Productivity stories

European banks expect AI to shrink staff only slightly, with most projected job losses coming through routine attrition, not mass cuts.

Elyos AI raises USD $13m to grow its AI agents that answer calls, book jobs and automate admin for trades and field service firms.

OMS orders two Ulstein-designed cable ships for 2028 delivery, boosting its GREAT-Class fleet and targeting lower-emission installations.

ADLINK’s AI Agent Factory nets top Gartner Asia-Pacific honours, boosting advanced manufacturing performance with real-time edge AI.

Logitech predicts tech-first, flexible offices in 2026 as firms redesign hybrid workspaces for collaboration, personal kit and meeting equity.

New Zealand launches an AI advisory pilot, offering up to NZD $15,000 co-funding to help small firms plan and safely adopt AI tools.

Eagle Eye has launched Personalized Promotions, an AI platform that generates real-time, one-to-one offers for millions of retail shoppers.

BT will equip 23,000 easyJet crew and ground devices with eSIM connectivity across 35 countries and 150-plus European airports.

German sustainability software firm osapiens raises USD $100m Series C led by Decarbonization Partners, propelling it to unicorn status.

Siemens’ “digital-native” Nanjing plant joins the World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse Network for AI-driven productivity gains.

London wellbeing rewards platform incentifi raises GBP £150,000 pre-seed to run pilot with employers, including Specsavers practices.

Prometheus Group has bought Webalo to fuse AI asset management with frontline worker tools, promising real-time industrial data flows.

Instabase appoints Omkar Pendse to spearhead product and technology as it doubles down on AI workflow automation after $100 million raise.

CelcomDigi completes over 100 new 4G sites across IOI plantations, boosting estate connectivity, automation plans and rural coverage in Malaysia.

Traxlo launches its pay-per-task gig labour platform in the UK, targeting grocery chains with task fees from GBP £3 to GBP £50.

UK companies ramp up AI spend but leave tools poorly integrated, stuck in “automation purgatory” and overestimating their digital maturity.

Employment Hero launches a quarterly SMB Insight Engine to track Canadian small firms’ confidence amid hiring strain and burnout fears.

Manhattan rolls out embedded AI agents across its Active suite, promising real-time automation and custom agent creation for retailers.

UK startup Distil.ai links its forecasting engine with OpenTable data to help multi-site restaurant groups predict demand and lift revenue.

Targa Telematics will feed carmaker data into Motability’s fleet systems to boost vehicle health monitoring, safety and uptime for disabled drivers.