Tech Life

Latest Episodes:

Chatbots changing minds Dec 16, 2025

Show notes

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 Vallance Producer: 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 her is an illustration of a laptop. Credit: Getty Images)

The darker side of streaming Dec 09, 2025

Show notes

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.)

The secret ways AI is used to write hit songs Dec 02, 2025

Show notes

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.)

Should we allow AI into the classroom? Nov 25, 2025

Show notes

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)

Living the digital nomad life Nov 18, 2025

Show notes

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)

The King and AI Nov 11, 2025

Show notes

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)

Digital parenting Nov 04, 2025

Show notes

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)

Web-scraping bots Oct 28, 2025

Show notes

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)

Red lines for AI Oct 21, 2025

Show notes

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)

Drones with Tasers Oct 14, 2025

Show notes

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)