LONDON — That long-held Wimbledon tradition of line judges dressed in elegant uniforms is no more.

The All England Club announced Wednesday that artificial intelligence will be used to make the ‘out’ and ‘fault’ calls at the championships from 2025.

Wimbledon organizers said the decision to adopt live electronic line calling was made following extensive testing at the 2024 tournament and “builds on the existing ball-tracking and line-calling technology that has been in place for many years.”

“We consider the technology to be sufficiently robust and the time is right to take this important step in seeking maximum accuracy in our officiating,” said Sally Bolton, chief executive of the All England Club. “For the players, it will offer them the same conditions they have played under at a number of other events on tour.”

Bolton said Wimbledon had a responsibility to “balance tradition and innovation.”

“Line umpires have played a central role in our officiating set-up at the championships for many decades,” she said, “and we recognize their valuable contribution and thank them for their commitment and service.”

Line-calling technology has long been used at Wimbledon and other tennis tournaments to call whether serves are in or out.

The All England Club also said Wednesday that the ladies’ and gentlemen’s singles finals will be scheduled to take place at the later time of 4 p.m. local time on the second Saturday and Sunday, respectively — and after doubles finals on those days.

Bolton said the moves have been made to ensure the day of the finals “builds towards the crescendo of the ladies’ and gentlemen’s singles finals, with our champions being crowned in front of the largest possible worldwide audience.”

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London-listed companies will have greater flexibility to pay top executives higher salaries under new guidance from the UK’s £9.1tn investor body, despite a series of shareholder protests against bumper pay packets.

The Investment Association, the trade body representing 250 large investors holding important stakes in UK-listed companies, said on Wednesday that it had “simplified” its remuneration guidelines so that companies could set pay policies to “suit their specific needs” while also “being responsive to shareholder expectations”.

The move comes after prominent business figures called for higher executive pay to encourage companies to stay listed on the London Stock Exchange following an exodus of groups moving to the US, where executive remuneration tends to be higher. 

Andrew Ninian, a director at the IA, said the revised guidelines “demonstrate that investors want to incentivise delivery of long-term performance”. 

The investment body said its members wanted “a competitive” listing environment “that attracts companies to list and operate in the UK” and noted that “during the past year, there has been significant debate” on executive remuneration and “its impact on UK-listed companies”.

Companies’ remuneration committees use the IA guidelines when deciding whether to increase executive pay. Companies can deviate from the guidelines but shareholders generally expect the reasons to be explained.

Julia Hoggett, chief executive of the London Stock Exchange, said last year that UK executives should be paid more if the country wanted to retain talent and prevent companies moving overseas. 

The IA had committed last year to reviewing its guidance after pressure to respond to concerns that it was too rigid and made it difficult for companies with an international presence to attract top executives, particularly from the US.

Keith Barr, the former boss of InterContinental Hotels Group, is among a handful of executives to have left the UK in favour of the US. He warned that the UK was “not a very attractive place” for listed companies.

But the move to reward executives with higher pay risks stoking a greater backlash from some shareholders, after significant investor revolts against pay increases this year. AstraZeneca’s investors approved a potential £1.8mn increase for boss Pascal Soriot in April but the company was hit by a significant revolt from shareholders.

London Stock Exchange Group and Smith & Nephew were among the other FTSE 100 companies that pushed through higher executive pay deals at their AGMs this year. 

The updated guidelines allow for companies to benchmark executive pay against international rivals, noting that if a significant proportion of revenues are generated in an overseas market, such as the US, the remuneration committee “is encouraged to set out the impact of attracting global talent on the positioning of remuneration”.  

Luke Hildyard, director of the High Pay Centre, a think-tank, said that executive pay practices at global peers were “relevant in some instances” but noted that “few UK companies are of a similar size or global footprint as the biggest US firms, so comparisons are mostly redundant”.

Remuneration consultants at Alvarez & Marsal said the change was “positive” and “may help the market to develop a more rational and less emotionally charged framework for discussing pay levels”.

The new guidance also makes it easier for companies to adopt “hybrid” pay structures, which include long-term incentives that reward loyalty but have until now been more common in the US than the UK. Companies will also be given more flexibility on the level of director bonuses that must be deferred. 

The IA said boards should exercise discretion to “avoid rewarding or penalising executives for factors beyond their control or influence”. Alvarez & Marsal said this more flexible approach was “a significant change in tone from the IA”. 

Selecting the right platform is a bit like building a house: if the foundations aren’t stable then you’re in serious trouble further down the line.

I’m increasingly seeing advisers considering switching platforms looking to financial stability as that key foundation stone from which to build.

