The problem with AI

The problem with AI

Author: BBC World Service April 7, 2026 Duration: 26:28

Can we trust AI? Its answers are not always correct. And it only knows what it's been trained on, so some of its responses can contain bias. Tech experts offer us some solutions.

Also this week: digital twinning is helping the restoration of a three hundred year old palace. And the joy of mundane video gaming!

Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn

(Image: A person is typing on a laptop computer. Digital icons for AI, ticks (checkmarks) and warning signs float above the keyboard. Credit: Getty Images)


From the studios of the BBC World Service comes Tech Life, a global conversation about the tools reshaping our everyday existence. This isn't just a show about new gadgets; it's a deep dive into the human stories behind the silicon. Each episode takes you to the front lines of innovation, introducing the thinkers and tinkerers whose bright ideas are redefining how we work, learn, and connect. We go beyond the press release, getting hands-on with emerging products to understand their real-world impact. But Tech Life also tackles the harder questions, scrutinizing the immense power wielded by tech giants and examining who truly benefits-and who gets left behind-in this relentless transformation. The podcast serves as an essential guide to a future that is constantly being written, offering clarity and context on the forces that are actively making and remaking our world. Tune in for thoughtful, international reporting that connects the dots between a line of code and a change in your daily life.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Tech Life
Podcast Episodes
Your AI servant [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:28
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 tel…
Can sewage make tech cleaner ? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:29
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. Mic…
Quantum question time [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:29
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…
AIs on the road [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:29
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 sa…
The future of the internet is up for debate [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:28
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 ins…
Digital twin cities [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:29
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…
Tackling illegal mining with tech [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:28
This week on Tech Life, we're looking at the problems caused by illegal gold mining in Ghana. We'll hear how drones, AI and GPS trackers are being used to tackle the trade.Also this week, Meta goes to court as it battles…
China's booming EV industry [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:29
We hear from inside China on the remarkably fast electric vehicle transition going on there, as the country moves away from petrol and diesel-powered cars and lorries. BBC Transport Correspondent Nick Marsh reports on th…
Data and me [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:29
What happens when a company we trust with our most personal data gets into financial trouble ? We hear from a woman who trusted a US company with her genetic information.Also on Tech Life this week, will there be enough…
The digital afterlife business [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:29
This week we're looking at a growing digital industry which allows people to interact - in a way - with the likeness or the voice of someone they care about who has passed away. It's not science fiction, and it does invo…