News

Preply has raised $150 million in a Series D funding round led by WestCap, valuing the global language learning marketplace at $1.2 billion and marking its transition into unicorn territory. The round, for which Goldman Sachs International acted as sole placement agent, will be used to accelerate product development, expand Preply’s AI and data capabilities and fuel international growth as the company seeks to reshape education through personalised, tutor-led learning supported by artificial intelligence. Founded...

Labour has been urged to stop workers accessing their private pensions from the age of 55 in an effort to curb early retirement and tackle rising unemployment, according to a leading think tank. The Resolution Foundation, which has close links to senior Labour figures, said current pension and tax rules encourage wealthier workers to leave the labour market years before state pension age, worsening labour shortages and weakening the public finances. Under existing rules, savers...

Apple is developing a wearable “AI pin” capable of listening to conversations and responding to spoken commands, as the iPhone maker looks to regain momentum in the fast-moving artificial intelligence race. The disc-shaped device, which would be equipped with speakers, microphones and cameras, is at an early stage of development but could eventually go on sale later this decade. According to reports, the wearable would be designed to clip onto clothing or be worn as...

The builder of the superyacht Bayesian, on which British technology entrepreneur Mike Lynch died, has launched a £400 million legal claim against his widow, alleging that the tragedy caused a catastrophic collapse in its sales. The Italian Sea Group (TISG) has filed a €456 million (£399 million) lawsuit in a Sicilian court, claiming that the yacht’s crew and the vessel’s holding company were responsible for the sinking and the resulting damage to the company’s reputation...

Calling a colleague “old” because they struggle with computer skills does not, on its own, amount to age discrimination, an employment tribunal has ruled. The decision came in the case of Farah Janjua, 39, who brought claims against her former employer, Harvey Jones Ltd, after a younger manager told her her lack of IT skills was “because you’re old”. Ms Janjua argued that the comment, made by a colleague in his late 20s, amounted to...