IT for consulting and business services
Companies in the consulting and business services industries often have specialist needs that require effective use of IT. Law firms, consultancies, accountants, recruitment firms and other advisory services use innovative technology to deliver business benefits, and you can read our news and analysis of the key trends and what they mean to you
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News
13 Jun 2024
Black Basta ransomware crew may be exploiting Microsoft zero-day
A Microsoft vulnerability that was addressed without fanfare in March may in fact have been exploited as a zero-day by the notorious Black Basta ransomware gang, threat hunters warn Continue Reading
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Opinion
13 Jun 2024
Data leakage in the cloud – can data truly be safe in the cloud?
This month, the Computer Weekly Security Think Tank considers how CISOs and security practitioners should ensure that the business can make use of public cloud services safely and securely and avoid accidental or deliberate data leakage. Continue Reading
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News
20 Nov 2019
Mimecast blocked 99 billion suspicious emails in third quarter
Latest threat intelligence report reveals the scale of the threat posed by malicious emails, with the transport, legal and financial sectors hit hardest Continue Reading
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News
15 Nov 2019
Loan charge under review: The 20-year retroactive tax policy pushing IT contractors to the brink
Thousands of IT contractors are at risk of financial ruin as HMRC pursues them for tax it claims they owe on work they did up to two decades ago and were reimbursed for via loan remuneration schemes. Computer Weekly investigates Continue Reading
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Podcast
12 Nov 2019
Podcast: The Computer Weekly Downtime Upload – Episode 36
In this week’s episode of the Computer Weekly Downtime Upload podcast, the team pick talk about General Election tech, HMRC's “war” on IT contractors, diversity in STEM and how organisations can fight back against fake online reviews Continue Reading
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News
04 Nov 2019
IR35 tribunal rules HMRC wrong to pursue ex-DWP IT contractor for £240,000 in unpaid employment tax
HMRC has vowed to appeal against the outcome of an IR35 tribunal that ruled it should not be pursuing an ex-DWP and Accenture IT contractor for more than £240,000 in unpaid tax as his engagements classify him as self-employed Continue Reading
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News
31 Oct 2019
IR35 reforms: Concerns raised over private sector’s lack of preparedness for April 2020 start date
As the countdown towards the IR35 reforms coming into force in the private sector continues, research by recruitment firm Hays draws concerns over an apparent lack of awareness and preparation amongst enterprises Continue Reading
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News
29 Oct 2019
Reykjavik: An IT ecosystem beyond the ice
Iceland is a small island between Europe and the US, and that is one of several reasons why it is attracting tech startups to its capital Continue Reading
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News
17 Oct 2019
IR35 private sector preparation: What the banks’ take on the reforms means for IT contractors
With six months until IR35 tax avoidance reforms are extended to the private sector, a number of financial services firms are thinning out their contractor workforce – is that the way to ensure compliance? Continue Reading
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Podcast
14 Oct 2019
PCI DSS: Credit card data and what to expect from version 4.0
We preview October’s PCI Europe Community Meeting where attendees will discuss credit card payment data, with topics covered likely to include the cloud and point-to-point encryption Continue Reading
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News
07 Oct 2019
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
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News
18 Sep 2019
Emotet phishing botnet returns from summer vacation
The Emotet phishing trojan-turned-botnet is back in action after a three-and-a-half month break, say threat researchers Continue Reading
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Opinion
17 Sep 2019
The five software testing techniques every software developer should know about
Five simple testing techniques that will help developers test their software systematically, thoroughly and quickly Continue Reading
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News
17 Sep 2019
Ecuador citizens’ data breach holds lessons for enterprises
What caused the mass breach of Ecuadorian citizens’ data, and what can businesses learn from it? Continue Reading
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News
13 Sep 2019
Ditch hoodies and hackers to encourage diverse security recruitment
The cyber security industry needs to address a systemic image problem if it is to succeed in recruiting more diverse teams Continue Reading
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News
13 Sep 2019
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
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News
13 Sep 2019
Industry opposition to no-deal Brexit hardens, says TechUK
A survey of TechUK members has found that 71% believe a no-deal Brexit at the end of October will negatively affect them in spite of their preparations Continue Reading
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News
12 Sep 2019
Mirai descendants dominate IoT threat environment
Attacks leveraging compromised IoT devices are growing in size, scale and frequency, report security experts at F-Secure and Trend Micro, with Mirai-related botnets a major source of trouble Continue Reading
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News
11 Sep 2019
GDPR non-compliance worse than feared
Over half of UK businesses do not yet appear to be fully GDPR-compliant, and many have de-prioritised their compliance efforts Continue Reading
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News
10 Sep 2019
