcase pushing boundaries? March 14, 2017 When Bird & Bird and City A.M. sought to unearth, and then celebrate, the most innovative digital companies shaking up the worlds of finance, health, education, media and security, we knew the collective 20 companies we found were an outstanding demonstration of the UK’s leadership in cutting edge technology. Now, just four months on, the visionary founders [...]
Google’s DeepMind is in talks with National Grid to apply artificial intelligence to energy use March 12, 2017 The Google-owned star British artificial intelligence company DeepMind is in talks with the National Grid about a potential partnership, with the possibility of using the technology to make the supply of energy across the UK more efficient. “There's huge potential for predictive machine learning technology to help energy systems reduce their environmental impact," said a spokesperson for the [...]
Cyber Security in a Transport Revolution March 9, 2017 The transport industry is undergoing a technological revolution driven by connectivity, Big Data, autonomy and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Driverless cars are on the horizon and the Internet of Things is being developed throughout our current transport infrastructure. However, these technologies pose some significant issues, particularly in the area of cyber security. To address some of [...]
How Google’s DeepMind is using blockchain-like technology to make patient health data transparent and secure March 9, 2017 Google's DeepMind has lifted the lid on its development of "blockchain related" technology that it's planning to use to make patient health data both more transparent and secure. The British artificial intelligence company which is working on trial projects with the NHS in London, is seeking to allay fears over access to patient's personal health data, and [...]
Budget 2017 UK: Robotics, 5G, broadband and everything promised for “disruptive” tech by Philip Hammond March 8, 2017 Millions of pounds in fresh funding has been promised for disruptive new technologies such as robotics, electric cars and biotech by the government. Chancellor Philip Hammond pledged new cash for development of the technologies in the Spring Budget along with plans to get started on creating a 5G network in the UK and boost broadband. How [...]
A forecast for a bounce in the UK’s GDP has put a spring in Philip Hammond’s step ahead of his first Budget March 8, 2017 Chancellor Philip Hammond will today give an upbeat assessment on the future of the British economy in his debut Budget, as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) becomes the latest body to upgrade its UK growth forecasts. The influential Paris-based OECD yesterday said UK GDP growth will reach 1.6 per cent this year, up [...]
IBM is commercialising quantum computing to solve mind-boggling problems March 6, 2017 IBM has revealed its ambitions to bring the power of quantum computing to the business world. The tech firm is making available its IBM Q quantum systems to firms wanting to analyse and explore data that's too complicated for standard computing. Read more: The organisations of tomorrow – and the technologies already building them “Classical computers [...]
Hammond vows to fight back against bad Brexit deal as he plots vision for Britain’s high-tech future March 6, 2017 Ahead of his first full Budget, chancellor Philip Hammond has vowed the government would fight back against a Brexit deal that doesn't deliver for Britain, insisting the country will not be left licking its wounds after negotiations. Hammond warned the European Union of the UK's "fighting spirit" and said the country will not "slink off as [...]
The cost of talent and housing threaten London’s digital crown March 2, 2017 The government yesterday unveiled its digital strategy – an action plan for growing the digital economy and making the UK the best place in the world to start and grow a digital business. This ambition is undoubtedly very welcome. London is already the best place in Europe for digital startups and scaleups, boasting excellent access [...]
The government’s tapping up Lloyds, Barclays and Google for digital skills March 1, 2017 The government is turning to private business, including Lloyds, Barclays and Google, to help the UK become skilled for the modern age with ambitious new plans. It has announced partnerships with the well known institutions to offer training in digital across the UK, to push forward the country's march towards a digital economy, putting these skills on a par with literacy [...]