Tech Life

Twitch streamer QTCinderella talks about the unwelcome attention she receives in real life. Shiona McCallum reports on robotics for offshore wind farms. And polar rover tech. Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn (Image: A photo of Twitch streamer QTCinderella attending TwitchCon 2024 in San Diego, USA. She is standing in front of a TwitchCon backdrop and logo. She is smiling at the camera. Credit: Getty Images.)

We’re all about AI today. As AI-generated music tops US charts, a musician explains how he uses AI in the songwriting process. A fashion house explains how they use it to help sizing issues. And with the festive season approaching, there is a warning over its use in children’s toys. Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones Studio manager: Nolwenn Movallali (Image: Manon Dave wearing a baseball cap, a white T-shirt and jeans, sitting on a stage wearing a head mic. He is gesturing with his hands mid-sentence. Credit: Getty Images.)

Does AI have a role in education? Some private schools in the United States are swapping traditional teacher-led classroom lessons for laptops and personalised apps. We speak to pupils and the co-founder of the school network embracing AI-assisted learning. Also in this edition: We're lifting the lid on online scams around the world. Hear how one woman was conned out of a large sum of money, and an expert tells us what we should be wary of online. Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn (Image: Rear view of a large group of high school students in a computer lab. They have laptops on their desks. Credit: Getty Images)

We look at how tech and visas have freed some employees from their desktops, allowing them to continue their work from other parts of the world. They're called digital nomads. Also in this edition: Shiona McCallum speaks to a victim of online bullying in Kenya, and finds out about a charity trying to help. And tech startups in Finland are turning to Slush. Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn (Image: A photo of a laptop near a swimming pool on a sunny day. Credit: Getty Images)

Seven pioneers of artificial intelligence gathered at St James's Palace to receive the Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering, presented by King Charles. Zoe Kleinman was there. In this week's edition you can hear Zoe talk to the 'godmother' of AI, Professor Fei-Fei Li, and Jensen Huang, the head of the world's most valuable company, Nvidia. Also on Tech Life this week: how useful can robots be in space ? And the racing cars revving up in Abu Dhabi without any drivers onboard. Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn (Photo: A photo of King Charles at the prize ceremony in London. Credit: Reuters)

We look at a particular use of tech in family life - using trackers to know where your children are, or your partner, or other relatives. What are the safety and privacy issues ? Also on Tech Life: Shiona McCallum speaks to the BBC's cyber correspondent, Joe Tidy, about a gang of Russian hackers known as Evil Corps. Who are they, and what have they done ? Joe is co-hosting a new podcast about them. And a young engineer from Kenya has developed an app for deaf people, so they can read sign language on a screen while people speak to them in real-time. It's just earned him a prestigious award. Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn (Image: A photo of a mother and teenage daughter at home, using a laptop and smartphone. Credit: Getty Images)

We look at the impact data-scraping robots from AI firms are having on the online encyclopedia used by hundreds of millions of people. Also in this edition of Tech Life: if you work in the fashion industry, if you are a fashion model, are you worried about AI ? A lot are, and we find out why. And how do we prevent children from seeing online adult content ? Many parts of the world are requiring sites to verify the ages of their users. Now the biggest adult site argues that we need a better system. Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn (Image: A photo illustration of the Wikipedia logo displayed on a smartphone screen. Credit: Getty Images)

More than 200 prominent individuals and 70 organisations want international agreement on 'do not cross' red lines for artificial intelligence, to prevent risks to humanity. We speak to Stuart Russell, professor of computer science at the University of California in Berkeley, who is backing the call. He spells out some of the potential risks that AI could pose to us all, and says global agreement on AI red lines is the solution. Also on Tech Life this week: We look at how artificial intelligence is having an impact on the legal profession. In Ghana, holograms are helping to spread breast cancer health advice. And Shiona McCallum speaks to a young tech YouTuber in Dubai. Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn (Image: An illustration of AI letters against a red backdrop. Credit: Wong Yu Liang/Getty Images)

We speak to the founder and CEO of Axon Enterprise, maker of the Taser, about the tech's future. And the future includes drones armed with Tasers. Also in this edition of Tech Life: why an underwater glider is circumnavigating the globe, gathering data on the oceans. And find out why the quantum computing revolution could arrive sooner than expected. Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn (Image: A close-up photo of a Taser being aimed. Credit: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)