BT gears up to take on rogue drones
BT’s Enterprise unit is offering customers an anti-drone security solution to protect their physical sites from intrusion Continue Reading
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News
09 Sep 2019
Social engineering a factor in virtually all cyber attacks, report claims
Almost every single cyber attack will, at some stage, require a human to be tricked into doing something, according to research by Proofpoint Continue Reading
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News
09 Sep 2019
Loyal Dutch IT professionals not being rewarded enough, survey shows
Companies warned they could lose loyal IT staff because salary rises do not match those on offer from rival employers Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Sep 2019
Cutting the cord: Negotiating cloud contracts with problematic customers
How accountable should cloud firms be for the actions of the customers that use their platforms, and how much thought should they give to aligning themselves with problematic brands before hosting them? Continue Reading
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Opinion
04 Sep 2019
Businesses need to keep investing in tech and hope to avoid a no-deal Brexit
A no-deal Brexit could have serious consequences for the UK tech sector and skills base, making it more difficult to recruit technology specialists and hire freelancers Continue Reading
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News
23 Aug 2019
IR35 reforms: HMRC defends off-payroll rules guidance against "woeful" IPSE jibes
HMRC promises there are more preparatory materials in the pipeline to help the private sector prepare for the April 2020 IR35 rules, after IPSE brands its current guidance "woeful" Continue Reading
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News
22 Aug 2019
A helping hand from the Nordics in the eye of the GDPR storm
Nordic IT companies are well suited to supporting enterprises in their data protection projects, even though openness is more natural to them Continue Reading
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News
20 Aug 2019
Buyers think SD-WAN is too expensive and complicated
Building and maintaining an SD-WAN is perceived as a complicated endeavour, and the industry’s messages are not getting through, says a new report Continue Reading
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Feature
13 Aug 2019
What 5G applications will transform your business?
The UK’s mobile network operators have started work on their 5G roll-outs, but what applications are most likely to gain enterprise traction for the new standard? Continue Reading
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News
31 Jul 2019
Middle East businesses welcome Amazon Web Services region launch
Bahrain AWS region, with three datacentres, links Middle East to AWS's global network and will help to accelerate digital transformation Continue Reading
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News
15 Jul 2019
Organisations turn to AI in race against cyber attackers
Businesses are racing to automate their defences as hackers and nation states launch increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks Continue Reading
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News
12 Jul 2019
SD-WAN in play: How software-defined solves core business challenges
For foodservice business HMSHost International and chemical products firm Element Solutions, both customers of networking supplier Aryaka, software-defined wide area networking technology is proving its mettle when it comes to solving core business challenges. Find out how. Continue Reading
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News
11 Jul 2019
Draft finance bill dims hopes of private sector reprieve on April 2020 roll-out of IR35 reforms
Publication of the draft IR35 private sector reform legislation dims hopes the government might announce a delay to rolling out the changes in April 2020 Continue Reading
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Feature
11 Jul 2019
Securing your mobile estate – best practice for CIOs
The prevalence of mobile devices in every part of daily life is shaping how enterprises make choices about software and network infrastructure, but how do businesses go about securing these vast new endpoint estates? Continue Reading
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News
04 Jul 2019
Implementing IoT – overcoming barriers to commercial adoption
Tim Wright from the Institute of Telecoms Professionals reports from a recent seminar exploring questions around the barriers to commercial, at-scale adoption of the internet of things, and how to overcome them Continue Reading
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News
02 Jul 2019
CPS faces legal ruling over refusal to disclose emails with US on WikiLeaks and Assange extradition
A court will decide whether the Crown Prosecution Service can refuse to neither confirm nor deny the existence of correspondence with US on investigations into Julian Assange and WikiLeaks Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Jul 2019
How to get the basics of mobile device management right the first time
When adopting mobile device management, there are often fears around implementation and whether or not the strategy is even required Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Jun 2019
Exploring UCaaS: The main benefits for enterprises
Getting unified communications-as-a-service right can mean more agility, higher productivity, and cost control Continue Reading
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News
19 Jun 2019
Looming private sector IR35 reforms prompts calls for gig economy-focused tax system overhaul
The growth of the gig-based economy has exposed weaknesses in the UK tax system – exacerbated by the IR35 reforms – that mean an overhaul is needed, panel claims Continue Reading
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News
19 Jun 2019
Luxembourg tech startups get premium connections
Luxembourg is at the centre of a continent with ambitious plans to develop a thriving tech industry, but what makes it different? Continue Reading
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News
18 Jun 2019
Openreach trials will speed up broadband upgrade
