A recent study by US-based hosting provider Liquid Web has revealed that slow website performance is costing businesses thousands of pounds per year in revenue and draining resources at an alarming rate.  Slow Websites Costing UK Businesses  The study, which was based on a survey of 206 business owners from industries ranging from ecommerce to...

Australia’s government has enacted legislation prohibiting children under 16 from accessing social media platforms to protect them from the harmful effects of online content, such as cyberbullying, exploitation, and exposure to inappropriate material.  The Online Safety Amendment  Under the new legislation, known as the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill 2024, only just...

A recent report from Virgin Media O2 Business and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) has revealed that if all UK businesses had embraced digital technology more extensively in 2021, the economy could have reaped a £111 billion boost in turnover.  The Untapped Potential of Digitalisation  The report, titled ‘The Economic and Social...

Cryptocurrency Bitcoin’s value has surged past $80,000 for the first time, driven by market optimism following Donald Trump’s election victory and his promises to transform the United States into a global hub for cryptocurrency innovation.  Control of Congress  Trump’s election as the next US president and his securing control of Congress, plus the Republican Party...

In this insight, in reviewing how a malvertising campaign is hijacking Facebook accounts to spread the SYS01stealer malware, we examine the tactics used, plus we look at the impact on businesses and steps organisations can take to protect themselves.  Exposed By Bitdefender  Bucharest-based cybersecurity company Bitdefender has recently exposed a sophisticated malvertising campaign that leverages Facebook...

In a move poised to transform cancer diagnostics, the NHS has announced it is piloting an innovative iPhone-based device to help detect or rule out throat cancer more swiftly.  What Device?  Developed by Endoscope-i Ltd, a West Midlands-based medical technology company, the device, called the endoscope-i adapter, connects over the iPhone’s rear camera lens, securely...

With alarming figures showing an 89 per cent increase in grooming cases in the last six years, the NSPCC has reported that data shows Snapchat tops the list of common platforms that perpetrators have been using to target children online.  Record Levels of Grooming  Since “Sexual Communication with a Child” was established as an offence...

With the UK’s new Employment Rights Bill expected to become law by 2026, we look at what this could mean for tech employers, the key changes, and practical impacts.  Protections for Workers from Day One  The UK’s new Employment Rights Bill is set to bring seismic changes to the employment landscape, with major implications for...

Following Trump’s dramatic election for a second term, we look at what this means for the tech industry, examining the potential impacts on major companies, regulation, cryptocurrency, autonomous vehicles, AI, social media, markets, and the influence of key players like Elon Musk. An Era of Change, Uncertainty, and Opportunity The re-election of Donald Trump as...

Apple is set to release a new wave of AI-powered features in its upcoming iOS 18.2 update, with a focus on enhancing Siri and other key apps through advanced intelligence tools.  The new “Apple Intelligence” features will be available on supported devices later this year, with iOS 18.2 marking the introduction of several key enhancements....

With recent research showing that Smartphones harbour 10 times more bacteria than a toilet seat and that 74 per cent of us admit to bringing it to bed, scientists are warning that bringing a phone to bed can be hazardous to your health.   Harmful Bacteria On Your Phone  A study from the University of...

OpenAI has announced that it is launching a test version of a dedicated Windows app for its popular chatbot ChatGPT. Announcement On October 17, OpenAI announced on X that: “Today, ChatGPT Plus, Enterprise, Team, and Edu users can start testing an early version of the Windows desktop app.” This is a major step in making OpenAI’s...

In this tech insight, we look at how WhatsApp currently makes money, explore potential reasons why it might introduce charges in the future, compare its revenue model with competing messaging apps, and analyse the possible impact the introduction of any changes could have.  Currently A Free, Seamless Messaging Service (For Personal Users)  First introduced in...

Following OpenAI’s Sam Altman recently renaming his Worldcoin project simply ‘World,’ we take a look at World’s iris-scanning technology, what it’s for, its potential benefits, and its possible drawbacks.  World – Providing ‘Proof of Personhood’  In an age where AI now appears to be blurring the lines between human and machine interaction, the ability to...

Following California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoing a landmark AI safety bill aimed at regulating the development and deployment of advanced AI systems, we look at the reasons why it was blocked and the implications of doing so.  What Bill?  US Senate ‘Bill 1047’ relates to regulating AI systems with the focus specifically around frontier AI...

Microsoft 365 is packed with numerous apps designed to save time, boost productivity and help you work smarter. Here’s a closer look at some essential (yet often under-utilised) applications that can make a significant difference in your daily workflow.  Planner  This app is a task management tool that helps teams create detailed plans, assign tasks,...

The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has shut down a global call-spoofing operation called ‘Russian Coms’ which is believed to have been used to swindle more than 170,000 victims.  Russian Coms  Russian Coms is the name of the major caller ID spoofing platform used by criminals to make over 1.8 million fraudulent calls to victims...

