CFOtech UK - Technology news for CFOs & financial decision-makers

About Shannon

Shannon Williams mugshot photo
Shannon Williams
News Editor
Shannon is an experienced journalist and editor with a strong interest in technology and the digital world. Her career spans a wide range of sectors, including tech, politics, tourism, transport and climate change, where she brings a sharp editorial eye and an ability to translate complex issues into clear, engaging stories.

Stories by Shannon - Page 28

Retail store to home environment unified shopping experience ai personalization

Retailers to unify shopping experiences & boost AI by 2026

Wed, 19th Nov 2025
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digital transformation
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cx
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martech
By 2026, retailers will unify online and in-store shopping with AI-driven personalisation, ensuring seamless, consistent customer experiences across channels.
Uk businessperson holding id card with shadowy figures and paperwork fraud risk verification concerns

New UK director ID rules spark concerns over fraud risk

Wed, 19th Nov 2025
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risk & compliance
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money laundering
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financial crime
New UK rules require company directors to verify identity, but with under 15% compliance, experts warn fraud risks and operational strains on banks loom large.
Business leaders conference table choosing pathways decision making bias

Business leaders urged to tackle biases in organisational change

Wed, 19th Nov 2025
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workplace culture
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roi
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business transformation
Business leaders are urged to confront cognitive biases affecting decisions in organisational change, favouring better habits and collective input for success.
Large office it professionals idle computers frustration unused equipment uk

BenchBee: UK tech sector loses GBP £3bn to idle IT experts yearly

Wed, 19th Nov 2025
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ict sector
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skills shortage
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digital economy
UK consultancies lose over GBP £3bn annually as thousands of IT experts remain idle despite widespread digital skills shortages, says BenchBee analysis.
Stock market graph rapid upward spikes human silhouettes computers financial volatility technological focus

AI investment boom sparks fears of unsustainable valuations

Wed, 19th Nov 2025
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ai
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productivity
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stock market
Surging AI investments risk outpacing technical readiness, sparking fears of a market correction akin to the 2000 dotcom crash, warns Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai.
Data center servers green plants uk countryside sustainability balance

UK IT leaders struggle to meet rising sustainability demands

Wed, 19th Nov 2025
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hyperscale
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dc
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ai
Most UK IT leaders admit their firms are falling short on sustainability despite rising climate priorities and upcoming stricter reporting rules.
Digital illustration swarm faceless humanoid code circuit agents around businessperson computer cybersecurity threats

AI-driven agents spark new identity crisis for cyber security

Wed, 19th Nov 2025
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ransomware
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advanced persistent threat protection
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iam
AI-driven agents now outnumber humans 82 to 1 in firms, escalating identity attacks as 90% of business leaders deem them their top cyber threat.
Global professionals collaborating around digital brain ai workplace transformation

AI drives global shift in hiring, pay premiums & workforce skills

Wed, 19th Nov 2025
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uc
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ai
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ai ethics & governance
AI reshapes global hiring as 66% of firms cut entry-level recruitment, prioritise skills over degrees, and offer up to 100% pay premiums for AI expertise.
European grocery store shelves unique colorful packaging small brands

Smaller brands drive FMCG innovation as new launches drop 20%

Wed, 19th Nov 2025
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clean technologies
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sustainability
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inflation
Innovation in European FMCG markets has dropped 20%, yet smaller brands boost sales with new products that align with consumer lifestyles and values.
Uk bank building surrounded by magnifying glasses inspecting ids documents compliance

Banks face risks as Companies House begins ID checks rollout

Wed, 19th Nov 2025
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biometrics
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risk & compliance
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money laundering
Companies House's 12-month rollout of director ID checks risks burdening banks with costly double-checks amid potential gaps in company verification.
Recruiter reviewing stack printed cvs at desk with computer application

Study reveals ATS rarely auto-rejects CVs, debunks 75% myth

Wed, 19th Nov 2025
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hcm
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risk & compliance
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linkedin
A new study finds ATS rarely auto-reject CVs; most recruiters manually review applications despite the 75% auto-reject myth circulating online.
Busy data center server racks network traffic technicians tangled cables ai struggle

Channel partners lag behind rising demand for AI networking

Wed, 19th Nov 2025
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firewalls
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network security
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edge computing
Research reveals only 26% of channel partners offer AI-driven networking, while 74% struggle to meet rising customer demand for such solutions.
Office employees working with ai tools on computers showing charts

AI now integral to workplace routines & software decisions

Wed, 19th Nov 2025
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erp
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llms
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ai
A TrustRadius study reveals 95% of professionals use AI weekly, with 69% using it daily, reshaping workplace routines and software choices.
Computer with shadow hands reaching for software over maps of china russia india germany

Software piracy & overuse blamed for rising revenue losses

Wed, 19th Nov 2025
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physical security
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licensing
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intellectual property
Nearly one in three software firms cite piracy as a major cause of revenue loss, with unlicensed use rising in China, Russia, India, and Germany, new data reveals.
Stressed uk small business owner desk cluttered paperwork calculator loan documents british high street

Confusion & shame drive UK SME founders to abandon loans

Fri, 14th Nov 2025
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fintech
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smb
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financial literacy
Nearly 60% of UK SME founders abandon loan applications due to confusion and shame, worsening the GBP £65 billion funding gap and stalling business growth.
Classic british bank building tangled computer cables old hardware cloud ai barriers

Outdated IT & regulation slow UK banks' drive for AI adoption

Fri, 14th Nov 2025
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fintech
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data privacy
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ai
UK banks face slow AI adoption due to outdated IT, data challenges, and regulatory uncertainty despite optimism about AI's future impact on finance.
Uk industrial workers digital skills gap ai technology factory illustration

Digital skills gap stalls AI progress for UK industrial firms

Fri, 14th Nov 2025
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document management
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digital transformation
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ecm
Nearly half of UK industrial midmarket firms cite digital skills shortages, especially in AI, as a major obstacle to business growth and digital transformation.
Illustration server digital locks shields spotlight cracks vulnerabilities insecure data protection ai adoption

Most organisations neglect key security in rapid AI adoption

Fri, 14th Nov 2025
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data protection
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devops
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hybrid cloud
Despite 89% piloting AI, 78% neglect core data security, leading to breaches largely from known vulnerabilities, warns new Tenable research.
Bustling uk high street festive season shoppers holiday lights delivery vans

UK retailers urged to act as festive sales set for growth

Fri, 14th Nov 2025
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supply chain
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e-commerce
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online shopping
UK retailers are urged to proactively plan for festive sales growth amid supply chain challenges, as forecasts predict stronger performance in the Golden Quarter.
Realistic smartphone chat interface digital assistant icons secure communication

Sinch predicts fivefold growth in AI-driven digital messaging by 2026

Fri, 14th Nov 2025
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cx
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martech
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ai
Sinch predicts AI-driven digital messaging will grow fivefold by 2026, reshaping customer engagement with smarter, faster, and more secure communications.