Resources

A landmark investigation by consumer group Which? has revealed alarming flaws in major AI platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot. Across 40 essential consumer questions—ranging from financial and legal issues to health and travel—AI responses were frequently inaccurate, unclear, or potentially harmful. ChatGPT scored just 64%, with Meta AI faring even worse at 55%. Only Perplexity exceeded 70%, leading the pack in utility and accuracy.

Customer service is undergoing a seismic shift, with artificial intelligence expected to manage 50% of all service cases globally by 2027, according to Salesforce’s latest State of Service report. Based on insights from over 6,500 service professionals worldwide, the findings reveal that AI adoption is accelerating fast, up from 30% today.

The AI honeymoon is over. As we head into 2026, businesses are under growing pressure to prove that artificial intelligence—particularly generative AI—can deliver hard, measurable returns. According to SAS, CFOs are demanding real value within 6–12 months: cost savings, revenue growth, or productivity boosts. Projects that can’t deliver will be cut.

Research indicates organisations are increasingly prioritising digital accessibility as a strategic asset, driven by AI adoption and sustained investment, amidst ongoing compliance challenges and regulatory pressures in 2025-2026.

AI’s rapid advance in healthcare promises transformative benefits—from sharper diagnostics to streamlined admin—but the path forward demands rigorous legal and ethical frameworks. In the US, the FDA has greenlit over 1,200 AI-enabled medical devices and recently issued new draft guidance aimed at tightening oversight throughout their lifecycle. This complements broader efforts such as the White House’s AI Bill of Rights and NIST’s AI Risk Management Framework, both promoting transparency, fairness, and human oversight.

The explosive rise of artificial intelligence is fuelling a global infrastructure rush, with hyperscalers pouring billions into new data centres. Yet, amid the surge, a critical constraint is emerging: fibre-optic networks. These invisible arteries are vital for transporting the massive volumes of data AI systems generate and consume, but the existing fibre backbone—much of it laid decades ago—is rapidly becoming obsolete.

Japan’s venture capital scene is evolving—and Theta Times Ventures is at the forefront. Officially launching investment activities on 13 November 2025 with a targeted fund size of 10 billion yen, the new VC firm aims to back 40–50 startups with investments ranging from several tens of millions to 500 million yen. But unlike many of its peers, Theta Times isn’t fixated solely on flashy SaaS plays or Silicon Valley-style tech; it’s targeting Japan’s vast, often-overlooked real economy.

Anthropic has stepped decisively into the centre of the AI ethics debate with the release of a new open-source framework aimed at measuring political bias in AI chatbots. The tool—built around a novel “Paired Prompts” methodology—evaluates how fairly AI systems handle politically sensitive queries posed from opposing ideological standpoints. It assesses models based on engagement balance, counterargument recognition, and tendencies to decline political commentary.

A viral image—seemingly showing someone feeding an apple to a bear—recently prompted Carmalita Seitz, managing director of online learning and digital innovation at ISTE+ASCD, to reflect on a growing concern: the need for AI literacy among young learners. The image, likely AI-generated, underscored how easily false visuals can be mistaken for reality, especially by children.

Parallel Web Systems, the new venture from former Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal, has secured $100 million in Series A funding—reaching a valuation of $740 million—as it reimagines how artificial intelligence systems access and interpret real-time web data.

Scotland’s rapid digital infrastructure growth—driven by data centres, life sciences and tech innovation—is outpacing the availability of skilled talent, posing a major challenge to long-term resilience and sustainability. As data centres are now classed as Critical National Infrastructure, their role in supporting everything from finance to healthcare has never been more vital.

Northern Ireland is undergoing a striking transformation—from post-industrial economy to a thriving global hub for advanced technology, research and innovation. Spearheaded by Invest Northern Ireland, the region is positioning itself as an attractive destination for high-value investment across AI, cybersecurity, fintech and digital health.

In a sharp escalation of US-China technology tensions, former US President Donald Trump has pledged that Nvidia’s most advanced AI chip, the Blackwell, will be reserved exclusively for American use. Speaking on CBS’ 60 Minutes and during remarks aboard Air Force One, Trump confirmed the chip would not be sold to China or other foreign countries, signalling tougher export controls than previously indicated.

Automation is transforming the way SEO agencies operate, moving far beyond time-saving into a deeper redefinition of value delivery, scalability and consistency. As client expectations rise and competition intensifies, agencies embracing workflow automation are pulling ahead—reducing manual effort by up to 80% and dramatically improving campaign quality and operational efficiency.

Cerebras Systems has unveiled “Cerebras for Nations,” a global initiative aimed at helping governments design and scale sovereign AI capabilities. The California-based company, known for its record-breaking AI chips, is offering countries a full-stack solution—from advanced AI supercomputers to bespoke model development and workforce investment.

Late-night chats with AI have often been predictable—fluent, yes, but frequently shallow. Now, a subtle shift is redefining the dynamic. In a recent exchange using CrewAI, an AI framework built on ReAct principles (Reason + Act), the model paused, sought out context and refined its answer with surprising clarity. This marked a fundamental change: instead of guessing, the AI reasoned.

As AI becomes more embedded in human resources functions—from interview transcription to job advert drafting and performance reviews—the question of regulatory oversight has become pressing. Under the EU’s landmark AI Act, organisations using AI in employment decisions must now assess whether their tools fall into the ‘high-risk’ category, triggering a host of compliance obligations.

A shift in the concerns of professional indemnity insurers is under way, with artificial intelligence now eclipsing cyber threats as a primary risk focus. This change reflects the growing use of AI across sectors such as law, accountancy and architecture—bringing operational efficiencies but also new liabilities.

Hospitals are turning to agentic artificial intelligence to streamline operations, reduce costs and improve patient outcomes, marking a major shift from traditional, manually intensive resource management. With rising pressures on budgets and staff, agentic AI offers a more adaptive and autonomous solution to optimise beds, equipment, staff schedules and space.