As part of the NGI TrustChain initiative, 15 startups have been awarded €1.8 million in funding to use blockchain to tackle online misinformation, fraud and fake identities.   What Is Blockchain?  Blockchain technology (first released in 2009 and the technology behind Bitcoin) is the decentralised digital ledger system that securely records transactions across multiple computers, ensuring...

In this insight, we look at how a recently developed ‘World Cybercrime Index’ appears to show the globe’s key cybercrime hotspots by ranking the most significant sources of cybercrime at a national level.  Three Years To Develop  The world-first World Cybercrime Index (WCI) was developed by following three years of intensive research as part of a joint...

In light of two recent reports of motorcyclists being killed in collisions with Tesla vehicles in Autopilot mode, we look closely at the issue of whether automated driving is really safe.  Death of Two Motorcyclists  If automated driving is a factor in death on the roads, it seems legitimate to ask the question ‘is automated driving...

Online travel marketplace, Booking.com, has been designated a ‘gatekeeper’ company by the EU under its new Digital Markets Act (DMA) competition law, meaning that Booking.com now has six months to comply.  Gatekeepers?  Under the EU’s new Digital Markets Act (DMA), ‘gatekeepers’ are large digital platforms that play a pivotal role in the digital economy. They...

It’s been reported that an employee at London-based design and engineering multinational, Arup, was duped by a deepfake video call into paying a staggering $25.6 million to fraudsters.  What Happened?  According to reports published on CNN, back in January, a finance employee in Arup’s Hong Kong office received what they suspected was a phishing email,...

It’s been reported in Chinese state media that Microsoft has asked at least 100 employees to consider relocating to other countries.  Why?  It’s been reported that Microsoft has asked hundreds of its China-based employees, particularly those involved in cloud computing and AI, to consider relocating to other countries. It’s thought that this decision was prompted...

Google has announced the introduction of real-time, privacy-preserving URL protection to Google Safe Browsing for those using Chrome on desktop or iOS (and Android later this month).  Why?  Google says with attacks constantly evolving, and with the difference between successfully detecting a threat or not now perhaps being just a “matter of minutes,” this new...

A High Court judge has ruled that Australian computer scientist Dr Craig Wright is not the inventor of the Bitcoin cryptocurrency, despite him claiming to be so since 2016. Real Bitcoin Inventor A Secret The challenge with trying to conclusively identify Bitcoin’s inventor is that, from the outset, Bitcoin’s creator has only been known by...

The new Swedish-made Polestar 4 will be the first car on UK roads to replace a rear window (and traditional rear-view mirror) with a high-definition screen showing a real-time roof-mounted camera feed.  Two Digital Cameras With Feed Displayed In ‘Mirror’  In fact, instead of a traditional rearview mirror, the Polestar 4 has a high-resolution rear-view...

Google has announced that it is trying out generative AI within Google Maps as a way for users to discover new places based on their questions.  How?  What Google means is that if users, for example, are visiting a town or city, they can simply tell Google Maps what they’re looking for and AI will...

In a recent experiment where AI was taught to behave maliciously and then taught to stop, the bad behaviour continued despite efforts to stop it, giving a chilling reminder of the potential threats of AI.  The Experiment  The Cornell University experiment was documented in an online paper entitled “Sleeper Agents: Training Deceptive LLMS That Persist Through...

A report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts that almost one-third of electricity demand in Ireland is expected to come from data-centres by 2026.  Doubling Of Electricity Demand  The IEA’s ‘Electricity 2024 – Analysis and forecast to 2026’ highlights how having one of the lowest corporate tax rates in the EU (12.5 per cent)...

To keep its App Store appealing to developers after they gain the right to distribute apps through their own channels when the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) comes into force, Apple is introducing a pilot test of “contingent pricing.”  This means that developers can bundle subscriptions for two apps at a discounted price in the...

Included in a recent major update to Google’s Gmail on Android (for now), a new feature can help users to declutter and remove annoying spam from their inbox.  Select All Option  The new feature (currently being rolled out) enables users to use a “Select all” tick box that appears above (top left) in the inbox (on the...

Researchers at the University of Tokyo have reported making a two-legged “biohybrid robot” after combining an artificial skeleton with biological muscle, which can walk and pivot underwater.  Biohybrid  Whereas ‘typical’ biohybrid robots can only move in straight lines or perform large turns (making them unsuitable for use in areas with many obstacles), the Tokyo University biohybrid robot...

Following Microsoft’s recent announcement that it is expanding its Copilot product line-up to appeal to a larger range of businesses, we take a look at what this means and some of the stand-out pros and cons.  Copilot  In November last year, Microsoft, a major investor in AI through its partnership with OpenAI (ChatGPT’s creators) announced...

With newly expanded Google and Yahoo guidelines for high-volume emailers coming into force from the 1st of February, we look at what needs to be done to comply.  Why? As Google says about the reason for the new guidelines: “we’ll require bulk senders to authenticate their emails, allow for easy unsubscription and stay under a reported...

A new AI tool called GNoME from Google’s DeepMind artificial intelligence lab has reportedly discovered and contributed nearly 380,000 new compounds to the Materials Project, the open-access database founded at the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab).  GNoME  The Graph Networks for Materials Exploration (GNoME), is an AI-powered deep learning tool and...