A class action lawsuit is underway in Italy against Meta and TikTok. Lawyers say they want to protect younger children from social media harm. We look at the issues. Also in Tech Life this week, we have another story about social media. It's about farmers in Africa, so-called agri-influencers, and how they're cultivating an online movement. Shiona McCallum tests a new maritime AI communication system. And a Japanese tech company is trying to eradicate malaria using drones. Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn (Image: A child uses a smartphone. Credit: Getty Images)

An exclusive interview with Bill Ready, boss of social media platform Pinterest. Plus – what is actually stolen in a cyber-attack, the end of dial-up and are AI pets the future? Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones (Image: A phone with the red Pinterest logo on it. Credit: Getty Images)

We hear from experts on the pros and cons of using AI in the healthcare world. Plus ex-Minecraft YouTuber Stampy, AKA Joseph Garrett, on turning to game design. But are console games getting too expensive? And the students from India whose innovative renewable energy tech has won a prestigious award. This week's Tech Life was presented by Shiona McCallum and produced by Imran Rahman-Jones. Our editor is Monica Soriano. (Image: A stethoscope with a small screen on it, shown a person's heart rate at 76 BPM. A hand hold it to a person's chest.)

This week we're talking about connectivity. How to keep the internet running when international data cables are damaged by earthquakes or war. And are light beams a solution ? Also this week: Satellites and AI are being used to count migrating wildebeest in Africa. We hear how tech is challenging long-standing estimates of animal numbers. Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn (Image: A photo of many fibre optic cables emitting bright light against a dark background. Credit: Getty Images)

A fleet of small robotic sailboats, packed with sensors, are ready to sail into the path of storms, to gather data on developing hurricanes. We find out how they'll do it. The data will help experts predict where a hurricane might reach land, giving people time to prepare and evacuate. Also on Tech Life this week: we're at Europe's biggest tech show to find out what the next big thing might be. We speak to a Tech Life listener in Zambia who is teaching children about robotics and coding. And rented batteries, charged with solar energy, could offer a clean energy alternative in Africa. Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn (Image: A photo of a small robotic C-Star sailboat developed by British company Oshen. Credit: Oshen)

We test the AI tech that offers live language translation on the telephone. India bans online money games. And AI in the workplace - a global study looks at who uses it, and why. Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn (Image: A photo of a young woman speaking into a smartphone. Credit: pocketlight/Getty Images)

For months, we have been hearing from people all over the world who say they have been unfairly banned from their Facebook and Instagram accounts. Meta has, so far, said nothing publicly about what’s going on. Plus, we chart the rise and fall of an American tech giant, and the author of Empire of AI, Karen Hao, tells us what she thinks the industry gets wrong. Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones Editor: Monica Soriano (Image: An illustration of a mobile phone with barbed wire surrounding it. Credit: Getty Images)

A special from Edinburgh, where art and performance meet tech with spectacular results. Including a magician with robot assistants, an AI improv group and an electrifying dance act. Every August, Edinburgh becomes the centre of the arts world, with half a million visitors and thousands of acts descending on the Scottish capital. Among these are performers using some pioneering tech, asking questions about the role of AI in our lives and even a choreographer stimulating his dancers’ muscles with electricity. Tell us about your own mini-adventure with tech by emailing [email protected] or sending us a Whatsapp voice note to +44 330 1230 320. Presenter and producer: Imran Rahman-Jones Editor: Monica Soriano (Image: A man in a white shirt a grey waistcoat, on stage with a humanoid robot head. Credit: Getty Images)

Singapore is experiencing an increase in cyber threats, and its critical infrastructure was targeted in a cyber attack. We speak to the country's Commissioner of Cybersecurity. Also in Tech Life this week: we hear the real voice of a fake spokesperson for a synthetic band. And presenter Zoe Kleinman has a mini tech adventure involving social media and a metal detectorist. You can contact us by emailing [email protected] or send us a Whatsapp message or voice memo on +44 330 1230 320. Please include your name and where you live. Presenter: Zoe Kleinman Producer: Tom Quinn Editor: Monica Soriano Image: Hands are held over a computer keyboard as screens display computer data. Credit: Getty Images.

