Artificial intelligence, automation and robotics

Read about the latest trends and technologies in artificial intelligence (AI), automation, machine learning and robotics. Learn what AI and automation mean for enterprise IT strategies and how organisations are using AI for business benefit

Feature 04 May 2023
Icelandic researcher advocates for an overhaul of artificial intelligence

While technologies such as ChatGPT provide a glimpse of what may lay ahead, they are still a long way from real intelligence Continue Reading
E-Zine 10 Feb 2023
CW EMEA: Kyiv is ready for anything

CIOs must be ready for the unexpected, but not many CIOs and IT teams face keeping a city’s vital IT running while fighting for their lives. In this issue of CW EMEA, Oleg Polovynko, CIO at Kyiv City Council, explains how the IT team in the Ukrainian capital has kept services running for its residents amid relentless bombing by Russian forces. We also look at how the Netherlands is planning to regulate AI to reduce bias, how highly accurate time protocols ensure fair trading in finance, and the use of technology in agriculture in Denmark. Read the issue now. Continue Reading

News 05 May 2023

Bing AI push rings in price change

Microsoft’s large investment in OpenAI has seen an expansion of AI in Bing. This appears to be reflected in new Bing API licensing Continue Reading
Opinion 04 May 2023

The changing role of infrastructure and operations

I&O leaders will need to automate for efficiency, manage customer requirements, optimise cloud operations and explore new technologies to improve services and enable innovation Continue Reading
Feature 04 May 2023

Icelandic researcher advocates for an overhaul of artificial intelligence

While technologies such as ChatGPT provide a glimpse of what may lay ahead, they are still a long way from real intelligence Continue Reading
News 04 May 2023

CMA looks at competition in foundational AI

The Competition and Markets Authority is investigating consumer protection and market forces related to the use of emerging artificial intelligence models Continue Reading
News 03 May 2023

US competition watchdog issues generative AI warning

Generative AI can be used to manipulate people into making harmful decisions, says US Federal Trade Commission in warning to firms building and using AI-powered tools Continue Reading
News 03 May 2023

Artificial intelligence: Business leaders start to realise the risks

ChatGPT and other large language models can rewrite value, and business leaders now realise they need a plan Continue Reading
02 May 2023

AI interview: Elke Schwarz, professor of political theory

Elke Schwarz speaks with Computer Weekly about the ethics of military artificial intelligence and the dangers of allowing governments and corporations to push forward without oversight or scrutiny Continue Reading
E-Zine 02 May 2023

The ethics of military AI

In this week’s Computer Weekly, as the defence sector looks into using artificial intelligence to create autonomous weapons, we examine the risks and ethics of military AI. Amazon Web Services is under fire for not providing vital emissions data to customers – we investigate the issues. And we find out what IT security teams can learn from a year of cyber warfare in Ukraine. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
Feature 01 May 2023

The role of AI as an everyday life assistant

We speak to the co-author of a book that explores the idea of artificial intelligence-powered automation that enables machines to become customers Continue Reading
News 28 Apr 2023

Intel results reveal a push to address AI shortcomings

The chipmaker has been impacted by poor PC sales, but aims to drive adoption of its AI inferencing technology Continue Reading
News 27 Apr 2023

Tenable opens playground for generative AI cyber tools

A set of generative AI cyber tools designed to help security researchers in reverse engineering, debugging and other areas of work have been made available for the community to experiment with Continue Reading
Blog Post 27 Apr 2023

Empathy with the Machine

The smart speaker revolution has meant people often thank their device or say “please”, when asking it to do something. Some also greet their device with a “Good Morning”, and perhaps a “Good ... Continue Reading
News 26 Apr 2023

UK taskforce set to drive generative AI safety and opportunities

The government has committed £100m to helping the UK develop and build out generative artificial intelligence capabilities Continue Reading
News 26 Apr 2023

Cyber security and analytics propel jobs boost in Scotland’s tech sector

A tech industry survey from ScotlandIS indicates the country’s tech sector is set to grow, with cyber security as the hottest domain Continue Reading
E-Zine 25 Apr 2023

