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PODCAST

Tech Life

BBC World Service

Tech Life discovers and explains the ways technology is changing our lives, wherever we are in the world. We meet the people with bright ideas for rethinking the way we work, learn and play, and get hands-on with the products they dream up. We hold tech giants to account for their huge power to affect our lives, and ask who wins, and who loses, in the technology transformation. Tech Life is your guide to a future being made, and remade, at lightning speed in front of our eyes.

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All Episodes

26:32

Chatbots changing minds

Tech Life ·

2025/12/16

A study found AI chatbots can persuade us with fake facts. We explore what this means for politics. Then we speak to author of The Web Beneath the Waves, Samanth Subramanian, about the importance of undersea cables. Plus: The scientists working together with nuns to save salamanders in a lake in Mexico.Presenter: Chris VallanceProducer: Imran Rahman-Jones Editors: Monica Soriano & Tom Singleton(Image: A colourful composite of a woman with her chin resting on her hands, looking confused. Behind

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26:29

The darker side of streaming

Tech Life ·

2025/12/09

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 McCallumProducer: 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.)

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26:31

The secret ways AI is used to write hit songs

Tech Life ·

2025/12/02

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 McCallumProducer: 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

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26:29

Should we allow AI into the classroom?

Tech Life ·

2025/11/25

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 VallanceProducer: Tom Quinn(Image:

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26:28

Living the digital nomad life

Tech Life ·

2025/11/18

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 McCallumProducer: Tom Quinn(Image: A photo of a laptop near a swimming pool on a sunny day. Credit: Getty Images)

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26:29

The King and AI

Tech Life ·

2025/11/11

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

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26:29

Digital parenting

Tech Life ·

2025/11/04

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

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26:28

Web-scraping bots

Tech Life ·

2025/10/28

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

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26:28

Red lines for AI

Tech Life ·

2025/10/21

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

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26:29

Drones with Tasers

Tech Life ·

2025/10/14

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 VallanceProducer: Tom Quinn(Image: A close-up photo of a Taser being aimed. Credit: Jordan Pettitt/PA Wire)

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26:29

Class action

Tech Life ·

2025/10/07

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

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26:42

Pinterest boss on online safety

Tech Life ·

2025/09/30

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 VallanceProducer: Imran Rahman-Jones(Image: A phone with the red Pinterest logo on it. Credit: Getty Images)

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26:30

Can we trust AI in health?

Tech Life ·

2025/09/23

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

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26:29

Keeping connected

Tech Life ·

2025/09/16

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 McCallumProducer: Tom Quinn(Image: A photo of many fibre optic cables emitting bright light against a dark background. Credit: Getty Images)

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26:29

Sailing into stormy seas

Tech Life ·

2025/09/09

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

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26:28

Talking translation

Tech Life ·

2025/09/02

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 McCallumProducer: Tom Quinn(Image: A photo of a young woman speaking into a smartphone. Credit: pocketlight/Getty Images)

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26:30

What happens when you lose your social media?

Tech Life ·

2025/08/26

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 McCallumProducer: Imran Rahman-Jones Editor: Monica Soriano(Image: An illustration of a mobile phone with barbed wire

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26:31

Tech and performance at the Edinburgh Festivals

Tech Life ·

2025/08/19

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

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26:29

Dealing with cyber attacks

Tech Life ·

2025/08/12

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 techlife@bbc.co.uk or send us a Whatsapp message or voice memo on +44 330 1230 320. Please include

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26:29

What happened to DeepSeek?

Tech Life ·

2025/08/05

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 FraserProducer: 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)

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