IT innovation, research and development

How Singtel and Dell are approaching digital transformation

Singtel employees are learning to create their own robotic process automation-powered bots while Dell has speeded up application development from months to weeks Continue Reading

Ministry of Defence to access IT skills via £1.5bn framework

The new procurement vehicle is part of the department's plan to improve how it engages with the tech industry Continue Reading

CIOs should think about what it means when employees augment themselves

The bods at Gartner may have watched a bit too much Hollywood sci-fi: will people really augment themselves with tech to do their jobs better? Continue Reading

Take responsibility for cyber security basics, urges NCSC CEO

At the launch of its third annual review, NCSC head Ciaran Martin appealed for individuals and businesses to address the fundamentals of cyber security hygiene to help lighten the load Continue Reading

Interview: Abdul Nasser Al Mughairbi, head of digital, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company

Abdul Nasser Al Mughairbi is leading digital developments at Abu Dhabi's state-owned oil giant Continue Reading

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company uses blockchain for inter-group network

The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company is using blockchain internally, with plans to expand it beyond the group boundaries Continue Reading

Government to provide local data to proptechs

Minister announces creation of a national index of brownfield site data and other initiatives to allow startups and property development companies to use public data to generate business Continue Reading

Executive interview: How Moleskine digitises ideas

Handwritten notes jotted down on paper are not often shared, but capturing these digitally can encourage a creative approach to collaboration Continue Reading

Microsoft vs Google – who’s winning the cloud email race?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, there’s a two-horse race for dominance in the cloud email market between Microsoft and Google, but they are not alone – we examine the runners and riders. Our latest buyer’s guide looks at governance, risk and compliance solutions. And we assess the progress of public cloud in the banking sector. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

NHS Digital announces suppliers for GP IT Futures framework

The NHS’s previous IT supplier framework for GPs – composed of just four suppliers – will be replaced by a pool of nearly 70 IT companies Continue Reading

NHS e-prescriptions roll-out aims for £300m savings by 2021

The final stage of digitising prescriptions in the NHS is expected to reduce inefficiencies, errors and paper usage Continue Reading

Two-thirds of UK financial services firms are using machine learning

The use of machine learning in the finance sector is set to increase as obstacles to its take up are not seen as being insurmountable Continue Reading

O2 promises ‘revolutionary’ offers as it joins UK 5G party

O2 has become the latest operator in the UK to offer a 5G network and claims to be able to demonstrate real-world 5G business use cases that can potentially boost the British economy Continue Reading

BEIS launches multimillion-pound security investment package

Government is making available more than £50m to support a range of new cyber security initiatives and collaborations, including the latest phase of its Digital Security by Design programme Continue Reading

Barclays demonstrates proof-of-concept quantum clearing algorithm

Barclays and IBM researchers publish paper on a quantum computing algorithm for securities transaction trading Continue Reading

Report calls for urgent replacement of health screening IT

Major review of cancer screening programmes urges NHSX to prioritise the update of the underlying technology systems Continue Reading

Government shelves age verification plans for online porn

Plans to introduce age verification to access online pornography will not go ahead, with provisions around protecting children from inappropriate content on the internet to become part of wider regulations Continue Reading

HMRC fails to get new customs system ready for Brexit

A National Audit Office report reveals that HMRC has opted for a multimillion-pound enhancement of a legacy platform rather than working on its planned replacement Continue Reading

TfL to use artificial intelligence to run London’s road network

Transport for London is seeking input from companies about how it can use data-intensive technologies to predict the impact of road problems across the capital Continue Reading

NHS Digital brings in biometric login functionality

Two new libraries released to allow developers in the NHS to include functionality to digital services Continue Reading

The Security Interviews: Applying AI to Lego, and security

Ann Johnson, Microsoft corporate vice-president of cyber security, is on a mission to prove that artificial intelligence holds great promise for the security sector, and she has the analogies to back it up Continue Reading

Deputy chief executive at NHS Digital departs

NHS Digital’s deputy chief executive, Rob Shaw, will leave the organisation in December to work with foreign governments on national health and care infrastructure Continue Reading

Why would a bank that made billions of pounds’ profit cut thousands of staff?