Today’s advice platform market is characterised by oversupply and frequent regulatory change, leaving a key problem for advisers to overcome – long-term stability.

A financially robust platform reassures advisers their chosen provider will endure market consolidation, invest in continuous innovation and maintain high service levels, while being able to adequately adapt to the pace of regulatory change.

Financial stability is about more than survival; it’s about thriving in a competitive market

Consumer Duty further underscores the need to take a more long-term approach. Advisers must ensure their platform partners can consistently meet these regulatory expectations, safeguarding consistency in service quality and good client outcomes.

Financial stability is about more than survival; it’s about thriving in a competitive market.

A stable platform is not a static platform. Instead, it’s a reliable partner that adapts, supports advisers’ evolving needs and provides the infrastructure to keep pace with technological advancements.

Without assessing a platform’s financial stability and ability to invest in development, advisers risk partnering with a platform that could struggle to sustain service quality or keep up with industry innovations, potentially putting their client relationships and business growth at risk.

Contrary to some opinions, advisers are open to exploring new platforms, but they generally need a trigger to make such a significant switch

Contrary to some opinions, advisers are open to exploring new platforms, but they generally need a trigger to make such a significant switch.

Realistically, a firm will only shift large volumes of business when there’s a compelling reason — which are often realised by concerns about their current platform’s financial health and levels of investment.

Consistency of service, back-office connectivity, and digital automation and experience give advisers an edge in an industry where marginal gains can make a real difference.

If doubts arise about a platform’s financial security, advisers should question whether they will continue to see these cornerstones of platform efficiency maintained.

Switching usually requires significant push factors that prompt advisers to consider their options. These can include long call wait times, processing delays, transaction errors and lack of accountability, all problems that damage client relationships and erode trust.

Platform charges have increasingly become a secondary consideration

Platform charges have increasingly become a secondary consideration. Charges across the industry are highly competitive, and advisers now view them as relatively uniform. Instead of focusing solely on costs, advisers weigh charges against a broader range of factors, like digital experience, investment choice, service model and overall value for money.

Platform charges represent only a small portion of the total cost of advice, which includes adviser fees and investment management costs. So, with cost differences between platforms generally minimal and one eye on Consumer Duty, advisers are beginning to prioritise the long-term viability of a platform over short-term savings.

With a focus on value mandated by Consumer Duty, advisers are gravitating towards platforms that have greater resources at their disposal. These are more capable of investing in reliable service and support, which ultimately benefits clients and helps advisers to scale their businesses.

Why onboarding matters

A seamless onboarding experience is essential for affirming advisers’ confidence in their decision to switch platforms. This process is their first impression of the new platform and sets the tone for their platform experience.

A well-designed onboarding process should be efficient, transparent and supportive, according to the individual needs of advice firms. This process involves not just the technical aspects of transferring data and setting up accounts but also clear communication, training and ongoing support.

Delivering all this requires investment, not just at the start, but as part of a continuous review process.

Effective onboarding can transform what is seen as a daunting process into a smooth, positive experience

By minimising the friction involved in switching and providing comprehensive assistance during the transition, platforms can reduce perceived barriers to change.

This proactive approach instils a sense of trust and reliability, which fosters long-term loyalty, making advisers more likely to stay with the platform and recommend it to others. Effective onboarding can transform what is seen as a daunting process into a smooth, positive experience.

While multiple factors influence platform selection and switching, we are seeing the emergence of financial stability as a critical element.

In an era of market oversupply and rapid technological change, advisers are increasingly recognising and seeking out platforms that are operationally efficient and financially secure.

Understanding these dynamics allows platforms to better position themselves to meet the evolving needs of advice firms and their clients to deliver mutual future success.

Ranila Ravi-Burslem is intermediary distribution director at Scottish Widows

Journalists and newsrooms are being called on to submit proposals for AI tools that could be used to tackle critical issues facing news publishing, including making news pay.

Publishing technology experts Atex have laid down a challenge to the news industry with the launch of its AI Accelerator Program, which it hopes will be a “starting point” for changing the way journalism and artificial intelligence interact with each other.

AI can be viewed with suspicion by journalists over fears that it will replace human workers and lead to widespread job losses, as well as a decline in the quality of news content.

Atex has said it wants to hear ideas for “the strategic and conscious use” of AI to solve problems for the industry, with proposals that “support and improve” all areas of news publishing – from gathering and production to distribution and monetisation.

An Atex spokesperson said: “The advent of Generative AI has profoundly transformed various industries, including content production and media. For instance, AI can now help analysing large amounts of data much faster or assist journalists in rewriting the same content in different formats, e.g. from newsletters to social networks.