AGP Executive Report

Advanced Nuclear Push: Poland’s SGE has formally submitted plans to build 14 GE Vernova Hitachi BWRX-300 small modular reactors across three UK sites, targeting 4.2GW (about 11% of demand) with first operation aimed for 2034. NHS Waiting Lists: Northern Ireland’s health service is set to get an £80m boost aimed at cutting elective care waiting times, pairing extra capacity with service reform and better use of existing tech. AI & Robotics in the UK: Imperial hosted NVIDIA’s UK Physical AI & Robotics Roundtable during London Tech Week, focusing on how the UK can move from simulation to real-world physical AI deployment. Energy Efficiency Tech: Beijer Ref’s SEC200 heat recovery system is supplying hot water to charity Felix with “almost zero” energy use, turning refrigeration waste heat into practical savings. Smart Retail Rollout: Lidl & Go self-scan is expanding to 19 more Scotland stores via the Lidl Plus app, letting shoppers scan, track spend and pay without extra devices. Public Sector Tech Jobs: Defra is recruiting a head of responsible, trustworthy and auditable AI to set assurance frameworks and guardrails for AI adoption. Health Tech Admin Automation: Jane has launched an AI Scribe feature for UK private clinics, promising faster clinical note creation inside its practice management platform. Infrastructure Control Upgrade: Scotland’s £10m North Clyde rail service delivery centre at Yoker is bringing track and train teams together with new tech to improve reliability.

Defence Spending: The UK’s long-delayed Defence Investment Plan is finally out, promising a major rise in spending to meet NATO’s 3.5% target, but critics say the funding picture still has gaps and the plan’s timeline is murky. AI & Markets: “Big Short” investor Michael Burry has renewed bearish bets on AI-linked stocks and semiconductors, warning the rally may be priced for perfection. Health Policy: A UK-US drug deal could force the NHS to divert tens of billions from services, with analysis suggesting large numbers of avoidable deaths in England. Cybersecurity: Italy has taken over the Tallinn Mechanism leadership from the UK and added €1m to help bolster Ukraine’s cyber defences. Tech Operations: Retailers are being urged to use smarter “visual intelligence” to cut energy and operational costs, while businesses are warned to prepare now for the PSTN switch-off by Jan 2027. Sports Tech & Recovery: England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt returns for the Women’s T20 World Cup semi-final after intensive, high-tech rehab. World Cup Drama: Harry Kane’s late double sends England into the last 16 against Mexico after a shaky defensive display vs DR Congo.

Defence Tech Push: The UK has unveiled a long-delayed Defence Investment Plan with £5bn-plus for drones and autonomous systems, aiming to reshape forces around AI-enabled uncrewed capability. NATO Arctic Posture: The UK Carrier Strike Group, led by HMS Prince of Wales, is operating under NATO command for “Arctic Sentry”, reinforcing deterrence in the High North. Northern Ireland Health: A £80m plan targets waiting lists in 2026/27, with extra elective capacity and service modernisation. Critical Materials: University of Leeds spinout Silex World is advancing a multi-feedstock platform to process rare earth-bearing inputs for more resilient supply chains. Biotech Deal: SERB Pharmaceuticals has completed rights acquisition for Idefirix (imlifidase) across the UK, EU and MENA, following EMA-related study steps. Cybersecurity From Day One: Dawnguard launched a security architecture automation platform for cloud-native systems, plus new funding and a New York office. Business Expansion: IRO Sushi opened two new UK sites, using a refreshed store concept with tech to boost operations.

Defence shake-up: Keir Starmer has unveiled a long-delayed UK Defence Investment Plan, lifting spending to nearly £80bn a year by 2029 and earmarking £5bn for drones and autonomous weapons, alongside major upgrades to readiness and AI-led transformation. Cybersecurity: City of London Police has launched a ransomware reporting push, citing 323 UK organisation attacks reported between April 2025 and March 2026, with SMEs making up over half. Regulation and consumer safety: Which? warns some “trendy” mosquito repellents fail fast, with two products offering protection for under three minutes, while separate reporting highlights retailers advertising e-scooters for public commuting despite the legal ban on privately owned models. AI and business: New research says UK AI unicorns are surging, with Nscale and ElevenLabs helping push the sector’s combined valuation to about £41bn. Energy and science: A government siting study flags “high potential” nuclear sites in Scotland, including Torness, Dounreay and Hunterston.