HSBC is the latest bank to make thousands of staff cuts as even profitable businesses need to reshape themselves for the challenges that digital transformation brings Continue Reading

OECD pushes international digital services tax agenda

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development wants to reach agreement on addressing issues around taxation for online giants by 2020 Continue Reading

GoCardless gives 95% of its staff business intelligence at their fingertips

Fintech payments company GoCardless is enabling staff to carry out business intelligence queries themselves Continue Reading

How AWS is cracking the public sector cloud market

The public sector cloud business takes time and resources to build, but the rewards can be meaningful, as the founder of Amazon Web Service’s public sector division has found Continue Reading

Mental health issues concern UK tech professionals

Staff shortages, long hours and lack of flexibility are impacting the wellbeing of people in the sector, according to a Harvey Nash survey. Continue Reading

CIO interview: Mohamed Sater, head of IT at Mumtalakat

Mumtalakat’s head of IT, Mohamed Sater, is modernising the IT infrastructure of the organisation through cloud computing Continue Reading

Survival of accountants 'at stake' as HMRC presses ahead with tax digitisation

Advances in technology are bringing a series of dilemmas for professionals as the government continues plans to digitise all tax for UK businesses, according to a new report Continue Reading

More Institute of Technology centres planned to tackle skills gap

A second wave of centres offering higher technical education nationwide has been announced Continue Reading

Inside Singapore Airlines’ cloud and DevOps journey

A team of engineers at Singapore’s flagship carrier shed light on how they are overcoming challenges in embracing cloud computing and DevOps Continue Reading

Sweden’s SEB explores core banking in the cloud

Swedish Bank is the latest organisation to agree to start using a Google-inspired, cloud-native core banking platform Continue Reading

Dutch AI Coalition wants to put the Netherlands on artificial intelligence map

To ensure the Netherlands keeps pace in the artificial intelligence race, an AI coalition has been formed to help organisations in the sector to collaborate Continue Reading

CIO interview: Matt Harris, head of IT, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport

The IT chief at the world-leading Formula 1 team is focused on using technology to support and deliver marginal gains in performance for the team’s drivers Continue Reading

Deutsche Bank to set up innovation division to drive digital transformation

More details about Deutsche Bank’s new technology division in internal company email Continue Reading

Scottish Parliament launches inquiry on police use of facial recognition

The circumstances and implications of the technology’s application in the police service will be investigated in the coming months Continue Reading

UK chief data officer recruitment plans still on

Minister says CDO will work closely with the chief digital and information officer, who is still to be recruited Continue Reading

UKtech50 2019 – help us find the most influential people in UK technology

Computer Weekly’s annual search for the 50 most influential people in UK technology reaches its 10th anniversary – let us know who you would like to nominate for this year’s list Continue Reading

Southeast Asia’s internet economy hits $100bn milestone

The digital economy in Southeast Asia grew 39% this year but the growth momentum can only be sustained if talent gaps are filled Continue Reading

Home Office picks supplier for £300m biometrics project

The department has chosen US company Leidos to provide critical elements of the national system under a £300m contract with a 10-year timespan Continue Reading

How data drives wins at Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport

We find out how Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport uses data to drive its business and Formula One race strategy Continue Reading

NatWest bank uses artificial intelligence to predict the future

NatWest is using artificial intelligence to help it paint a more accurate picture of future trends Continue Reading

Government issues Brexit guidance for technology firms

Ten-point checklist released to help firms prepare for leaving the European Union without a deal Continue Reading

Post-Brexit passport checking tool to start pilot

The government is looking for companies that can carry out large-scale tests of the Document Checking Service, which will allow organisations to digitally check the validity of passports Continue Reading

Future Decoded: AI-powered data revolutionises software development

Microsoft believes artificial intelligence will drive an entirely new way to develop software that can take advantage of massive data growth Continue Reading

UK government readies bus open data portal

The government’s bus data service is part of plans to provide better information to get more people to use bus services Continue Reading

Healthcare and technology have cultural similarities, says NHSX CEO

Common factors in healthcare and technology could help bring about a shift in attitudes, says Matthew Gould Continue Reading

Interview: James Smith, director of digital, Nationwide Building Society

James Smith says heading up the digital unit at Nationwide Building Society is the best job in the business Continue Reading

Polaris Transportation digitises with RPA and hyperledger tech

Transportation group has embarked on a digital transformation journey using WorkFusion and blockchain hyperledger for straight-through processing Continue Reading

The most influential women in UK technology 2019

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we announce our annual list of the 50 most influential women in UK technology. Meet the winner, Debbie Forster, CEO of Tech Talent Charter, and find out who are this year’s five rising stars. Also, our latest buyer’s guide looks at the latest developments in robotic process automation. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