It’s been reported that The European Commission is now seeking feedback from Apple’s rivals and customers over concessions agreed by Apple relating to its tap-and-go mobile payment systems, based on the independent technology called Near-Field Communication (NFC).  Following an antitrust investigation and the threat of a fine, Apple had agreed to open up these systems...

A new review of existing research, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), warns that video gamers who are listening to high-intensity sound levels for long periods of time may be risking permanent hearing loss and tinnitus.  Overlooked Area  Whereas headphones, earbuds, and music venues have been recognised as sources of potentially unsafe sound levels,...

Work has started on Google’s first UK data centre which will cost $1 billion (£790m), will add to Google’s 27 data centres worldwide, and will support its move into AI.  Crucial Compute Capacity  The data centre is being built on a 33-acre site at Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire. In addition to the construction and technical jobs...

Following many legal challenges to AI companies about copyrighted content being scraped and used to train their AI models (without consent or payment), a new certification for copyright-compliant AI has been launched.  The Issue  As highlighted in the recent case of the New York Times suing OpenAI over the alleged training of its AI on...

A single 1976 $4.01 cheque from (and signed by) Apple co-founder Steve Jobs has been sold at auction for a whopping $46,063.  The cheque, written just four months after Apple was founded, was written for a purchase at Radio Shack, where co-founder Steve Wozniak famously bought a TRS-80 Micro Computer System.   The components from...

Google has announced the phased rollout of its new ‘Gemini’ family of large language models with the Ultra version said to rival the abilities of OpenAI’s GPT-4.  What Is Gemini?  Gemini, which Google describes as its “newest and most capable” large language model (LLM) and representing a “new era” for AI, is a highly advanced and multimodal AI model....

Following 36 hours of talks, EU officials have finally reached a historic provisional deal on laws to regulate the use of artificial intelligence.  The Artificial Intelligence Act  The Council presidency and the European Parliament’s negotiators’ provisional agreement relates to the proposal on harmonised rules on artificial intelligence (AI), the so-called artificial intelligence act.   The EU...

Following the recent boardroom power struggle that led to the sacking and reinstatement of OpenAI boss Sam Altman, Microsoft’s relationship with OpenAI is now under US and UK antitrust scrutiny.  What Happened?  A recent boardroom battle at OpenAI (ChatGPT’s creator and working partner of Microsoft), led to the rapid ousting of OpenAI’s boss Sam Altman...

Analysis by the Department for Education’s Unit for Future Skills to try and quantify the impact of AI on the UK jobs market found the finance and insurance sector was more exposed than any other.   The Analysis  “The impact of AI on UK jobs and training” report published online by the government highlights the results of...

An issue with Google’s cloud that locked some Google Drive for desktop users out of some of their files from the last six months has led to some angry comments being left on Google’s community support site.  Reported Over A Month Ago  The issue was first reported by a user (known as ‘Yeonjoong) back on...

Following on from the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Bard (and Duet), Microsoft’s Copilot, and X’s Grok, now Amazon has announced that it will soon be launching its own ‘Q’ generative AI chatbot (for business).  Cue Q  Amazon has become the latest of the tech giants to announce the introduction of its own generative AI...

It’s been reported that a TikTok video has started a trend of people using AI to enhance their appearance in their LinkedIn profile photos with a view to improving their chance of getting a job via the platform.  The TikTok Video  The short TikTok video that’s been attributed to inspiring the trend was posted during...

With the recent release of the latest update of Apple’s iPhone software, iOS 17, we look at many of the useful new features and their benefits.  What’s Happened?  Apple recently released a new updated version of its iOS (iOS 17), which contains many new features, security updates and fixes for Apple’s iPhone, iPad, and smartwatch....

Oslo-based startup Iris.ai has developed an AI Chat feature for its Researcher Workspace platform which it says can reduce ‘AI hallucinations’ to single-figure percentages.  What Are AI Hallucinations?  AI hallucinations, also known as ‘adversarial examples’ or ‘AI-generated illusions,’ are where AI systems generate or disseminate information that is inaccurate, misleading, or simply false. The fact...

Google Cloud has announced in a blog post that if customers are challenged on copyright grounds through using its generative AI products (Duet AI), Google will offer limited indemnity and assume responsibility for the potential legal risks involved.  Why?  With the many different generative AI services (such as AI chatbots and image generators) being powered...

With many of the world’s coral reefs being damaged by heat and acidification, one startup has developed a system to restore reefs at scale with the help of trained AI robots.. Coral Reefs Struggling  The world’s coral reefs only cover 0.2 per cent of the seafloor, but they provide a vital habitat to more than...

It’s been reported that a trade group for U.S. authors (including John Grisham) has sued OpenAI, accusing it of unlawfully training its chatbot ChatGPT on their work.  Which Authors?  The Authors Guild trade group has filed the lawsuit (in Manhattan federal court) on behalf of a number of prominent authors including John Grisham, Jonathan Franzen,...