Tests to focus on process of migrating households and businesses to fibre to the premise and voice over IP Continue Reading
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News
17 Jun 2019
HMRC urged to delay April 2020 extension of IR35 rules to private sector by 'at least' 12 months
An analysis of the responses HMRC has reportedly received to its consultation on extending the IR35 tax avoidance reforms to the private sector suggests the tax agency is coming under pressure to put its plans on hold for at least 12 months Continue Reading
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Opinion
11 Jun 2019
Why the rise of IT managed by the business is driving creative thinking
Organisations that encourage business units to implement and run their own IT systems have an edge over competitors that rely entirely on the IT department, research from Harvey Nash and KPMG reveals Continue Reading
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News
10 Jun 2019
Large firms look to zero-trust security to reduce cyber risk
In the face of increasing cyber breach risk as organisations move to hybrid multi-cloud IT environments, just over half of large firms in Europe are planning a zero-trust approach to security Continue Reading
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News
06 Jun 2019
Half of CFOs frustrated by complex accounting systems
Chief financial officers need to upgrade to easier-to-use accounting systems, but are strapped for time and lack the resources to make the right choices, according to survey Continue Reading
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News
05 Jun 2019
London could be world cyber risk leader, says ex-Lloyd’s chief
Collaboration across the cyber insurance, technology and security organisations in London could make the capital a leading world centre on these topics, says former Lloyd’s of London boss Continue Reading
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News
30 May 2019
2.3 billion business and consumer data files exposed online
In the year since the GDPR compliance deadline, the number of data files exposed online without adequate protection is up more than 50% due to misconfigured security controls, report reveals Continue Reading
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News
22 May 2019
HMRC's defence of IR35 online status checker tool likened to 'climate change denial'
In an open letter addressed to chancellor Philip Hammond and HMRC's CEO Jon Thompson, the tax collection agency's defence of its IR35 online status checker tool, CEST, is likened to climate change denial, as calls grow for it to be scrapped Continue Reading
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News
21 May 2019
UC Expo 2019: Experts talk up future tech in unified communications
Automation and AI are increasingly prevalent in unified comms, but do enterprises really need it? Continue Reading
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News
17 May 2019
École Hôtelière de Lausanne puts Amelia the robot at its core
When Switzerland-based hospitality school EHL began to automate processes, it was met with staff inertia, but that all changed after its benefits became clear Continue Reading
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News
16 May 2019
Fujitsu sets out to restore trust in technology
Trust in technology, how to recapture it, and how to ensure AI doesn’t overstep its bounds were the big messages on the opening day of Fujitsu Forum in Tokyo Continue Reading
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News
10 May 2019
Dutch businesses not yet implementing NIS Directive
Little urgency to comply with the Network and Information Systems Security Act, which seeks to protect the Netherlands’ vital infrastructure and digital services from cyber attack Continue Reading
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News
02 May 2019
PA Consulting announces 2019 winners of Raspberry Pi Competition
Consulting brand focused on innovation and business transformation has announced the winners of its 2019 coding competition run in partnership with Raspberry Pi Continue Reading
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News
01 May 2019
Get more proactive on cyber security, says ex Europol chief
Business needs to get more proactive, collaborative, resilient and analytical to manage cyber risks posed by cyber criminals down to acceptable levels, says former Europol chief Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Apr 2019
Mobile phones and health: is 5G being rolled out too fast?
European countries are rolling out 5G mobile communications at breakneck speed as they seek to gain a competitive edge over the US and Asia. But some scientists have raised questions about the effects of 5G mobile phone radiation on public health and are calling for a precautionary approach Continue Reading
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News
17 Apr 2019
Middle East CIOs optimistic as budgets increase and digital transformations expand
Cyber security and risk management will see the biggest increase in spending, but digital transformation of businesses is a major driver of investment, survey shows Continue Reading
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News
04 Apr 2019
Social inclusion unit aims to expand diversity in IT conversation
New unit at startup hub wants to explore how technology can be applied to address the barriers many people face in participating in society Continue Reading
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News
03 Apr 2019
Most business decision-makers and knowledge workers happy to work alongside robots
Fears that automation will remove jobs for knowledge workers are reducing as opportunities emerge to upskill and eradicate mundane work Continue Reading
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Opinion
02 Apr 2019
Goliath vs Goliath and the complexities of 5G intellectual property
Is Apple the good guy or the bad guy? It has violated patents and had its wrist slapped by the courts (bad), yet its products are still available for adoring fans to buy (good) Continue Reading
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Opinion
28 Mar 2019
Audit services – the next frontier for tech giants?