Australia gets ready for open banking

Traditional banks and fintech firms alike will need to bite the bullet in the crucial startup period if Australia’s open banking regime is to succeed Continue Reading

Chancellor Sajid Javid set to make £5bn investment commitment to improve UK broadband coverage

The Chancellor Sajid Javid is expected to take to the stage at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester later today, to set out the group’s “infrastructure revolution” plans, which include ramping up broadband coverage across the UK Continue Reading

UK Parliament readies cyber security change programme

A request for information has been launched to find a consultancy firm to support and shape the Parliament’s cyber security project, which will be delivered in two years’ time Continue Reading

Data challenges jeopardise service provision in government

Several challenges have to be tackled to make the government’s new data strategy work and departments have “barely scratched the surface” of what needs to be done, says PAC report Continue Reading

Pure Storage APAC CTO talks up storage trends

Flash-based storage will be around for at least two decades more, while crystal- and DNA-based storage needs a lot more work before becoming mainstream, according to Pure Storage’s CTO for the Asia-Pacific region Continue Reading

HMRC chief digital and information officer departs

Jacky Wright, HMRC chief digital and information officer, will return to Microsoft in October after a two-year loan arrangement Continue Reading

If data really is the new oil, the raw materials need a different economic approach

The International Monetary Fund is the latest to say that data is the new oil – the change agent in the economy – but striking it rich is a complicated matter Continue Reading

How Graphcore is putting AI on steroids

UK chipmaker Graphcore’s intelligence processing unit may just hold the key to unlocking the full potential of artificial intelligence Continue Reading

Government launches guidelines for AI procurement

Document intended to inform public sector buyers has been created by the Office for AI and the World Economic Forum Continue Reading

Brazilian fintech Creditas chases UK tech talent

Latin American firm Creditas is looking to lure senior professionals who may be leaving the UK to its technology hub in Spain Continue Reading

PM invites global leaders to discuss ethics in tech

London summit next year will invite countries to discuss standards for emerging technology Continue Reading

Why quantum needs a classic approach for supremacy

Google claims it has developed an algorithm for a quantum computer that would take a traditional “classical” computer 10,000 years to run. We investigate Continue Reading

Latest Lorca cyber security challenge has IoT focus

Government-backed cyber security innovation centre Lorca has issued new challenges around connectivity for its next intake of scaleups Continue Reading

Podcast: The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload – Episode 31

In this week’s episode of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, Caroline Donnelly and Clare McDonald are joined by Ryan Priest for an accidentally transport-heavy chat about the week in tech Continue Reading

Basic data and skills needed to fix UK social care

Foundations need to be in place to save the social care system from collapse, and NHSX needs to step up to the task, according to a Doteveryone report Continue Reading

The Nordics’ passion for gamification goes global

Nordic startups are pioneering the gamification of educational apps, with an international market looking on Continue Reading

Putting blockchain technology to good use

Experts share their views on the best and most effective ways information security professionals can use blockchain technology Continue Reading

Government looks into digitising cultural collections with AI

A government report and trial investigate possibilities around mapping and connecting digitised cultural material with emerging technologies Continue Reading

Cross-government collaboration is key to overcoming legacy IT issues

Senior civil servants highlight some of the challenges with legacy IT systems and what can be done to overcome them Continue Reading

Enterprises can hire software robots at the push of a button

IPsoft is beta testing a marketplace where businesses can look at what software robots are available and interview them about their suitability to take roles Continue Reading

Defra chief digital information officer steps down

John Seglias is leaving the department most impacted by Brexit to join National Grid, after four years in the civil service Continue Reading

CTO interview: Paul Clark, Tandem Bank

Tandem Bank’s chief technology officer had a close encounter with legacy banking when he left his previous job to pursue a career in fintech Continue Reading

Government relaunches search for chief digital and information officer

The role, which will tackle issues such as eradicating legacy and leading data strategy, has been redesigned and elevated at permanent secretary level Continue Reading

IBM opens new centre to house 53-qubit quantum computer

IBM hopes its cloud-connected quantum computer in New York will encourage the development of quantum-optimised software Continue Reading

Universities tempting targets for cyber criminals, warns NCSC

As hundreds of thousands of students prepare for the new academic year, universities have been warned that they are at high risk of cyber attack Continue Reading

Amadeus opens systems to kick-start innovation-driven ecosystem

By opening its systems, travel software company Amadeus is hoping to foster ecosystem-wide innovation in the travel industry Continue Reading

