Business
Sizewell C nuclear power plant costs rise to £38bn

BBC News

The cost of building the Sizewell C nuclear power plant in Suffolk has jumped to £38bn, adding £1 a month to household energy bills for at least a decade.
The previous official figure for the project was £20bn, but the plant’s joint managing director Julia Pyke said earlier estimates did not account for inflation or risk.
The government confirmed on Tuesday that it would take a stake in the power plant, and announced that it had secured investment from a number of businesses, including British Gas-owner Centrica.
The Sizewell C reactor is expected to begin operating in the mid to late 2030s, said Ms Pyke, after which she estimated home energy bills would be £2bn lower.
Ms Pyke said the nuclear plant would “cost consumers about £1 a month during the construction phase,” adding up to a “small annual charge”.
The government’s stake in the project is 44.9%, while Centrica, EDF, La Caisse and Amber Infrastructure will also have holdings in exchange for funding.
Alison Downes, director of pressure group Stop Sizewell C, said the project had “only crawled over the line thanks to guarantees that the public purse, not private investors, will carry the can for the inevitable cost overruns”.
She added: “It is astounding that it is only now, as contracts are being signed, that the government has confessed that Sizewell C’s cost has almost doubled to an eye watering £38bn – a figure that will only go up.”

But Tom Greatrex, chief executive of the Nuclear Industry Association, said it was “money well spent” and the project would create “thousands upon thousands of good jobs”.
Ms Pyke said Sizewell C’s design is “85% copied” from Hinkley Point C in Somerset, which she said meant the Suffolk project would be cheaper to build.
Hinkley Point C is the first new nuclear power plant under construction in the UK since the 1990s. It was initially forecast to be operational by 2017 at a cost of £18bn.
It is not expected to be completed for a further four to six years following pandemic-related delays, and is set to cost around £46bn.
Mr Greatrex said Sizewell C was the first “true replica nuclear power station.” He added it was “the best way to build faster and cheaper, and we must apply those lessons to a full programme.”
Sizewell C is expected to create 10,000 direct jobs, thousands more in firms supplying the plant and generate enough energy to power six million homes, the Treasury said.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “It is time to do big things and build big projects in this country again and today we announce an investment that will provide clean, homegrown power to millions of homes for generations to come.”

The government’s National Wealth Fund – its principal investor and policy bank – will be making its first investment in nuclear energy.
The ownership of the Sizewell C nuclear power plant will be:
- UK government: 44.9%
- La Caisse: 20%
- Centrica: 15%
- EDF: 12.5%
- Amber Infrastructure: 7.6%
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the multi-billion pound investment from La Caisee, Centrica and Amber was a “powerful endorsement” of the UK as “a global hub for nuclear energy”.
Despite the UK’s strong nuclear legacy, including opening the world’s first commercial nuclear power station in the 1950s, no new nuclear plant has opened in the UK since 1995, with all of the existing fleet except Sizewell B likely to be phased out by the early 2030s.
Sizewell C was one of eight sites identified in 2009 by then-Energy Secretary Ed Miliband as a potential site for new nuclear. However, the project was not fully funded in the 14 years that followed under subsequent governments.

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Business
AI Travel Tools for Business Travelers: Plan Smarter, Stress Less

