UK Warns of Increased Cyber Threats as AI Adoption Rises, New Security Strategy on the Way

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Britain is set to face a rise in both the frequency and severity of cyberattacks as artificial intelligence becomes more widespread, warned Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden during the CyberUK 2025 conference on Wednesday. He revealed that a newly declassified intelligence assessment indicates AI will significantly enhance cyberattack capabilities, posing an urgent threat to national infrastructure and the private sector.

“Cyber security isn’t a luxury, it’s an absolute necessity,” McFadden said, urging coordinated action across government, business, and public institutions.

The warning comes in the wake of a string of recent cyberattacks on prominent British retailers including Marks & Spencer, the Co-op Group, and Harrods. M&S remains unable to process online clothing orders, underlining the long-lasting disruption such attacks can cause.

Key Points:

  • In 2024, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) received nearly 2,000 attack reports, with 12 classified at the highest level of severity—triple the number from the year before.

  • McFadden announced that the government will release a new UK Cyber Security Strategy later this year.

  • A forthcoming Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will empower the government to compel regulated organisations to strengthen their cyber defences.

  • The recent retailer incidents are widely believed to involve ransomware, a form of attack where systems are encrypted and a payment is demanded for restoration.

NCSC CEO Richard Horne emphasized the need to dismantle the ransomware business model, calling for a future in which paying cyber ransoms is no longer an acceptable response.

As AI continues to accelerate the sophistication and automation of cyber threats, the UK government is positioning cybersecurity not just as a technological challenge but as a core pillar of national resilience.

Dayforce Shares Drop 10% After Q2 Revenue Forecast Misses Expectations Despite Q1 Beat

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Dayforce Inc. (DAY.N) saw its shares drop 10% on Wednesday after issuing a second-quarter revenue forecast that fell short of Wall Street expectations, despite reporting a better-than-expected Q1 performance.

The HR software provider, formerly known as Ceridian, expects Q2 revenue between $454 million and $460 million, below the $465.5 million consensus estimate compiled by LSEG. The company’s full-year revenue guidance of $1.93–$1.94 billion was roughly in line with expectations.

The cautious outlook contrasts with that of larger competitor ADP, which recently raised its annual revenue forecast on the back of strong enterprise demand and recent strategic acquisitions.

Dayforce posted Q1 revenue of $481.8 million, beating estimates of $476.7 million. Excluding float revenue—interest earned from holding funds before disbursement—the company reported $426.5 million in core revenue. Adjusted earnings for the quarter were 58 cents per share, above the expected 55 cents.

In February, Dayforce announced a 5% workforce reduction, aiming to cut annual costs by $65 million as part of its operational streamlining.

The company provides cloud-based payroll, workforce, and human capital management solutions to enterprise clients worldwide. Despite its strong Q1 results, the lower Q2 guidance may signal softer near-term demand or macroeconomic caution impacting deal flow and client expansion.

Jeff Bezos Leads $72M Investment in AI Data Firm Toloka to Fuel U.S. Expansion

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Jeff Bezos, through his personal firm Bezos Expeditions, is leading a $72 million funding round in Toloka, an AI data solutions company aiming to scale its global presence, particularly in the United States, Toloka told Reuters on Wednesday.

Toloka specializes in training and evaluating AI models using a global network of human experts and testers, providing high-quality data labeling and validation. The company is part of Nebius Group (NBIS.O), an AI infrastructure firm listed on Nasdaq and formerly affiliated with Russian tech giant Yandex.

The investment marks a significant milestone for CEO and founder Olga Megorskaya, who said the funding would accelerate product development by fostering collaboration between AI agents and human experts.

“There will always be the need for control, verification, and help from human experts to ensure that the result is actually of high quality,” she said.

Strategic Backing and Global Shift

The deal comes after Nebius successfully split from Yandex in a $5.4 billion exit from Russia, the largest corporate withdrawal since the 2022 Ukraine invasion. The restructuring allowed Nebius and Toloka to pursue Western capital without violating sanctions.

Other notable participants in the round include Mikhail Parakhin, CTO of Shopify, who will also serve as Toloka’s executive chairman. Parakhin emphasized the urgent global demand for trusted AI data solutions.

In late 2023, Nvidia invested in a $700 million private placement in Nebius, highlighting growing institutional interest in AI infrastructure and tools.

With this latest funding round:

  • Bezos Expeditions and other new investors gain equity

  • Nebius retains a majority economic stake, but gives up majority voting control, enabling Toloka to operate independently

  • A future funding round is anticipated, Megorskaya said

The investment underscores a broader trend of scaling AI companies focused on high-quality data pipelines, as tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and Anthropic increasingly rely on curated training datasets for safe and effective AI model development.