As data analytics, AI and automation technology advance, could we be about to see technology firms take on some of the responsibilities of the big financial audit firms? Continue Reading
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News
28 Mar 2019
Businesses losing out on early payment discounts due to outdated software
Chief financial officers need to upgrade their accounting software to benefit from discounts available for paying suppliers early Continue Reading
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News
07 Mar 2019
ICO head still in top three of DataIQ data leader list
The UK’s information commissioner remains in the top three data leaders after claiming top spot in 2018 in the DataIQ 100 list of most influential data leaders, but GDPR is not the only focus in the industry Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Mar 2019
What are the CDN options for enterprises?
We look at how content delivery networks can give your organisation’s web presence a literal edge Continue Reading
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News
25 Feb 2019
Nordic tech is increasing diversity but more needs to be done
The shortage of women in the boardroom is a problem in the Nordics, like other regions, but work in its tech sector means the future could be more promising Continue Reading
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Opinion
15 Feb 2019
Making the move to cloud work for you
Getting the best out of a move to the cloud means getting the size right, turning off what you don’t need, smart purchasing and continuously decluttering your new environment Continue Reading
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News
12 Feb 2019
Deloitte will double Hyderabad workforce to support demand for technology services
Deloitte will add 40,000 staff at its operation in Hyderabad, with IT professionals accounting for a significant portion of employees Continue Reading
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News
12 Feb 2019
Dutch developer offers businesses nuclear security option for communications
Startup that created the secure platform for communication between world leaders at the 2014 Nuclear Security Summit in the Netherlands seeks to revolutionise business mail Continue Reading
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News
07 Feb 2019
Nordic region primed to pioneer 5G
The Nordic region could pioneer the commercial use of 5G, with Finland and Sweden hotbeds for the technology Continue Reading
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News
06 Feb 2019
UK’s IT and BPO spend plummets because of Brexit uncertainty
UK businesses cut their investment in IT and business process outsourcing last year because of confusion over Brexit, but there was a 68% rise in public sector spending Continue Reading
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News
29 Jan 2019
IT leaders grapple with workforce skills gap as they deploy AI and digital technology
Organisations will have to find new ways of reskilling their workforce as they get to grips with artificial intelligence and other digital technologies. CIOs also need to keep their skills updated if they are to succeed Continue Reading
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News
28 Jan 2019
UK IT spending worth £27bn held back due to Brexit uncertainty
UK businesses are putting billions of pounds of IT investments on hold until they know the terms that the UK will leave the EU Continue Reading
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Opinion
23 Jan 2019
Will AI replace lawyers? Assessing the potential of artificial intelligence in legal services
You may not be surprised to learn that lawyers don't expect AI to replace them, but the potential for the technology in law and other professional services must not be underestimated Continue Reading
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News
22 Jan 2019
Young Dutch cyber criminals get re-education rather than jail time
Young hackers in the Netherlands are being rehabilitated through punishments that educate rather than incarcerate Continue Reading
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News
18 Jan 2019
Siemens connects to world’s largest UCC deployment
German technology powerhouse Siemens AG reveals how it unified communications and collaboration for hundreds of thousands of employees worldwide Continue Reading
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News
17 Jan 2019
Vodafone and IBM prep user clouds for future network tech
Companies expand existing collaboration to enable enterprise customers to prepare for the impact of advanced networking technologies Continue Reading
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News
17 Jan 2019
UK tech firms favour second referendum as next move in Brexit stalemate
UK tech firms want to remain as close to the EU as possible and believe a second referendum on membership of the trading bloc would be the best way out of the current political stalemate Continue Reading
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News
11 Jan 2019
Microsoft takes community approach to artificial intelligence in Sweden
Microsoft is making increasing use of artificial intelligence in Sweden as it shares experiences with the development community Continue Reading
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News
10 Jan 2019
Enterprises are increasing the human workforce while deploying AI
Artificial intelligence is creating more jobs than it replaces, according to a study of businesses using the technology Continue Reading
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News
02 Jan 2019
Nordic digital transformation driven by traditional businesses
More traditional Nordic businesses are fuelling the region's digital transformation, finds report Continue Reading
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Opinion
31 Dec 2018
Can we live without passwords?