Remember when planning a work trip felt like a second job? Finding the right venue, plotting meetings and navigating new cities could take hours, if not days. Now, AI tools are making that grind redundant, allowing professionals to streamline schedules, find their way and execute trips with efficiency that once seemed impossible.
Why AI is becoming essential for modern travelers
More and more, travelers are leaning on AI to take the guesswork out of getting from point A to B. From finding the fastest route through a new city to suggesting the right restaurant for a client lunch, these tools are becoming indispensable. Business travelers, in particular, are embracing them like a secret weapon, letting AI handle scheduling, directions and even meeting arrangements so they can focus on more important tasks.
Booking.com’s latest Global AI Sentiment Report paints a clear picture of a world increasingly reliant on AI for travel. Nearly 9 in 10 consumers say they want to use AI tools for planning their trips, while 24% trust AI assistants more than travel bloggers, who garner just 19% confidence. With AI capable of recommending activities, mapping routes and even managing bookings, travelers are embracing digital help at every step.
The July report found that 67% have already used AI in some aspect of travel, with nearly all using it to plan or book trips (98%) or while on the go (96%). Most commonly, AI helps with researching destinations and best travel times (38%), finding local cultural activities (37%) and recommending restaurants (36%).
Using AI to plan multicity business trips and smart layovers
There are various AI tools you can use to kickstart your plans. Hopper, for example, uses machine learning to analyze historical fare data and predict when ticket prices will rise or fall. Just enter your destination and travel dates and set alerts, and its AI will notify you of the best time to book—especially handy if you can be flexible, unlocking potential savings.
Skyscanner is another go-to. Enter your origin, destination and dates, and its AI scans thousands of airlines, routes and prices. Swap nearby airports, adjust your dates or explore multicity options to save even more. Its layover suggestions let you either reach your destination quickly or grab some productive work time midjourney.
If you’ve ever wished for a personal travel assistant who can help with flights, layovers and hotel options, Skyscanner’s chatbots—available across platforms like Facebook Messenger, Skype and Amazon Alexa—are as close as it gets.
Since launch, they’ve surpassed one million unique traveler interactions, offering AI-powered guidance on finding the best flights, alternative routes and nearby airports. While not a traditional chatbot on the Skyscanner website or mobile app, these bots let users interact via messaging or voice, helping them search and explore travel options in a more conversational way. Once the bot helps you identify your ideal flight, it always directs you to the Skyscanner website or app to complete the booking. This means you get the convenience of a conversational AI to narrow down options, but all final selections, price comparisons and bookings happen on Skyscanner’s main platform.
Midtrip, it doesn’t just sit there: It can give advice on layovers, shuttle options, airport services and even local tips to make the journey smoother. And when it’s time to share your experience, the chatbot can even help you draft reviews for flights or hotels.
Chatbots like ChatGPT and Copilot are other useful digital companions to consider on your travels. Ask them to compare airlines, check flexible dates or find faster, cheaper routes. Refine prompts with instructions like, “Show flights with layovers under three hours” or “Get me there in time for a morning meeting.” They can also handle the smaller details like finding airport workspaces, shuttles, baggage rules and perks. For busy executives, these tools make flying cheaper, faster and stress-free, so you can focus on work, not tabs.
Study: Over half of global travelers would let AI book their trips
A recent survey by Talker Research shows younger Americans in particular are increasingly turning to AI, including ChatGPT, to plan study getaways. Among 2,000 respondents evenly split by generation, only 29% of millennials and 33% of Gen Z reported never using AI for trip planning, compared with 70% of baby boomers who stick to traditional methods.
According to Accenture, AI is becoming an essential part of the travel toolkit not just in the U.S, but globally. Among 18,000 respondents across 14 countries, over half said they would let AI manage their bookings, while frequent generative AI users are increasingly turning to it first for discovering destinations.
Using AI to optimize travel schedules around meetings
Why waste a layover in a boring terminal? AI mapping tools can plot your day so you crush your meetings and explore the city at the same time. It can identify shortcuts, suggest nearby attractions and even flag hidden gems, letting you make the most of every spare hour without stressing about travel logistics.
Take MindTrip: Enter your destination, travel dates and priorities, and it instantly maps out a full itinerary from flights, hotels and restaurants to personalized cultural experiences. For busy executives, it’s a lifesaver: the platform can suggest the perfect nearby gallery or café to prep for a meeting, sneak in a bit of leisure, or simply stretch your legs. A tight schedule suddenly feels manageable.
What makes it even smarter? You can chat with MindTrip’s chatbot to refine your plans in real time so you can swap activities, adjust meeting times or explore hidden gems, all through a conversational interface. Teams can collaborate too, planning flights, hotels and meetings together, while the platform tracks bookings and divides expenses.
The real advantage comes when you let these tools learn your habits. They start to anticipate your preferred airlines, optimal meeting times and even the best workspaces in unfamiliar cities. That means less time fretting over logistics and more time focusing on the purpose of your trip. Treat AI as your unseen travel assistant, and suddenly, business trips feel less like a grind and more like a well-oiled operation.
Photo by Ground Picture/Shutterstock
Business
Brownmine Launches Appli+AI to Democratize AI Technology for Small and Midsize Businesses