Data a driving force at Aston Martin Formula One

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we speak to Aston Martin Formula One’s Clare Lansley to find out how digital transformation helps the team to move further up the F1 grid. We explore how automation and AI is helping businesses tackle rising costs and also look into the maturity of Industry 4.0 initiatives. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 24 Apr 2023

Most IT staff uncomfortable deploying surveillance tech at work

The IT teams responsible for deploying and running digital surveillance in workplaces say they are uncomfortable with “extremely common” practice of spying on colleagues, research finds Continue Reading
News 24 Apr 2023

Amazon Web Services selects 14 startups for space accelerator

The cohort of startups will use AWS and its resources to accelerate the research and development of their technologies and boost their growth Continue Reading
24 Apr 2023

How AI and automation can streamline procurement

We speak to chief procurement officers about the role of artificial intelligence in helping their organisations reduce costs and tackle the economic slowdown Continue Reading
Feature 24 Apr 2023

How artificial intelligence and automation can streamline procurement

We speak to chief procurement officers about the role of artificial intelligence in helping their organisations reduce costs and tackle the economic slowdown Continue Reading
20 Apr 2023

How Indian banks can drive automation in corporate banking

Banks should prioritise their processes for automation based on the level of human intervention, understand their processes thoroughly and put employees at the centre of their automation efforts Continue Reading
Opinion 19 Apr 2023

Using quantum computing to make better human decisions

Paul Martin, Quantum lead at PA Consulting explains how quantum computing can be pressed into practical service by business decision makers Continue Reading
News 19 Apr 2023

TUC says government is failing to protect workers from AI harms

TUC issues warning about artificial intelligence leading to more widespread workplace discrimination if the right checks are not put in place Continue Reading
News 19 Apr 2023

Oracle dials up supply chain automation, adds ‘Grow’ to HCM

Oracle announces enhancements to Fusion for supply chain automation and employee experience, coincident with Oracle CloudWorld Tour in London Continue Reading
News 19 Apr 2023

QlikWorld 2023: Capone asserts expanded economic mission for data analytics

Mike Capone, chief executive of data analytics supplier Qlik, marks company’s 30-year anniversary with claim for a mission expanded beyond data visualisation, at the supplier’s global conference in Las Vegas Continue Reading
News 18 Apr 2023

Tech spending in India to grow by 9.6% in 2023

Digital initiatives in the public sector along with investments in telecoms and other areas are expected to spur technology spending in India this year Continue Reading
News 17 Apr 2023

Government launches Smart Data Council to lower utility bills

The council aims to find ways to use and encourage uptake of smart data to make it easier to switch utility providers and save money Continue Reading
News 14 Apr 2023

Alibaba Cloud unveils cheaper cloud options, new language model

Alibaba has introduced cheaper instances of its compute and storage services in China and is jumping on the generative AI bandwagon with its Tongyi Qianwen language model Continue Reading
News 13 Apr 2023

Italy to lift ChatGPT ban subject to new data protection controls

Italian regulator will lift its ban on OpenAI’s ChatGPT subject to a strict new data protection regime Continue Reading
News 13 Apr 2023

AstraZeneca launches African healthtech hub

AstraZeneca has launched its latest healthcare innovation hub, which will focus on using digital technology to improve healthcare in Africa Continue Reading
News 13 Apr 2023

ICO responds to UK government AI regulation plans

The ICO has officially responded to the government’s plans for regulating artificial intelligence as outlined in its recent whitepaper, but called for clarity on certain aspects before the proposals are taken further Continue Reading
News 12 Apr 2023

UK police double down on ‘improved’ facial recognition

The Met and South Wales Police have doubled down on their use of facial recognition technology after research found improved accuracy in their algorithms when using certain settings, but civil society groups maintain that the tech will still be used in a discriminatory fashion Continue Reading
Podcast 12 Apr 2023

Next-gen AI: A Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast

Mark Raskino, co-author of When Machines Become Customers, discusses machine-to-machine commerce Continue Reading
News 10 Apr 2023

How India’s Cropin is tapping the groundswell in agritech

Cropin, one of the first movers in agriculture technology, has built an industry cloud platform that is now used by the likes of PepsiCo to maximise crop yields Continue Reading
Feature 06 Apr 2023

How sustainability software bears broad benefits beyond cost savings

The imperative for organisations to do a better sustainability job is clear. There is business software that can help, with data at its core, and smart companies are acting now Continue Reading
News 05 Apr 2023

Italy’s ChatGPT ban: Sober precaution or chilling overreaction?