UK Defence Investment Plan: Keir Starmer’s long-awaited 10-year strategy backs a major shift to drones and autonomous systems, with nearly £300bn total defence modernisation and an extra £15bn now, plus £5bn earmarked for unmanned tech over four years. App Store Shake-up: The UK competition watchdog is consulting on forcing Apple (and pressuring Google) to let developers “steer” users to cheaper third-party payments, aiming to cut app-store fees and lower costs. Cyber Policy Push: The King’s Speech puts cybersecurity and resilience front and centre with new bills aimed at national security threats and stronger digital infrastructure protections. AI in Ports: Harwich Haven Authority and Suffolk tech firm Entopy win an AI award for vessel simulation using a digital-twin system to help guide ships into Felixstowe. Amazon Logistics Boost: Amazon marks a year of its £40bn UK investment with a new Northampton fulfilment centre, a major cross-dock in Kettering, and expanded London operations. Digital Identity: OneID expands its verification network to support Google Wallet credentials, targeting simpler, multi-issuer identity checks for businesses. Sainsbury’s Facewatch Rollout: Sainsbury’s extends facial recognition tech after a trial, despite customer backlash over privacy and mistaken identifications. World Cup Tech & Talent Links: DR Congo’s Yoane Wissa sets up a showdown with England, with multiple UK connections in the squad.

Defence Drones Push: The UK’s long-delayed Defence Investment Plan is set to land with £5bn over four years for drones and autonomous systems, after extra funding secured following John Healey’s resignation—aimed at keeping pace with Ukraine-style drone warfare. AI Cyber Warning: Five Eyes spy agencies say frontier AI could supercharge cyber attacks and defences in months, urging UK organisations to treat cyber resilience as a board-level priority. Crypto Rulebook Update: The FCA has softened stablecoin capital requirements, cutting a key 1% hold from a previously proposed 2% to keep the UK competitive while bringing the sector fully into its remit. BAT Restructuring: British American Tobacco plans to cut about 9,000 roles (including 5,500 globally) as it shifts to an AI-driven overhaul, targeting £600m in annualised savings. Hydrogen Deal: Hy-Hybrid Energy signs a strategic partnership with Hyvoda to develop and commercialise next-gen methanol hydrogen generators and electrolyser systems for the UK and EU. Social Media Safety: A mother in Canada calls for regulation after her teen’s death, arguing recommendation systems can bypass parental controls and expose minors to self-harm content. Apple Patent Fight: Apple asks the UK Supreme Court to overturn a $502m patent ruling in its Optis dispute, focusing on fair licensing terms.

AI in Due Diligence: Cohres says AI is shifting commercial due diligence from gathering information to sharper assumption testing and risk judgement. Job Cuts at BAT: British American Tobacco plans to cut 5,500 jobs worldwide and outsource a further 3,500 as it restructures around AI and smoke-free growth, targeting ~£600m annual savings by 2028. AI Data Centres in the UK: Xlinks is pushing a £3.6bn AI campus in north Devon, aiming to create 650–1,200 jobs as grid constraints push developers beyond London and the South East. Health Tech Upgrade: Hinchingbrooke Hospital becomes the first UK site to use a GE Vibe AI-powered CT scanner designed to speed scans and reduce dose. Robots on Pavements: Ministers are signalling support for a law change to allow delivery robots on England’s paths, drawing safety concerns over crowded footways. Banking Costs & AI: Lloyds confirms higher business account fees from 10 July alongside a push to recruit agentic AI roles. Google Play Store Class Action: Google faces an 11-week UK trial from 28 September over alleged overcharging of app developers via Play Store commissions. Skills Pipeline: Make UK launches an accelerated engineering maintenance apprenticeship plus short units to tackle urgent skills gaps.

UK Politics & Devolution: Andy Burnham’s premiership pitch leans hard on a 10-year plan to “lift Britain back up” by shifting power from Whitehall to local authorities, including a “No 10 North”, procurement reform to boost jobs, and energy/water policy changes. Defence Procurement: Britain is set to build six hybrid warships after scrapping next-gen destroyer plans, aiming for drone-ready missions from the early 2030s. AI in Regulation: The BBFC says it has used AI to help classify streaming titles, while still keeping final age ratings with compliance officers. Health Tech Research: Newcastle and Dresden researchers report lithium MRI scans can track how lithium dosing behaves in the brain, potentially improving bipolar prescribing. Cyber/Surveillance Market: A new report forecasts rapid growth in the global CCTV market as AI-enabled video surveillance expands. Business Costs: A survey finds a third of firms want business rates cut, with many raising prices or delaying growth. Public Safety: Police vow to crack down on anti-social behaviour as reports top a million a year.