Atlanta, Georgia–(Newsfile Corp. – September 5, 2025) – Brownmine officially launched Appli+AI on September 2, 2025, introducing a comprehensive AI automation, consulting, and education service specifically designed for small and midsize businesses (SMBs) and underconnected communities. The new platform addresses a critical market gap where advanced AI technology has remained largely inaccessible to smaller organizations with limited resources.
Appli+AI delivers four core value propositions to bridge the technological divide. The service focuses on productivity enhancement through task automation, scalable systems that grow with businesses, measurable ROI through efficiency and revenue increases, and practical education that demystifies AI technology for everyday business applications.
Segment-Specific Solutions for Diverse Business Needs
The platform offers tailored solutions across multiple business categories to maximize practical impact. Local businesses can implement AI agents for 24/7 customer service, potentially boosting service quality without additional staff costs. Marketing automation and inventory management systems streamline operations and may improve customer engagement
Nonprofits and community leaders gain access to AI-powered data analysis for potentially better resource allocation and impact measurement. Grant writing assistance and volunteer management tools aim to help maximize organizational effectiveness.
Entrepreneurs potentially benefit from streamlined marketing campaigns, automated lead generation, and AI-powered business planning tools. These solutions reduce operational overhead while aiming to accelerate growth potential.
Professional service providers across industries can leverage AI for everyday productivity enhancement, including automated scheduling, proposal drafting, and client communication management. These applications deliver immediate value while requiring minimal technical expertise from users.
Challenging Traditional AI Implementation Models
The launch represents a significant departure from the current AI implementation landscape where technical expertise and substantial financial resources have been prerequisites for adoption. Appli+AI positions advanced AI technology as an equalizer that enables smaller organizations to compete effectively with larger enterprises.
Traditional AI deployment has favored corporations with dedicated IT departments and substantial budgets. Appli+AI eliminates these barriers by providing turnkey solutions that require no specialized technical knowledge or significant upfront investment from users.
“Every business, every entrepreneur, and every community deserves the chance to innovate, scale, and thrive with AI,” said Mike A. Williams, Founder and CEO of Brownmine. “AI should not be reserved for big corporations. Appli+AI exists to make sure no one is left behind in this technological revolution.”
Broader Economic Impact and Innovation Acceleration
Beyond immediate business applications, the Appli+AI launch signals a fundamental shift in how AI technology may be distributed across the economic spectrum. By making advanced tools accessible to previously underserved segments, the initiative could accelerate innovation in sectors that have been left behind in the AI revolution.
The service creates new models for technology democratization that prioritize practical application over theoretical concepts. This approach focuses on delivering tangible business value through automation tools that integrate seamlessly into existing workflows and operations.
Small businesses and community organizations can now access the same caliber of AI technology that has previously driven competitive advantages for major corporations. This technological leveling represents a potential catalyst for widespread economic transformation across multiple sectors.
About Brownmine and Appli+AI
Brownmine developed Appli+AI as a comprehensive solution for organizations seeking to harness AI technology without the traditional barriers of technical complexity and resource requirements. The service combines automation tools, strategic consulting, and practical education to deliver measurable business outcomes.
SMBs, entrepreneurs, and community leaders can explore resources, training, and tailored AI solutions through our websites. The service emphasizes accessibility and practical application while maintaining the sophisticated capabilities typically associated with enterprise-level AI implementations.
For more information about Appli+AI and its tech solutions for small and midsize businesses, visit www.appliai.ai or ww.brownmine.com to contact our team for additional details and demonstration opportunities.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/264951
Business
Cloud technologies democratize access to enterprise-grade AI