Italy’s data protection authority issued a temporary ban on ChatGPT citing data protection concerns and alleged breaches of the GDPR. Is this a reasonable precaution, or a chilling restriction on personal freedoms? Continue Reading
News 05 Apr 2023

The Folio Society turns over new leaf with NetSuite

Well known for its illustrated, hardback editions of books, The Folio Society has brought its finance systems up to date, in part to aid international growth, with Oracle NetSuite Continue Reading
News 03 Apr 2023

CIO interview: Carter Busse, CIO, Workato

Workato CIO Carter Busse talks up the company’s approach towards automation and its efforts to drive the technology across its business Continue Reading
News 31 Mar 2023

Generative AI central to Accenture’s tech vision

Generative AI will play a central role over the next 10 years as the digital and physical world become more and more integrated Continue Reading
Opinion 30 Mar 2023

Preventing artificial deception in the age of AI

The proposals contained in Westminster’s AI whitepaper are a good start, but more creative thinking and investment will be required to achieve a truly pro-innovation regulatory environment Continue Reading
News 30 Mar 2023

Naver Cloud teams up with Korean tourism body

The South Korean hyperscaler has teamed up with the Korea Tourism Organisation to improve visitor experience using its cloud capabilities Continue Reading
News 29 Mar 2023

UK government publishes AI whitepaper

Artificial intelligence whitepaper outlines UK government’s proposals to regulate the technology, which are based around creating an agile, “pro-innovation” framework Continue Reading
News 29 Mar 2023

Generative AI presents opportunities and challenges to UK schools

Generative AI and LLMs hold great potential for use in the classroom, but the privacy and security implications of its use must be carefully considered, says the Department for Education Continue Reading
News 28 Mar 2023

Alan Turing Institute unveils strategy to support UK AI

The strategy is built around helping the UK government realise its artificial intelligence ambitions, and focuses on areas where the UK can play a transformative role in shaping AI development Continue Reading
News 28 Mar 2023

Microsoft expands AI Copilot project into security realm

New Microsoft service, Security Copilot, will supposedly expand the reach, speed and effectiveness of cyber teams Continue Reading
News 28 Mar 2023

How ChatGPT will become a programmer’s best friend

ChatGPT has shown it can produce code. It can also identify bugs and even figure out what a code snippet is trying to do Continue Reading
News 28 Mar 2023

Europol warns cops to prep for malicious AI abuse

In a report looking at how large language models can be used by criminals, Europol’s Innovation Lab calls on law enforcement agencies to prepare themselves for wide-ranging impacts on their work Continue Reading
E-Zine 28 Mar 2023

Is TikTok really a security threat to your business?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, with the UK government becoming the latest administration to ban TikTok, we ask whether the controversial social media app is really a security threat to enterprises. Technology guru Bruce Schneier tells us about the need to take back control of AI and the personal data it relies on. And we look at how firms are trying – and failing – to make AI work for online content moderation. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 27 Mar 2023

Lords AI weapons committee holds first evidence session

In first evidence session of Lords AI weapons committee, expert witnesses unpack claims that artificial intelligence in weapon systems will help military organisations to improve their compliance with international humanitarian law Continue Reading
News 24 Mar 2023

How large language models address enterprise IT

It’s being pitched as Microsoft versus Google, but the large language models from these two giants are likely to revolutionise IT usability Continue Reading
Blog Post 23 Mar 2023

