Business & Tech

Copilot tricked into telling reseachers how to hack itself

How to social engineer an AI's reasoning engine

In conversation with: ClearScore’s Brian Cole

Since its 2015 launch, ClearScore has been known as one of the UK’s major providers of credit scores and reports, and while to this day that remains a core aspect of the group’s offering and identity, in 2026, the company believes its role as a financial marketplace and provider…

Royal London: Five state pension questions every adviser must tackle

The state pension is a valuable part of retirement income. Secure, inflation-linked and backed by the state, it can provide a foundation for retirement planning, shaping how clients draw on pensions, Isas and other assets throughout later life.

Microsoft finally fixing File Explorer and the Context Menu

Time to flex that Windows 10 muscle memory

Government Teams users face another ******* month of filtered captions

Officials must wait a little longer before Live Captions tells it like it is

Sir Michael Caine joins project to combat AI deepfakes

Film star Sir Michael Caine has joined a research project that aims to understand how well members of the public can distinguish real voices from AI-generated deepfakes.

FCA bans Beauforce senior manager over dishonesty

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has banned Howard Roland Duckett from working in financial services after finding that he demonstrated a serious lack of honesty and integrity.

Relay shuts up shop as CEO heads to AI-ify Chrome

Google rehires CEO as VP of Product after five years.

Just Eat to offer laundry services with new partnership

Food delivery service Just Eat is expanding into services with the launch of a laundry offering in the UK via a partnership with Laundryheap. Initially launching in London, Just Eat will allow customers to request laundry and dry cleaning services all through the takeaway…

Leader: The legislation that could scupper targeted support

I’m something of a marketer’s dream, because I rarely opt out of anything. Not because I particularly enjoy being bombarded with emails offering me products and services I don’t want or need, but rather because I am often simply too lazy to wade through the

Sponsor gives KDE Plasma 6.6 the LTS treatment

Kubuntu 26.04 gets three years of fixes for the desktop, frameworks, and apps

Harvey Nichols pauses online operations amid Frasers takeover

Harvey Nichols has temporarily paused online trading as it transitions to new ownership under Frasers Group. The luxury department store’s website has been replaced with a holding message confirming that Harvey Nichols is “currently unavailable online”, while it completes a…

Advisers call for ‘wrapper reset’ as tax changes complicate planning

Tax changes are forcing advisers to rethink how they use tax wrappers, with 88% saying wrapper decisions have become more complex over the past three years. The findings, from research commissioned by AJ Bell and conducted by Ad Lucem, also show strong demand for practical

Universities aren’t set up for commercialisation – Anne Lane, CEO, UCL Ventures

This week’s podcast guest is Dr Anne Lane, chief executive officer of UCL Ventures, who discusses why commercialising research at British universities remains a challenge despite significant will and the enormous impact of spending money on cutting-edge research.

UK puts Google AI on the flight path to fewer contrails

Trial will test whether small route and altitude tweaks can reduce aviation's warming impact

Scottish AI Growth Zone lands £300m infrastructure backing

The Scottish AI Growth Zone, based in Lanarkshire, has secured a £300m infrastructure financing package backed by the National Wealth Fund, and will be further bolstered by the opening of Dell Technologies new Scottish headquarters at the site.

AI models get convenient amnesia about source material as they grow, MIT boffins find

Attributing diffusion model output to a specific input becomes more difficult with more training data

UK's tech talent pipeline shrinks as overseas worker visa applications fall 7%

Third consecutive annual decline adds to concerns about shortages of specialist skills

Would I lie to you? ANZ warns of troubling ‘scam-coaching’ trend

ANZ is warning customers about a troubling rise in 'scam‑coaching' – a tactic where criminals train victims to bypass bank security by giving them scripts, cover stories, and instructions on how to respond to bank staff.

Passport out-of-control at French airport

The Morning Briefing: FCA warns wealth managers; AI hype cools as cost and scale challenges grow

Good morning and welcome to your Morning Briefing for Tuesday 18 August 2026. To get this in your inbox every morning

Dobbies to axe Antrim store in October

Dobbies is reportedly shutting its Antrim store at The Junction Retail and Leisure Park at the end of October.

Misconception or Magic: What to Know About the Modern Wealth Management World

At the Communify Intelligence Experience, Rupert Baron, co-founder, TechnoWealth, returns to Finextra TV to unpack how the definition of wealth keeps moving and what that means for the industry.

Bugaboo’s CEO Adriaan Thierry: “collaborations are part of our DNA”

Amsterdam-based stroller brand Bugaboo has unveiled a new limited-edition collection of baby products in collaboration with British fashion brand Stella McCartney.

NIFT founder discusses on-demand discovery and delivery

Simone Oloman, CEO and founder of Need It For Tonight (NIFT), is nominated for Women in Leadership at this year’s RG Retail Excellence Awards. She has built a retail model where speed, store stock and local fulfilment work together.

Decathlon to shut Cheltenham flagship store

Decathlon is shutting its Cheltenham flagship store on 29 August after five years, according to a report from Gloucestershire media brand So Glos.

Champion names BTS member as new face of global campaign

American sporting brand Champion has named BTS’s V as its latest brand ambassador. The K-pop boyband member will be the face of the brand’s new ‘True Champion’ marketing drive.

River Island to shut Sheffield store as part of wider restructuring

River Island is set to close its Sheffield city centre store next month, as it continues to reshape its store estate. The branch at 15 The Moor will shut permanently on 1 September, with a closing-down sale offering shoppers 30 per cent off selected products ahead of its…

Foot Locker and Nike unveil community-led retail concept in Los Angeles

Foot Locker and Nike have teamed up with local community leaders to launch a new neighbourhood-focused store concept in Los Angeles. The Crenshaw Rec by Foot Locker will open on Saturday 22 August on Crenshaw Boulevard in South Los Angeles, marking the first iteration of the new…

Asos names former Next boss Jon Bennett as menswear product director

Asos has appointed former Next managing director Jon Bennett as menswear product director for Asos Design. Bennett will lead the strategy and performance of Asos Design Menswear, with responsibility for improving its product offer, fashion authority and commercial performance.