KAREN JOY BACUDO

Finance Editor

Rezolve Ai has partnered with Zilch to add its Reward retail engagement platform to the payments app’s customer experience, linking the company with a UK payments platform that serves nearly 6 million customers.

The deal will place offers from hundreds of UK retailers inside the Zilch journey for online and in-store spending. The integration is designed to connect merchants with consumers at the point where payment and shopping decisions meet.

According to the companies, Zilch is one of the larger consumer payments platforms in the UK. Rezolve Ai said the app directs more than USD $3.3 billion in annual sales to partner merchants, while Zilch said it drives more than GBP £2.5 billion annually to merchant partners.

The partnership extends the reach of Reward, Rezolve Ai’s financial engagement business. The platform already works with banking and payments groups including Barclays, Visa, Mastercard, NatWest and Mashreq. Through that network, Rezolve Ai said it has returned more than USD $2 billion in cashback to customers.

Payments link

The move reflects a broader push by commerce technology groups to place retail offers, loyalty tools and customer prompts inside financial apps, rather than relying only on conventional advertising or retailer-owned channels. For payments providers, such partnerships can add shopping features to products already used for everyday transactions.

Rezolve Ai presented the deal as further evidence of its plan to build software that sits between merchants, consumers and financial platforms. It also said agreements with Mashreq, Visa and Tata Consultancy Services support its previously stated FY26 revenue guidance of about USD $360 million.

Daniel M. Wagner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Rezolve Ai, described the Zilch partnership as a sign of where payments and shopping are heading.

“Zilch is not simply another distribution partner. It is a high-profile fintech platform serving nearly 6 million customers and driving more than $3.3 billion annually to partner merchants. That scale demonstrates exactly where commerce is heading: intelligent engagement embedded directly into the payments journey. Through Reward, we are bringing retailers, consumers and payment providers together at the point of intent, where AI can make every interaction more relevant, measurable and valuable. As transactions become more personalised, more automated and increasingly agentic, Rezolve Ai is positioning itself to power the real-time connection between financial platforms, merchants and consumers,” Wagner said.

Reward operates in more than 15 markets across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The business focuses on linking banking and retail data with merchant offers and customer engagement tools.

James House, Chief Executive Officer of Reward, said the Zilch agreement broadens the channels through which brands can reach consumers inside financial services products.

“Reward has built a powerful network at the intersection of banking, payments and retail. Bringing our platform into the Zilch ecosystem gives brands another high-quality financial environment through which to reach customers, drive engagement and generate measurable sales growth. Zilch is a highly relevant and fast-growing payments platform, and this partnership demonstrates how Reward continues to expand the reach and effectiveness of Rezolve Ai’s broader commerce infrastructure,” House said.

Zilch growth

Zilch, founded in 2019, has built its business around a mix of debit, credit, instalments, earned wage access, credit building, deals and rewards. The company said nearly 6 million customers have saved more than GBP £750 million in fees and interest through its platform.

The addition of Reward will widen the pool of merchants available through Zilch’s service and increase the number of brands using Zilch’s Intelligent Commerce offering. The companies said this will let retailers reach consumers in both digital and physical shopping settings.

Andreas Andreou, Chief Revenue Officer of Zilch, said the agreement expands retailer access for users and adds more brands to its commerce network.

“Our focus has always been on giving customers more from their everyday spending by offering more flexible ways to pay and more value from every transaction. This partnership with Reward significantly expands the range of retailers our customers can access with subsidized credit in-store and online through Zilch. It also brings more great brands onto Intelligent Commerce, where we can help them connect with our highly engaged customer base in the most effective way,” Andreou said.

SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO

News Editor

Pearson and Amazon Web Services have published UK research on AI readiness among learners and employers. The study found that 14% of UK learners consider themselves highly prepared for an AI-enabled workforce.

The findings point to a gap between exposure to AI in education and the ability to apply it in workplace settings. Among employers surveyed, 43% said graduates struggle to use AI knowledge in real-world situations. Meanwhile, 47% of learners said the best preparation for an AI-enabled career is a mix of university education and practical work experience.

Focusing on the transition from higher education into employment, the report argues that universities and employers need to align more closely on what AI readiness means in practice. Employers are looking not only for technical familiarity with AI tools, but also for judgement, communication, collaboration and adaptability.

The results come as concerns about graduate employment and job preparedness continue to shape debates over the role of universities in labour market outcomes. The research suggests that while many students use AI tools, they do not believe that use alone leaves them ready for work.

Sharon Hague, UK Chief Executive Officer at Pearson, said: “AI is changing the expectations graduates face as they move from education into the world of work. The UK benefits from world-class institutions and strong graduate adaptability, but without the right skills this potential will not translate into the workplace. High youth unemployment and an impetus among businesses to drive enterprise value highlight the need to help students build, practise and prove AI-ready capability that prepares them for work.”

Conducted with AWS, the study examines what it describes as friction points between learning and employment. It introduces an AI Readiness Friction Framework, which sets out six areas where progress is being held back across the education-to-work pathway.

Key gaps

According to the framework, one issue is the pace at which curricula and institutional decisions adapt to changing workplace demands. Another is the connection between universities and employers, with the report calling for stronger feedback loops from industry into teaching and course design.

It also highlights staff training, governance, practical experience and broader skills development. The report argues that institutions should invest more in faculty and instructor understanding of AI, set clearer guidance on acceptable AI use in learning and assessment, and create more structured opportunities for students to apply AI in workplace-like contexts.