Be an AI hero, but just for a day

Like all new shiny new things, generative AI offers mere mortals a brief chance to impress friends, colleagues, line managers and customers, with Da Vinci levels of creativity and intelligence. ... Continue Reading
News 23 Mar 2023

Podium taps ChatGPT for reputation management

The customer interaction and payment specialist with operations in Australia has integrated ChatGPT into its platform to help local businesses respond to customer reviews on social media Continue Reading
News 22 Mar 2023

UK government launches international tech strategy as tool of diplomacy

The UK government has announced an international technology strategy to promote the country abroad, strengthening ties with allies and supporting developing nations Continue Reading
E-Zine 21 Mar 2023

The risks of an imbalance in AI

In this week’s Computer Weekly, a leading AI expert explains the risks of an arms race in artificial intelligence caused by the domination of private sector providers. Our latest buyer’s guide examines ways to reduce IT’s energy use. And we analyse the latest damning revelations from the Post Office scandal inquiry. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 20 Mar 2023

Government should invest in maritime tech, say MPs

Report from the Transport Committee calls for investment in technology for the maritime sector, and wants the government to make it easier to scale-up innovation Continue Reading
17 Mar 2023

Advancing AI responsibly

Artificial intelligence researcher Michael Osborne discusses the implications of a market-driven AI arms race and the overwhelming dominance of the private sector over the technology. Continue Reading
News 17 Mar 2023

UK government to create code of practice for generative AI firms

The code will look to strike a balance between copyright holders and generative AI firms so that both parties can benefit from the use of copyrighted material in training data Continue Reading
News 17 Mar 2023

Microsoft trials ChatGPT to boost enterprise productivity

The Office Suite, Outlook, Teams and Power tools are about to get an AI boost thanks to Microsoft 365 Copilot Continue Reading
Feature 17 Mar 2023

Vast Data’s ‘Act 2’ builds data management layer on QLC flash

Vast Data offers QLC flash bulk storage with a rapid cache I/O layer. Now, it has embarked on offering big data, analytics and application access to highly available data stores Continue Reading
News 16 Mar 2023

Vallance review advocates light-touch regulation for emerging technologies

Patrick Vallance, the outgoing government chief scientific adviser, has seen his light-touch emerging technologies regulation advice accepted by the government lock, stock and barrel Continue Reading
News 16 Mar 2023

Budget 2023: startups extra funding via R&D relief and pensions

UK government aims to promote increased investment in research and development-intensive startups through tax relief measures, relaxed pension rules, and new investment zones Continue Reading
News 15 Mar 2023

Budget 2023: Chancellor affirms tax relief for IT investment

Jeremy Hunt’s Spring Budget makes IT investment tax expendable for three years and announces support for artificial intelligence companies, including annual £1m ‘Manchester Prize’ Continue Reading
News 14 Mar 2023

NCSC warns over AI language models but rejects cyber alarmism

The UK's NCSC has issued advice for those using the technology underpinning AI tools such as ChatGPT, but says some of the security doomsday scenarios being proposed right now are not necessarily realistic Continue Reading
News 14 Mar 2023

AI interview: Elke Schwarz, professor of political theory

Elke Schwarz speaks with Computer Weekly about the ethics of military artificial intelligence and the dangers of allowing governments and corporations to push forward without oversight or scrutiny Continue Reading
Feature 13 Mar 2023

Generative AI at watershed moment with spate of legal challenges

Just over 20 years ago, Napster was closed on copyright grounds for allowing users to access digital copies of music for free. Now, a spate of legal cases have experts questioning whether OpenAI and other generative AI innovators will go the same way Continue Reading
News 10 Mar 2023

Technology minister Michelle Donelan defends data reforms

Secretary of state Michelle Donelan has defended the government’s new data reforms as providing certainty for businesses while simultaneously retaining high standards of data protection, but industry figures are having mixed reactions Continue Reading
Feature 09 Mar 2023

Face tech – recognising the retail opportunity

From age verification to catching criminals, how are retailers using facial recognition technology to push forward their businesses? Continue Reading
News 08 Mar 2023