AI in retail: Bayes Business School research on UK supermarket smart trolleys says shoppers buy more (up to 32%), but warns customers to watch how digital prompts steer spending. Cybersecurity: The UK Cyber Monitoring Centre urged universities to reassess cyber resilience after a Canvas breach hit around 160 higher-ed institutions, with costs driven by response and recovery rather than downtime. Social media regulation: Australia plans to double fines for tech firms over its under-16 social media ban and expand eSafety’s powers to demand proof of compliance; the UK is also moving toward tighter age rules. Education tech crackdown: England’s new “phone-free” school rules start Monday 29 June, banning phones and notification smartwatches during school hours. Defence procurement: Reports say plans to replace ageing UK destroyers and frigates have been scrapped in favour of drones and force modernisation. Health & climate: The Met Office lifted extreme heat warnings after a record-breaking June, but forecasters flag more heat risk ahead.

Social Media Regulation: Australia will double the maximum penalty for tech firms that fail its under-16 social media ban to A$99m, while strengthening the eSafety regulator’s powers to demand compliance details from platforms like Meta, YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok. Cybersecurity & Industry: A report on the Jaguar Land Rover hack says Russian hackers were behind the 2025 attack that shut down production for weeks and hit the UK economy, with investigators still working out whether it had Kremlin backing. Construction Tech: Procore is rolling out a connected Common Data Environment in the UK and Ireland, aiming to unify project data across the construction lifecycle and support agentic AI use. Climate & Health: A major study finds calcium and vitamin D supplements may do little to prevent fractures and falls, challenging common UK health advice. Extreme Weather: Thunderstorms delayed hundreds of flights at Heathrow and Gatwick, while the UK’s heat record keeps getting broken, pushing resilience and cooling solutions into the spotlight.

AI Policy & Supply Chains: The US State Department says 35 economies have backed a “pro-growth” AI plan to align regulation, boost entrepreneurship, and strengthen AI supply chains, including critical minerals and semiconductors. UK Education Tech Rules: England’s new law bans smartphones and similar devices across the whole school day from Monday, with Ofsted checking enforcement. Road Safety Tech: Thatcham Research warns mandatory Intelligent Speed Assist can pass lab tests yet misread real journeys when speed limits change, risking driver overconfidence. Supercomputer Funding: Labour’s delayed £750m “biggest computer” at Edinburgh may miss original exascale hopes as chip costs rise. Climate & Cities: A Met Office heat-health warning is downgraded, while “Heat Ready London” targets cooling for vulnerable residents. UK–EU Ukraine Oversight: Britain and Germany join an EU anti-corruption programme for Ukraine reconstruction, tying money to stronger public-money safeguards. Trade Tensions: Trump threatens 100% tariffs on countries imposing digital services taxes, escalating pressure on Europe.

Sustainability Rankings: The UK punches above its weight in Times Higher Education’s Sustainability Impact Ratings 2026, with the University of Manchester taking top spot overall and UK institutions leading multiple SDG tables. AI & Cybersecurity: Five Eyes agencies issued a “call to action” on the AI shift in cyber risk, urging leaders to focus on basics, resilience and accountability. Responsible AI in Finance: Capco (Wipro) won OpenAI recognition for AI governance and risk excellence, plus a Codex Hackathon win for an explainable next-best-actions banking solution. Digital Identity: Major UK banks back a reusable digital ID verification service for financial transactions, aiming for a live pilot soon. UK Defence Tech: Team Boxer UK delivered the 100th Boxer APC to the Ministry of Defence, highlighting ongoing land systems momentum. Heatwave Watch: The Met Office says the June heatwave is starting to ease, with forecasts pointing to a notable temperature drop. Trade & Tariffs: Trump threatens 100% tariffs on countries introducing a digital services tax—raising fresh questions for the UK’s own DST. UK-India Deal Push: Piyush Goyal says the India-UK CETA is set to boost innovation and investment from 15 July, and he’s honoured for strengthening bilateral ties.

