A Blackpool partnership of businesses, the public sector, and the local community has come together to put forward a roadmap that will help it become the “smartest and best-connected” town in the UK.
Led by the $1.6 billion acquisition of Yandex, Europe’s tech industry has seen AI deal activity jump by 26.7 per cent in the first quarter. According to GlobalData’s deal database, a total of 212 artificial intelligence deals worth $5 billion were announced for the region during the first few months of 2021, against the last four-quarter average of 167 deals.
A new report has revealed record-breaking number of technology mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the first quarter of 2021. Tech deal activity was up 28 per cent compared to the previous year, with 268 deals announced, according to a new report.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has warned that while smart cities are a benefit to citizens, they are also potential targets for cyber-attacks due to the critical functions they provide and sensitive data they process.
The Chartered Institute of Information Security (CIISec) and the College of Policing have announced the independent launch of a new institute that will train law enforcement in cyber digital investigations.
Shift Technology has closed a funding round worth $220 million. The company is a SaaS provider of AI-driven decision automation and optimisation for the global insurance industry.
Independent identity provider Okta has announced the completion of its buyout of identity platform Auth0 for $6.5 billion. Okta said it will combine its enterprise expertise with Auth0’s developer knowledge.
Hitachi ABB Power Grids has partnered with HCL Technologies to develop a new greenfield digital foundation as part of its global transformation programme.
Uber is collaborating with electric vehicle (EV) developer Arrival to create an affordable, purpose-built electric car for ride-hailing drivers. The two companies are exploring a strategic partnership across Britain and the EU.
45 per cent of UK consumers would recommend a retailer if it had a world-class mobile experience, according to new research. 41 per cent said they would be more loyal to the brand, while 28 per cent said they would spend more money.
eBay has said it’s open to the idea of accepting cryptocurrency payments in the future. The online marketplace, which has 22 million active users in the UK, also said that it is exploring how to incorporate non-fungible tokens (NFTs) on its platform.
A proposed EU law that would force BigTech companies to delete terrorist content within an hour of publishing has been backed by lawmakers. The legislation, which has raised concerns from civil rights groups, was first proposed in 2018 after a number of attacks took place in several European cities.
London City Airport has become the first major international airport in the world to be wholly controlled by a remote digital air traffic control tower. The airport carried out intensive testing and live trials of the technology during lockdown.
Amazon profits more than tripled in the first quarter of the year, as it reaped the benefits of increased demand for online delivery prompted by the pandemic. The e-commerce and technology giant’s net income increased to $8.1 billion in the first three months of 2021, driven largely by 44 per cent growth in sales.