UK government introduces revised data reform bill to Parliament

Designed in close collaboration with technology businesses, the UK government is re-introducing an updated version of its Data Protection and Digital Information Bill to Parliament, which civil society groups say upends key safeguards Continue Reading
Podcast 08 Mar 2023

Procurement AI: A Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast

We speak to BT’s procurement chief about the role of artificial intelligence and how conversational AI will improve workflows Continue Reading
News 08 Mar 2023

Executive interview: BT chief procurement officer, Cyril Pourrat

BT Sourced is part of BT Group and aims to tackle the telecommunications giant’s multibillion-pound spending. We speak to its procurement chief Continue Reading
Feature 07 Mar 2023

AI in the Netherlands: Talent, data and responsibility

Applied researchers in the Netherlands are working to bring AI to a higher level Continue Reading
Feature 07 Mar 2023

Culture eats technology in digital transformation

Digital transformation without culture change is an empty phrase, but get the balance right and you can reap rewards Continue Reading
News 07 Mar 2023

Taking back control: Could a distributed model breed a better AI?

AI tools such as ChatGPT are trained on datasets scraped from the web, but you don’t have much say if your data is used. Technologist Bruce Schneier says it’s time to give control of AI training data back to the people Continue Reading
News 07 Mar 2023

APAC IT leaders bullish on tech spending

Over half of respondents in this year’s IT Priorities study have bigger IT budgets as they continue to make strategic investments in cyber security, cloud and automation, among other areas Continue Reading
News 06 Mar 2023

Guinness World Records goes digital

Guinness World Records has been around since 1955. Over the past 20 years, it has transformed from book publishing to consultancy and digital content creation, most recently marshalling NetSuite Continue Reading
News 06 Mar 2023

Lords Committee to investigate use of AI-powered weapons systems

House of Lords to investigate the use of artificial intelligence in weapons systems, following UK government publication of AI defence strategy in June 2022 Continue Reading
News 06 Mar 2023

Government announces Science and Technology framework

The government has announced the first major work completed by its recently launched Department for Science, Innovation and Technology Continue Reading
Feature 06 Mar 2023

Software enables new business model for Sweden-headquartered car manufacturer

One of the many things software now does with cars is to enable ‘mobility as a service’, a new business model that provides people with freedom of movement, without the cost and hassle of ownership Continue Reading
Opinion 05 Mar 2023

Computer says no. Will fairness survive in the AI age?

New forms of regulation will be needed to safeguard against the risks posed by AI Continue Reading
News 03 Mar 2023

Newham Council expands on data economy plans unveiled in 2021

Newham Council plans to set up a ‘data campus’ at East Ham Town Hall to continue the data economy development vision it announced at London Tech Week in 2021 Continue Reading
News 02 Mar 2023

AI interview: Michael Osborne, professor of machine learning

Artificial intelligence researcher speaks with Computer Weekly about the implications of a market-driven AI arms race and the overwhelming dominance of the private sector over the technology Continue Reading
News 01 Mar 2023

CIO interview: Clare Lansley, CIO, Aston Martin Formula One

A rare female CIO in a male-dominated sport, Lansley discusses how digital transformation is all a part of helping the team to move further up the F1 grid Continue Reading
News 28 Feb 2023

Industrial safetytech startups secure £150m funding since 2020

Industrial safetytech investment reached a record high of $100m in 2021, and remains significantly ahead of pre-pandemic funding levels despite a dip in 2022 Continue Reading
News 28 Feb 2023

Korea telecom giant SKT doubles down on AI

SKT plans to broaden the use of AI across its business, from delivering AI-powered services to improving customer experience using generative AI models Continue Reading
Feature 27 Feb 2023

Unstructured data and the storage it needs

We look at unstructured and semi-structured data and find increasing amounts of production workloads that have their own storage hardware – file and object – needs, including flash Continue Reading
News 24 Feb 2023

UK police have ‘culture of retention’ around biometric data

A culture of retention around biometric data in UK policing is damaging public trust, says UK biometrics commissioner, who is calling for clear regulation to govern police use of biometric technologies Continue Reading
Feature 24 Feb 2023