Can you imagine a future in which we can be secure online without having to remember an unwieldly list of passwords? Solutions are emerging that could make passwords redundant, but there will be other security problems to resolve Continue Reading
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News
28 Dec 2018
Top 10 HR technology stories of 2018
Companies are turning to artificial intelligence, robotic automation and chatbots to take the drudgery out of human resource management Continue Reading
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News
27 Dec 2018
Top 10 Middle East stories of 2018
Here are Computer Weekly’s top 10 Middle East enterprise IT stories of 2018 Continue Reading
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News
17 Dec 2018
NICE debuts standards to help ease NHS adoption of new technology
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is calling on the tech community to provide feedback on its plans to help NHS commissioners make better-informed technology adoption decisions Continue Reading
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News
14 Dec 2018
Australia passes controversial encryption law
Arguments continue over law that requires companies to work with government agencies to ensure that encrypted communications can be read if a crime is suspected Continue Reading
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News
07 Dec 2018
Finnish government announces research and development ecosystem
Finland has launched an innovation ecosystem that will support IoT and AI developers amongst others Continue Reading
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Opinion
06 Dec 2018
Douglas Engelbart, the forgotten hero of modern computing
Half a century ago, Douglas Engelbart demonstrated an experimental computer that laid the foundations for modern computing. His vision to use computing power to solve complex problems in all areas of human activity has become reality, but not in the way that he imagined Continue Reading
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News
06 Dec 2018
Software failure paralyses O2’s 4G network
O2 is racing to fix a major outage on its 4G network that has left millions of mobile subscribers without access to data services Continue Reading
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News
05 Dec 2018
Australia races towards commercial quantum computing
Universities make headway in the challenge of commercialising quantum computing Continue Reading
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Opinion
29 Nov 2018
Agile becomes mainstream
There are clear parallels between the conditions that led the IT industry to adopt agile approaches and the challenges facing business today Continue Reading
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Opinion
28 Nov 2018
More effective digital transformation through the power of your own people
The old model of escalating decisions up and down the management chain does not work any more. Business leaders need to delegate responsibility for projects to business and technology specialists and eliminate the fear of failure Continue Reading
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News
21 Nov 2018
Interview: Comms sector ripe for disruption as climate change takes hold
Humanity has just 12 years left to keep global warming to a maximum of 1.5⁰C and prevent climate meltdown. Paul Dickinson from the Carbon Disclosure Project discusses how CIOs can help take steps to avert disaster by changing their attitude to business communications Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Nov 2018
Securing the SD-WAN: The next network challenge
Every time an enterprise weighs up whether or not to try SD-WAN, security is an essential part of the picture Continue Reading
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News
13 Nov 2018
5G will unleash digital transformation for UK enterprises
Mobile operator EE is working hand-in-hand with its largest enterprise customers to realise the potential of its future 5G mobile network Continue Reading
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News
06 Nov 2018
Automation and CSR are driving reskilling process for UK plc, says Cisco
UK business leaders are planning to make dramatic changes to their organisations between now and 2020, according to a new report from Cisco Continue Reading
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News
25 Oct 2018
Firms will use AI to automate HR processes within two years
Companies are gearing up to automate HR processes with artificial intelligence and machine learning, while at the same time battling with outdated IT systems Continue Reading
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News
18 Oct 2018
Middle East gears up for 5G
The race for 5G is well and truly under way, and the UAE and Saudi Arabia are well positioned to be among the first countries in the world to deliver the benefits of this new telecoms protocol Continue Reading
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News
11 Oct 2018
Robots in the workplace supported by 81% of business chiefs
Robotic process automation continues to be taken up by more organisations – but despite proven benefits, those that already use it are struggling to scale it up Continue Reading
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News
10 Oct 2018
Huawei Connect 2018: Huawei tackles barriers to effective AI
At its annual customer and technology event, Huawei chairman Eric Xu set out 10 key challenges facing AI, and revealed how the networking supplier’s strategy will help to address these Continue Reading
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News
09 Oct 2018
Tech takes centre stage in CBI’s pre-Budget wish list
Industry calls on government to set the tone for a tech-friendly business environment after the UK leaves the EU Continue Reading
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News
05 Oct 2018
GDPR case work swamps Denmark’s data protection agency
The agency investigating alleged breaches of GDPR in Denmark is recruiting additional resources to cope with the increase in work Continue Reading
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News
01 Oct 2018
UK will unilaterally tax web giants, says Hammond
Chancellor threatens to go it alone on tax reform for digital services businesses if an international agreement cannot be reached Continue Reading
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News
26 Sep 2018
Indian IT giant TCS sees IBM and Accenture as nearest rivals
Rapidly-growing Tata Consultancy Services has its eyes on the US IT giants, with customer service key if it is to overtake them Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Sep 2018
Intelligent automation and the WAN: Is SD-WAN moving mainstream?
Take-up of software-defined networking in corporates is slower than expected. Where have we reached on the journey to software-controlled networks – and SD-WAN in particular – becoming the norm? Continue Reading