Catch up on this month\u2019s round-up of the latest hosting and tech news. Here\u2019s what we\u2019ve uncovered since our last edition.<\/p>\n
Barnsley has been named the UK\u2019s first \u2018Tech Town\u2019 through a government-backed project to enhance the use of AI in local services and businesses. The initiative will see major IT companies, like Microsoft, Google, Cisco and Adobe, helping to introduce AI into Barnsley\u2019s schools, hospitals, GP surgeries and local businesses, making the town a test centre for using practical AI solutions in public services.<\/p>\n
The local council has already begun using AI assistants in adult social care and children’s services, and its bin lorries have been fitted with sensors that check roads for potholes to speed up repairs. Barnsley residents, meanwhile, will have access to free digital and AI training, while businesses will receive help with AI tools, and healthcare providers will look into using AI for patient check-ins, triage, and managing outpatient care. Schools, including Barnsley College, will also experiment with AI tools to help improve student performance and reduce staff workloads.<\/p>\n
The \u2018Tech Town\u2019 initiative is part of a larger national strategy to help integrate AI into local economies and public services, in a bid to boost economic growth in areas that have faced challenges.<\/p>\n
OpenAI is starting to test ads in ChatGPT, with US users on its Free and Go plans seeing ads related to their conversations appearing at the end of their chats. With over 800 million active weekly users, ChatGPT has one of the largest audiences worldwide, making it a new platform for conversational advertising.<\/p>\n
Conversational advertising differs from traditional keyword-related search ads, as it incorporates commercial messages into users\u2019 chat conversations. To ensure trust, OpenAI has said that its sponsored content won’t affect natural responses and that user data won’t be sold to advertisers.<\/p>\n
For businesses, this change offers both opportunities and challenges. While firms will be able to reach new audiences by advertising on the platform, getting their content organically cited on AI tools will require Answer Engine Optimisation and Generative Engine Optimisation, rather than traditional SEO.<\/p>\n
The UK government has launched a national programme offering AI training courses for workers. Heralded as the most ambitious training plan since the establishment of the Open University, it aims to reach around 10 million workers by 2030. Learners will be able to access online lessons teaching practical skills, such as using chatbots, automating office tasks and incorporating AI tools into daily work.<\/p>\n
The programme, created with the help of leading tech companies Amazon, Google and Microsoft, will offer both free and discounted courses, with some participants receiving digital certificates for completing modules. Organisations, including the NHS and the British Chambers of Commerce, are encouraging their employees and members to take part.<\/p>\n
While broadening access to training is seen as vital, experts have warned that short technical courses might not be enough and that workers also need to develop judgment, management skills, and critical thinking as automation changes people\u2019s roles.<\/p>\n
Royal Stoke University Hospital is set to become the UK\u2019s largest robotic surgery centre thanks to a \u00a312 million investment from the Denise Coates Foundation. The planned expansion will improve access to cutting-edge robotic procedures in Staffordshire, with over 1,000 more patients expected to benefit from them each year.<\/p>\n
The upgrade will also bring in new haptic-enabled systems, which allow surgeons to feel tissue resistance in real time, helping improve precision during complex and emergency surgeries.<\/p>\n
Robotic surgery has already led to a 20% increase in productivity at the hospital and reduced average patient stays by two days, freeing up around 3,000 bed days per year. With the new funding, that number is expected to rise to at least 5,000 annual bed days.<\/p>\n
On a national scale, the NHS expects that by 2035, there will be half a million procedures a year using robotic assistance, up from 70,000 in 2023-24.<\/p>\n
According to Gartner, global spending on technology is expected to hit \u00a34.51 trillion in 2026, a 10.8% increase on 2025. The anticipated growth is mainly due to higher investment in AI, cloud services and cybersecurity. Spending on servers is predicted to rise by 36.9%, and total spending on data centres will increase by 31.7%, reaching over \u00a3477 billion as large companies boost their capabilities for AI-focused tasks.<\/p>\n
Investment in software is also growing, with spending on application and infrastructure software expected to go up by 15.2%. Spending on generative AI alone is anticipated to rise by more than 80%, driven by firms wanting more automation and advanced data analysis. Device spending, however, is likely to slow to 6.1%, with more expensive hardware affecting how often it gets replaced.<\/p>\n
In the UK, the use of AI is rapidly increasing in financial services and public sector systems, with technology spending for the NHS expected to nearly reach \u00a310 billion by 2029.<\/p>\n