China’s DeepSeek took the AI world by storm this year. Where is it now? Plus the AI doomsday scenario capturing the imagination of the tech world. How seriously should we take it? And the future of driving with Volvo’s tech lead. Presenter: Graham Fraser Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones Editor: Monica Soriano (Image: A hand holding a phone with the blue and white Deepseek whale logo on it. In the background is the red flag of China. Credit: Getty Images)

Imagine a world in which AI servants are at your beck and call. They work for you, shop for you, book your travel and help organise your family life. It's called Agentic AI. And it's coming. A senior figure at Amazon tells us how they see AI agents changing our lives. Also this week on Tech Life: Kenya's plastic waste problem is being turned into a 3D-printed teaching solution. And a charity is helping to save animals from extinction by freezing their cells. We enjoy reading your messages about tech and Tech Life. Please get in touch by emailing [email protected] or send us a Whatsapp message or voice memo on +44 330 1230 320. Please include your name and where you live. Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn Editor: Monica Soriano Image: A futuristic illustration of a human head connected to technology by an AI Agent. Credit: MF3d/Getty Images

Thousands of tonnes of excess sewage, manure, food waste and paper sludge are being pumped hundreds of meters underground in the USA, where it will stay for centuries, preventing greenhouse gases from being released. Microsoft is backing the method to help offset carbon emissions. We speak to the co-founder and CEO of Vaulted Deep. Also on Tech Life: We sound out some in the music industry about the impact of generative AI. And a high altitude Tech Life listener tells us about the time his tech went wrong. We enjoy reading your messages about Tech Life. Please get in touch by emailing [email protected] or send us a Whatsapp message or voice memo on +44 330 1230 320. Please include your name and where you live. Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn Editor: Monica Soriano Image: Slurry injection technology in use on location in the USA. Credit: Vaulted Deep

We step inside a quantum computer lab to answer your questions about technology that promises to revolutionise everything from particle physics to fertiliser production. Also this week on Tech Life: lots of us upload and download large quantities of data, and the expectation is that the demand for data will only increase in the future. How will our current networks cope ? The solution travels at the speed of light. And how do you teach AI to speak in different accents ? We find out. We enjoy reading your messages about Tech Life. Please get in touch by emailing [email protected] or send us a Whatsapp message or voice memo on +44 330 1230 320. Please include your name and where you live. Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn Editor: Monica Soriano Image: The word "Quantum" is illuminated on a circuit board. Credit: Wong Yu Liang/Getty Images

This week on Tech Life, we speak to the company behind an AI safe driving device that's fitted to thousands of delivery vans and fleet vehicles around the world. Using cameras and an onboard AI system, it assesses how safely a vehicle is being driven. And it warns both the driver, and their manager, if it spots a serious safety risk inside or outside the vehicle. Also this week, we find out about cargo drones parachuting humanitarian aid into parts of central Africa. And what can children tell us about AI ? We enjoy reading your messages about Tech Life. Please get in touch by emailing [email protected] or send us a Whatsapp message or voice memo on +44 330 1230 320. You can use the same contact details to send us any questions you've ever wanted to have answered about quantum computers. We're hoping to gather up your questions and ask an expert about quantum computing for a future episode. Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn Editor: Monica Soriano Image: A photo taken inside a car of the road ahead and other road traffic outside. Credit: egon69/Getty Images

The way the internet will operate in the future is being discussed at the moment. Will it remain as it is now, or could governments become more involved and take more control ? We speak to ICANN, one of the technical institutions which help to keep the internet functioning, about their concerns. Also this week: the man behind one of the most popular websites in the world talks to Tech Life. And we hear from the award-winning teenage inventor of a toxic dust detector. We enjoy reading your messages about the one item of tech you simply can't do without. If you want to tell us about your must-have piece of tech, please get in touch by emailing [email protected] or send us a Whatsapp message or voice memo on +44 330 1230 320. You can use the same contact details to send us any questions you've ever wanted to have answered about quantum computers. We're hoping to gather up your questions and ask an expert about quantum computing in a future episode. Presenter: Graham Fraser Producer: Tom Quinn Editor: Monica Soriano Image: An illustration of a woman holding a tablet device connected to the internet. Credit: Suwanmanee99/Getty Images

What are the advantages of creating a digital mirror of a city – or an entire island? We speak to a company making digital twins to create simulations of the real world. Then we hear from a real set of twins about their award-winning carbon capture project. And the company sending tiny satellites into space to help environmental researchers. Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones Editor: Monica Soriano (Image: A graphic of a person's hand holding a mini city on its fingertips. Credit: Getty Images.)