
The UK regulator has proposed classifying Apple and Google as firms with “strategic market status.” If finalised, the move could bring targeted conduct rules, fines, and broader scrutiny to their 90–100% hold on UK smartphones.

NatWest Group has announced a five-year partnership with AWS and Accenture. The initiative aims to centralise the bank’s data systems and scale its AI capabilities, supporting faster service delivery and improving risk and regulatory operations across its 20 million customer base.

Accelo has acquired UK-based Forecast in an all-share deal. The transaction gives the U.S. PSA firm instant European scale and adds predictive AI scheduling to its CRM-to-cash software stack. Financial terms were not disclosed, but Forecast’s backers include Balderton and Crane.

Cequence has launched AI Gateway to connect agentic AI. The new product enables enterprises to safely expose applications to AI agents, offering instant, secure API access with no-code integration and real-time oversight.

The UK government has signed a new MoU with OpenAI. The ten-word sentence ends here. Ministers say the agreement will let Whitehall pilot GPT‑4o and future AI models across justice, health, and defence, paving the way for possible new data centres and a stronger AI security regime.

Nostrada.ai began as a frustrated idea inside Parliament’s corridors. The platform now predicts how every UK MP will act. With its rise, political risk analytics is changing fast — and Nostrada’s “digital twins” are giving lobbyists, diplomats, and global businesses an edge in a high-stakes world.

A quarter of CMOs lost customers to martech errors last year. Poor implementation, disconnected systems, and AI issues are undermining campaigns and brand trust, says new IMG research.
Bank of England officials are reconsidering the digital pound project. Internal memos suggest a pause could redirect funding to modernising the UK’s payment rails, as budget pressure and political priorities mount ahead of the Autumn Budget.

The UK introduces a new AI audit standard. The British Standards Institution has launched the world’s first international certification standard for AI assurance, creating new benchmarks for independence, rigour, and global governance.

AI is fast becoming essential for businesses of all sizes. Kevin Fitzgerald, UK Managing Director at Employment Hero, explores how SMEs can drive real gains through people-first AI strategies. Recognition, support, and leadership — not just tools — are key to making AI work.