On skills, the emphasis is on combining technical knowledge with judgement and other qualities that employers say remain important when AI is part of daily work. The report identifies strategic intelligence, ethical stewardship and other human skills as priorities alongside direct familiarity with AI systems.

Valerie Singer, General Manager of Global Education at AWS, said: “Students are using AI, but usage alone isn’t what employers are looking for. They want evidence that graduates can apply AI to solve real problems. The gap isn’t access, it’s the distance between exposure and proof. Programmes like the AWS Skills to Jobs Tech Alliance give students hands-on experience so they leave with skills they can show, not just tools they’ve tried. That’s how we make sure what students learn actually prepares them for the workforce.”

Workplace focus

A central theme in the research is that access to AI tools is no longer the main issue. Instead, the challenge is whether learners can demonstrate that they know when and how to use those tools effectively in a professional environment.

That distinction matters for employers hiring graduates into roles where AI is becoming a routine part of work. The survey results indicate that organisations want recruits who can combine AI use with critical thinking and clear communication, rather than simply show they have experimented with the technology.

The report also points to apprenticeships and other forms of work-based learning as one route to narrowing the gap. It suggests students need more opportunities to practise with AI in settings that resemble workplace tasks, rather than encountering the technology only in abstract or isolated academic exercises.

For higher education institutions, the findings add to pressure to review how quickly courses are updated and how closely content reflects employer expectations. For policymakers, they add evidence to a wider debate over productivity, graduate outcomes and the skills needed as AI reshapes entry-level work.

Only 14% of UK learners in the study said they were highly AI-ready, a measure defined as combining AI knowledge with the human skills needed to apply it effectively.

The pubs have been selected by a panel of pub experts using the criteria including a welcoming, lively atmosphere, high-quality drinks, and a strong sense of community,

10 Oxfordshire pubs made the list, which aims to encourage people to discover some of the UK’s finest venues.

The Peyton Arms. (Image: Google Maps)

The Peyton Arms at School Lane in Stoke Lyne, a village near Bicester was one of the lucky pubs shortlisted,

Under the Hook Norton Brewery Co banner, the watering hole is run by landlords Mick and Jean Weston.

The Peyton Arms was also nominated as a finalist in the North Oxfordshire CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) Pub of the Year 2016, and was also named best pub in the county by The Times in 2025.

The Rose & Crown on Parade Avenue in Oxford (Image: Newsquest)

Meanwhile, The Rose & Crown on Parade Avenue in Oxford was also named among the best.

For 43 years the Hall family has been in charge, and they have been praised for their efforts by real ale drinkers in the city.

Mr and Mrs Hall run the pub with their son Adam, and in 2023 they celebrated their 40th anniversary in charge by creating a special cask ale at Hook Norton brewery to mark the occasion.

Oxford CAMRA members with former landlord Phil Gammon outside the Lamb & Flag Photo: Phil Gammon (Image: Newsquest)

Another Oxford pub on the list is The Lamb & Flag, on St Giles’ Street.

The pub was shut down by its owners St John’s College at the start of 2021 due to a fall in trade caused by the pandemic, but it reopened in October 2022 following a takeover by the Inklings community group and has been busy ever since.

The pub is so busy is now selling branded tote bags, mugs and other items to tourists and local drinkers.

The Bear Inn (Image: The Bear Inn)

Another city favourite is The Bear Inn on Alfred Street.

Its history dates back to 1262, but the current building was constructed in 1606 and then known as the Jolly Trooper.

It’s recommended by punters as a place to relax after a summer walk and to cosy up and escape the cold during the winter months.

Steve Mace, left, with Dave Richardson (Image: Photo: Dave Richardson)

The Morris Clown on High Street in Bampton is another Oxfordshire favourite.

Landlord Steve Mace has been in charge for 36 years and was presented with a long service certificate from the Oxford branch of CAMRA in 2023.

During the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021 landlord Mr Mace took to his bicycle to deliver ale to his customers’ homes, often in harsh winter weather and still in the shorts he always wears.

The Butchers Arms in Balscote (Image: Google Maps)

Village pubs near Banbury top the list with The Butchers Arms on Shutford Road in Balscote and The Red Lion in Horley selected by experts.

The Butchers Arms in Balscote is a lovely little find.

Hidden away in the North Oxfordshire Countryside, it has been a Hook Norton Pub since 1878 and still has the original Ice house in the garden as well as boasting a Grade II Listing.

The Red Lion in Horley (Image: Google Maps)

Meanwhile the Red Lion in Horley was voted in CAMRA’s top 200 pubs in 2015 and was featured in CAMRA’s 2023 Good Beer Guide.

Rose & Crown, Charlbury (Image: Google Street View)

Charlbury-based boozer The Rose & Crown in Market Street is another of the best pubs of the year.

A freehouse, the pub has been featured in the Good Beer Guide for 31 years in a row and is described as a strong supporter of local breweries.

The Cross Keys in Thame being presented with the Pub of the Year award in 2024 (Image: CAMRA)

The Cross Keys on East Street in Thame is also listed amongst the best.

The pub was formerly a Brakspear pub, and was bought by the Thame-based pub company, Oak Taverns early in 2022 and reopened with Mr and Mrs Howse at the helm in May of that year.

Landlord Dave Howse previously told the Oxford Mail the pub is a ‘wet-led’ pub, and doesn’t rely on providing a food service, although the regular visiting pop-up street food vendors are proving to be a more than welcome alternative.

Will Hawkes, The Telegraph’s beer, food and travel journalist, said: “Despite desperate operating conditions, Britain still has hundreds of magnificent pubs, offering warmth, atmosphere, character and fantastic drinks. You’ll find the best of the best in our guide.”