Data has become one of the most valuable assets in the world, playing a larger role than ever in our digital economy. Research firm Capgemini predicts that the value of the data created in the EU alone could top €550 billion by 2025. Newham Council in London has launched a bold initiative to put itself at the heart of the capital’s data ecosystem with the creation of a dedicated data campus. This will work to promote digital roles and help encourage local innovation, while also seeking to boost the prominence of both London and the UK in the world’s data economy. In this episode, Jane and R ..read more

Generative AI is dominating conversations across the tech sphere right now, and even making its way into discussions in day-to-day life. But for the average IT team, large language models can still seem intimidating, and training or tweaking requires significant computing power and skill. Additionally, concerns around explainability and approachability are still a barrier to some regulated industries such as financial services or life sciences. Appian has long been a notable name when it comes to low-code development and automation, and its announcements at Appian World 2023 have leaned heav ..read more

ChatGPT has taken the world by storm, as a tangible and relatable use of advanced AI. With people inside and outside the tech scene getting equally excited about its capabilities, many businesses have asked themselves if they could – or should – adopt the chatbot into their stack. But while businesses are eager to take advantage of OpenAI’s powerful models, some have advised careful consideration of the information that one gives to ChatGPT and whether or not it makes sense for every firm. In this episode Jane speaks to Rory, ITPro’s subject matter expert on AI, to discuss all things ChatGPT ..read more

As businesses increase their digital estate, insider theft poses an increasingly large risk. Whether it’s through malicious parties gaining access to crucial systems and data or employees stealing information to which they should never have had access, firms should be considering these scenarios carefully. This has been exacerbated by the economic climate, with layoffs and a greater reliance on third-party individuals leading to a lack of oversight and cohesion when it comes to access management. Stolen credentials or over-provisioned contractors can be the first crack in the armour for any b ..read more

This classic episode of the ITPro Podcast was first published on 12 March 2021. Recent improvements in fields like robotics, prosthetics and artificial intelligence have brought that dream closer than ever to being a reality - but what does human augmentation really mean? Where do we draw the line between tools and augmentations? And what function - if any - can they serve in a practical business context? In this episode, we look at the emerging field of augmentation tech, the biohacking and transhumanist subcultures, and how close we really are to brain chips and bionic eyeballs ..read more

Tech Nation – a key player in the UK tech startup scene for over a decade – has shuttered its doors. But Barclays Eagle Labs will continue where its predecessor left off, with millions of promised funding in addition to the government’s £12 million digital growth grant hoped to spur investment. While questions around visa commitments have yet to be answered, firms outside of southeast England could nevertheless be swayed by Barclays Eagle Labs’ nationwide reach and sector expertise. In this episode, Jane and Rory speak to Ross Kelly, ITPro’s startups & small business specialist and staff ..read more

Metaverse tech has already attracted billions of pounds in investment, and despite its detractors looks set to play a major role in the future of communications and productivity tech. It was also one of the main themes at this year’s Mobile World Congress, where the concept of a CMO - that’s ‘chief metaverse officer’ - was discussed in detail. Companies like Journey, Nike, and Telefónica already have individuals with metaverse in their titles, but there is still a lot to be proved about the longevity of these roles. With metaverse tech still lacking definition in the minds of businesses and c ..read more

Open source software can be found in a huge number of businesses' stacks. Whether it’s to save on expensive software, to fix a problem that a devoted hobbyist has a solution for, or because of its lively developer community, open source solutions run throughout the tech sector. However, in recent years security concerns have damaged the perception of open source software and vulnerabilities like Log4Shell left some IT leaders with headaches they aren’t keen to repeat. As the market expands, some open source developers find themselves under more pressure than ever before and questions have bee ..read more

The conversation around UK connectivity is often dominated by the rollout of 5G, or the race for widespread gigabit broadband. But many rural communities and businesses struggle with a lack of even basic connectivity such as reliable cellular service. This has severe consequences for rural businesses, holding back their growth while accelerating brain drain as younger people gravitate towards urban areas for education and employment. Some groups have taken measures into their own hands to ensure they receive the connectivity they need. In this episode, Jane and Rory speak to Dave Happy, coll ..read more

Throughout the pandemic, companies across the world rushed to establish cloud services that could prop up the need for remote working. But in recent months, word of a “cloud slowdown” has been building, with some of the biggest vendors experiencing a drop in the growth of their cloud sales. In the third quarter of 2022, AWS reported the slowest growth in its history, while Google’s growth was down almost 10% on the previous year. In this episode, Jane and Rory speak to Ross Kelly, IT Pro’s cloud specialist and staff writer to discuss what’s behind the cloud slowdown – and whether it’s even h ..read more