UK Social Media Rules: The government backs a ban on under-16s creating or maintaining social media accounts, with possible extra safeguards for gaming and messaging risks. AI & Retail: Bayes Business School research says smart “digital trolleys” in UK supermarkets can lift spend by up to 32%, raising questions about how prompts shape buying. Cyber & Consumer Tech: Games Workshop has reportedly sent takedown requests over Tabletop Simulator mods recreating Warhammer 40,000 11th Edition. Climate Tech: Carbon removals experts at London Climate Action Week urged rapid scaling of CO2 removal alongside fossil fuel phase-down. Manufacturing Automation: ABB says autonomous robotics is moving beyond fixed automation by using perception and decision-making for flexible production. Defence Innovation: QinetiQ is using additive manufacturing on-site at HM Naval Base Clyde to speed submarine component production. Markets & Chips: UK and global trading sees renewed tech sell-off after Apple price moves and semiconductor worries, with South Korea’s market volatility in focus. Prime Day Tech: Prime Day’s final deals push discounts on phones and gadgets, including a record-low Pixel 10 Pro offer.

UK Heatwave & Health: Mosquitoes could surge as warmer conditions and standing water help disease-carrying species establish, while extreme heat is also exposing weak infrastructure and leaving homes and schools struggling without proper cooling. Energy Infrastructure: National Grid has energized more than 27 miles of overhead lines on the Hinkley Connection Project, bringing low-carbon power closer to millions of UK homes and businesses. Climate & Farming Policy: EU talks risk a hardline pesticide reset that could leave British farmers out of pocket unless a transition period is agreed. AI & Local Media: A lawsuit alleges OpenAI and Microsoft copied local newspaper content to train chatbots, raising fresh questions about compensation and protections for small publishers. Biotech & Medicine: Cambridge researchers report base editing can switch off a key gene in very early human embryos, improving understanding of early development. Tech Markets: Micron’s AI-driven memory surge boosts sentiment after a sharp Apple sell-off tied to higher component costs. World Cup Tech/Scotland: Scotland’s knockout hopes hinge on third-place scenarios after a 3-0 loss to Brazil.

Supercomputer Push: Work has started on the UK’s new £750m national supercomputer at the University of Edinburgh, aiming to deliver huge-scale simulations for researchers and industry. Defence Readiness: The UK’s top military chief warns forces must be ready to go “toe-to-toe” with Russia, leaning on drones and autonomous systems as the delayed Defence Investment Plan looms. Health Tech in Manchester: A £11m wearable and remote monitoring cluster is launched to speed up digital health tools from NHS and universities into real-world community care. AI & Drones: ZenaTech is developing an AI-enabled indoor drone camera system with integrated LED lighting for inventory, security and defence logistics trials. Space Connectivity Investment: Encore Technologies plans a US$1m investment in Solstar, backing its on-orbit Deke communications service. Infrastructure Framework: AtkinsRéalis has been named on a major UK government construction professional services framework covering defence, nuclear and built-environment projects. Tech Sector Jobs: Walmart is cutting 306 tech roles in Sunnyvale, following earlier waves of layoffs. Fraud & Identity: Shufti reports rising identity fraud signals across APAC as deepfake crime surges and more markets tighten KYC checks. Heatwave Tech & Safety: North Wales issues practical heat guidance, including hydration, shade, and water safety tips. Sports Tech Moment: Scotland’s World Cup hopes take a hit after a 3-0 Brazil defeat, with VAR decisions shaping key moments.

AI in UK courts: Garfield AI, a regulated AI law firm, says it won a £7,000 unpaid-fees case at Wandsworth County Court using AI-prepared documents, with a barrister representing the claimant. Cybersecurity for culture: MPs’ Public Accounts Committee warns UK museums and galleries are highly exposed to cyber threats and haven’t acted on earlier ransomware lessons. AI governance push: Brittany Kaiser calls for a “right to compute” and argues confidential computing should enforce data ownership and verifiable AI handling down to the hardware level. Quantum scrutiny: A Nature critique questions Microsoft’s quantum computing claims, after prior retractions and editor concerns around Microsoft-backed papers. Energy tech: Moment Energy opened a UK-linked EV-battery repurposing facility converting retired batteries into storage for data centres and hospitals. Climate & health: Campaigners warn 1.6m children in England live in homes that regularly overheat, while obesity inequalities in England widened after COVID. Social media age checks: New research from Australia suggests under-16 bans are being bypassed, casting doubt on the UK’s planned restrictions. UK critical minerals: Government investment targets domestic critical minerals supply chains, including extraction, processing and recycling.