A SIGNIFICANT gap is emerging between how agile startups and larger corporations are adopting artificial intelligence (AI) into their business processes, creating what experts refer to as a “two-speed AI economy.” The deployment of the enterprise-grade AI technology, not just the use of readily available large language models (LLM) is where the gap lies.
This was a key finding from a comprehensive study on AI in the Philippines presented at AWS Cloud Day 2025 recently. Though the country is considered to be a rapid AI adopter, the way that business users of the technology vastly differ in terms of how AI is used.
During the session “Unlocking the Philippines AI Potential,” Precious Lim, AWS country manager, emphasized that a continued focus on removing barriers to adoption and highlighted that foundational cloud infrastructure and digital skills are the ultimate determinants of success in the AI era.
DEMOCRATIZE AI AWS Philippines Country Manager Precious Lim PHOTO BY RGBT
The report, conducted in partnership with Strand Partners, surveyed 1,000 business leaders and 1,000 public members. It revealed that AI adoption has reached a significant milestone, with 80,000 businesses now using AI solutions. This marks a 50 percent year-over-year growth, bringing the total to 250,000 companies, or 21 percent of all enterprises in the country — a surge largely enabled by the scalability of cloud services.
Despite this growth, the research exposed a striking divide. While 78 percent of businesses use basic AI for process automation, only a slim 8 percent have deeply integrated it into their core product development and strategy. This disparity is most pronounced between startups, 40 percent of which leverage advanced AI to build new products, and large enterprises, where only 7 percent have reached this transformative stage.
Startups, who are mostly digital natives, often utilize cloud architectures and microservices for rapid iteration, whereas larger companies frequently face challenges with integrating legacy systems.
Responding to a question from The Manila Times, Lim said that “the struggle with legacy systems is not only a technical one but also a matter of mindset. A lot of the technical issues can be solved by hardware or software.” She also said AWS’ “technology investments focus on removing barriers that prevent deeper AI adoption. Through cloud infrastructure, training programs, and innovation support, we’re building the foundation for the Philippines to compete globally in the AI economy.”
However, the study identified a critical skills gap as the primary barrier to adoption, cited by 57 percent of businesses. With 61 percent of jobs expected to require AI literacy within three years, specialized reskilling programs and AI-powered coding assistants are being designed to build a workforce ready for this transition.
To bridge the divide, academic institutions are emerging as crucial training grounds.
Over 100,000 Filipinos have been trained via AWS Academy, which provides higher education institutions with a free, ready-to-teach curriculum to prepare students for cloud-focused jobs and certifications. Another program, AWS Educate, is a global, no-cost program providing online cloud computing education and resources for learners of all ages and experience levels. These educational partnerships allow for hands-on AI experience with tools for natural language processing and computer vision.
Strategic investment in the nation’s digital backbone, including content delivery networks and on-premises solutions, provides the foundation for advanced AI. Local data centers, operational since 2023, deliver the ultra-low latency crucial for real-time applications like fraud detection and predictive maintenance.
AWS also committed to a $100 million Generative AI Innovation Center that is now extending direct support to Philippine startups. This initiative offers local entrepreneurs access to large language models, GPU-optimized instances for custom AI training, and a global network of researchers. Addressing business concerns over regulatory uncertainty, which 42 percent of respondents cited as an issue, the industry offers a suite of data privacy and auditing tools to help companies innovate while maintaining compliance.
“Cloud technologies have democratized AI,” Lim said. “Businesses can implement AI in various stages of their business and change the way they approach innovation. Enterprise-grade AI capabilities can now be accessed over AWS Cloud without the prohibitive upfront hardware investments required just a few years ago.”
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