AI in healthcare in northern Europe suggests future pathways

AI is used sporadically across northern Europe. If the healthcare sector is to provide affordable, high-quality care as the population ages and the economy falters, it will be needed more, experts say Continue Reading
News 23 Feb 2023

ANZ CIOs flag priorities amid inflation concerns

CIOs in Australia and New Zealand are concerned about inflation and plan to adjust their technology priorities to optimise resources and combat cyber threats Continue Reading
News 22 Feb 2023

UK HSE to launch regulatory sandbox for industrial safety tech

The sandbox will see the regulator work with industry and tech startups to accelerate the development and adoption of a range of safety-related technologies, with a particular emphasis on data and analytics Continue Reading
News 22 Feb 2023

Tony Blair and William Hague call for a remade strategic state to stoke UK innovation

Former Labour prime minister and former Conservative Party leader argue for a remaking of the British state to capitalise on artificial intelligence, biotech and climate tech, and reverse the country’s decline Continue Reading
News 22 Feb 2023

Institute for Government cautions government to draw right lessons from pandemic

The Institute for Government has published a policy document warning government not to draw wrong lessons from data sharing during pandemic Continue Reading
E-Zine 22 Feb 2023

Innovation not infestation – digitising pest control

In this week’s Computer Weekly, we find out how Rentokil Initial is using the latest in digital innovation to improve the age-old task of pest control. The leading experts offer a 15-point plan to improve diversity and inclusion in IT. And with all the excitement around ChatGPT, we ask whether business is ready to use the AI chatbot. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 21 Feb 2023

Singtel eyes retailers with enterprise 5G offerings

Singtel teams up with Apple’s enterprise solution partners to drive 5G adoption among retailers with industry-specific offerings aimed at improving retail operations and customer experience Continue Reading
News 21 Feb 2023

NetSuite and Oracle executives optimistic about economy

Oracle NetSuite’s recent SuiteConnect event in London found executives in optimistic mood about the economy and positive about synergies between the two businesses Continue Reading
Podcast 16 Feb 2023

Enterprise open source: A Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast

We speak to Spotify’s open source tech lead, Per Ploug, on supplier relationship management in open source Continue Reading
News 16 Feb 2023

Mock crime prediction tool profiles MEPs as potential criminals

Developed by Fair Trials, the example crime prediction tool uses the same information as police systems to assess the likelihood of someone committing a crime in the future Continue Reading
News 15 Feb 2023

Home Office partners with BAE Systems on border analytics

BAE Systems wins three-year contract worth £38m to help Home Office develop Cerberus, a project to secure UK borders through advanced data systems and analytics Continue Reading
E-Zine 14 Feb 2023

Where next for NHS IT?

In this week’s Computer Weekly, as NHS Digital is folded into NHS England, we consider what the merger could mean for the future of NHS IT. We find out how data science and analytics has become an increasingly important function for the John Lewis Partnership. And we examine the importance of building empathy into metaverse applications. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
10 Feb 2023

Netherlands wants watchdog to reduce bias in artificial intelligence

Dutch government will take swift action to prevent citizens getting into trouble due to the misuse of algorithms Continue Reading
E-Zine 10 Feb 2023

CW EMEA: Kyiv is ready for anything

CIOs must be ready for the unexpected, but not many CIOs and IT teams face keeping a city’s vital IT running while fighting for their lives. In this issue of CW EMEA, Oleg Polovynko, CIO at Kyiv City Council, explains how the IT team in the Ukrainian capital has kept services running for its residents amid relentless bombing by Russian forces. We also look at how the Netherlands is planning to regulate AI to reduce bias, how highly accurate time protocols ensure fair trading in finance, and the use of technology in agriculture in Denmark. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
News 09 Feb 2023

New Border Force unit to deploy more surveillance tech in Channel

Newly established Small Boats Operational Command (SBOC) will deploy a range of surveillance technologies in the English Channel in an attempt to deter crossings Continue Reading