Inside Oman’s new tech startup drive

Oman is aspiring to be a tech startup hub and is on a mission to compete with its neighbours in the Gulf Continue Reading

Network Rail to use automation and analytics in tunnel examinations and station security

Operator Network Rail will tap into its £357m R&D fund to back innovation competitions aimed to improve assessment of more than 600 rail tunnels and station surveillance Continue Reading

Why CIOs must digitise internal IT processes to keep pace with change

Nothing ever stands still, and IT is now expected to be more adaptable than ever before to help businesses keep in step with the pace of innovation Continue Reading

Research explores economic benefits of full-fibre and 5G at local level

The Broadband Stakeholders Group (BSG) has published research by Oxera to help local authorities understand the benefits of full-fibre and 5G Continue Reading

Councils awarded funding to boost online services

Local authorities received more than £750,000 in the second round of the Local Digital Fund, aimed at improving citizen offerings in areas such as housing and payment Continue Reading

NHSX emphasises need for ethical patient data access

The health service's digital unit welcomed the launch of Health Data Research hubs, but stressed that it will control the design of research collaborations Continue Reading

Inside blockchain and its various applications

We explore the technology around blockchain shaping how businesses use data Continue Reading

When AIs go to war: Autonomous cyber weapons ‘inevitable’

CISOs must start thinking about how to engage with intelligent, adaptive, non-human attackers, says Trend Micro’s Rik Ferguson Continue Reading

Justice system transformation sees delays and reduction of scope

“Ambitious” timescales and scope for £1.2bn modernisation of services had to be scaled back, says NAO report Continue Reading

Fintech lender increases loan limit as customer demand accelerates

Small business lender Esme Loans has increased its loan limit to quarter of a million pounds as businesses are drawn to its simple and fast digital platform Continue Reading

CW Europe: Dutch authorities call temporary halt to datacentre construction

Two Dutch municipalities are putting all datacentre construction on hold while they put together a strategy to help them control developments. A local alderman said datacentres take up a lot of space and place a large burden on the electricity grid. Also read how France is racing ahead of Germany in making the most of service companies in India, and about Google’s plans for a new datacentre and technology training hub in Finland. Continue Reading

Government departments urged to publish R&D spending roadmaps

Issues including funding concentration in the “golden triangle” of London, Oxford and Cambridge must be addressed, according to a Science and Technology Committee report Continue Reading

UK consumers want biometrics but fear driverless cars and AI

Report also shows many adults across the country have never heard of the internet of things or big data Continue Reading

How SATS is using digital twin tech to improve operations

Singapore-based SATS has been using a digital twin platform to model food production processes to improve in-flight catering operations Continue Reading

Tech startups can boost UK shipping market after Brexit

Increased connectivity and propositions based on tools such as AI and blockchain can provide opportunities to the shipping sector after Brexit, says report Continue Reading

Brexit disrupts FCA exploration into data use in wholesale banking

The extra work for banks due to Brexit preparations has caused a delay to FCA work on the use of data in the wholesale banking sector Continue Reading

Inside NatWest Ventures

NatWest Ventures is helping NatWest bank to remain relevant to its SME businesses customer community through digital innovation Continue Reading

Nokia, NTT Docomo and Omron to test 5G at factory floor

Three firms – Nokia, NTT Docomo and Omron – have banded together to test the feasibility of running a layout-free production line operated by 5G-connected robots and human technicians Continue Reading

Ministry of Defence unveils innovation priorities

Artificial intelligence and 3D printing are among the key areas of focus for the Ministry of Defence's latest approach to emerging tech Continue Reading

How Zuellig Pharma is fighting fake drugs with blockchain

The Asia-Pacific pharmaceutical giant is using a blockchain platform from SAP to help consumers identify the provenance of medicine Continue Reading

Brain-computer interfaces: Promising tech needs regulating

Connecting a computer directly to the brain could revolutionise healthcare, but the tech giants might monopolise data and application areas Continue Reading

IT leaders need to speak up about the voice channel

Voice assistants represent the next frontier, and a range of new skills will be needed to move beyond pilot projects to a true voice channel Continue Reading

Blockchain: hype vs reality

Blockchain technology presents a number of complex challenges that must be overcome before it can truly deliver on its promises Continue Reading

Towns invited to bid for connectivity boost

Some 100 places in England are eligible to get resources from the £3.6bn fund aimed at creating local jobs and economic growth, with broadband as a key priority Continue Reading