For Tech's Sake

Today's episode is a lesson in AI literacy, busting some myths and revealing the strings behind the magic trick (with a smattering of Irish for Seachtain na Gaeilge). Kelly quizzes Elaine on how we can adapt our language to be clearer in communicating what AI is, and we also speak to Prof Aphra Kerr about the award-winning AlgoWatch project and its efforts to boost literacy among young people.*** Good things we recommend ***>> AlgoWatch.eu>> Elaine's keynote at CESIcon 2026>> #DiscussAI>> Age-Friendly AI>> Switched On*** More from us ***Kelly's Substack: kellysrubbish.substack.comFTS blog: for-techs-sake.ghost.io FTS TikTok: fortechssakepodFTS Instagram: fortechssakepodFTS Bluesky: fortechssakepod.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're back with an all-new season of For Tech's Sake, just in time for a digital media literacy lesson on the Dubai influencer economy and how this shapes the content you see in your feed. We also have some news about our upcoming 100th episode – but you'll have to listen to find out about that. *** Good things we recommend ***>> Check out Ned Leddy's e-waste sculpture in St Patrick's Park from March 14th to 16th.>> Spot a fish, ring a doorbell at visdeurbel.nl*** More from us ***Kelly's Substack: kellysrubbish.substack.comFTS blog: for-techs-sake.ghost.io FTS TikTok: fortechssakepodFTS Instagram: fortechssakepodFTS Bluesky: fortechssakepod.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this final episode of 2025, Elaine and Kelly wonder if being on the naughty list could be a way for tech billionaires to hoard coal resources, and also offer up some predictions for a new year in tech. We're forecasting legal issues and major market shifts, the spread of age-gating and deregulation, and a reckoning to come for generative AI. We also have a gift guide for the tech lover in your life, and other recommendations that can help you connect with your community IRL. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'Tis the season of shopping and scams, so arm yourself with knowledge from the For Tech's Sake buyer's guide to what you need to know about online shopping in the slop era. Come for the explanations of TikTok Shop, drop-shipping and scam tactics to watch out for, and stay for the references to ancient memes and Kelly's tell-all review of a popular Game Boy emulator. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, Kelly and Elaine discuss why a delay in the release of Grand Theft Auto VI to late 2026 might be the least of Rockstar Games' problems as protests have kicked off outside their offices following the firing of more than 30 employees. Could gamers now boycott a release they've been waiting more than 12 years for? Meanwhile, as yet another tech outage caused widespread ripples across the web, the EU is taking a look at the concentration of power in digital infrastructure. Also in this episode, we get hands-on with a pair of Meta Ray-Bans and speculate on Snapchat's potential as a Reddit rival.Finally, we recommend you check out the research published on Authoritarian-Stack.info and follow Conor McCabe (@conormaccaba) on Instagram for updates on his radical political economy workshops. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode may contain a rude word or two when Elaine and Kelly start going off on Ryanair's decision to force app downloads under the guise of ‘paperless' boarding (that's not actually paperless). And rude words are apparently being shadow-banned on Bluesky, while Elon Musk is getting roasted by Joyce Carol Oates on X.We also make an attempt to rouse EU citizens into a fight for the sanctity of GDPR, muse on whether All's Fair signals a microdrama trend for TV, and get through some listener feedback on ‘the good guy of tech' plus a new recommendation to help you understand what data brokers can learn from your online behaviour. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There's been some Wikipedia drama this week as Jimmy Wales has been doing the rounds on a press tour promoting a book that bills him as ‘the good guy of tech' – but Elaine and Kelly have a different man in mind for that moniker. Also in this episode, Ekaterina Uetova from the MOvD research project joins us to explain how a group chat might be more motivational than a gamified fitness app. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this very special Halloween episode, Elaine and Kelly are communing with the digital after life and sharing (barely) spooky stories about data from beyond the grave. It's a bumper episode with a special appearance from researcher Danny Snow, who has been giving digital data a post-mortem examination and proposes how we could donate our data like we donate our organs.Visit DataDonorCard.org for more information and be sure to check out BetaFestival.ie for our ‘something good' recommendation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Well, our maxim has finally caught up with us. We're always saying the only certainties in life are that tech will fail and you will die and – while Elaine and Kelly are both still very much alive and well – the tech did fail and we lost an entire episode recording. So now you just have Elaine monologuing about the widespread impact of the 15-hour Amazon Web Services outage this week, and the problem with building an internet that's just three Big Tech kids in one trench coat. She also has an extra dig at Microsoft for its decision to end free security updates for Windows 10, and shares some rainy day activity suggestions from herself and Kelly. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's no coincidence that the launch of endless feeds of AI-generated video from Meta's Vibes and OpenAI's Sora have coincided with a marked increase in video slop online, but what kind of social media are these platforms creating? One that's littered with dead celebrities, deepfakes and juvenile humour, normalising the manipulation of a real person's image just for fun. In this episode, Elaine and Kelly wonder if Denmark's proposed new copyright law could be a death knell for “synthetic resurrection” and rampant deepfakes. They also explain why it's good for electric vehicles to have a digital passport for their battery, bring you an update on the Chat Control debate, and have a great recommendation for book lovers. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tech and democracy expert Liz Carolan joins Kelly and Elaine to explain some new regulations on political advertising hitting the EU this week, right in the midst of an Irish presidential election. These rules have been introduced to minimise political interference and ensure transparency, but the response from platforms is likely to make this situation even murkier. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Zuckerberg's live demo of gesture controls for his Meta glasses may have failed, but the underlying technology in the wrist-worn Neural Band, known as surface electromyography (sEMG), made us curious about potential applications in medtech. To find out more we spoke to EMG expert Prof Madeleine Lowery, who explained the differences between using these sensors in the lab or clinic versus commercial products. Sticking with medtech marvels, we also spoke to Prof Garry Duffy about soft robotics that can squeeze things inside your body – and why that's a good thing. Also in this jam-packed episode, Kelly shares her thoughts on what the EA buyout could mean for The Sims and why her current gaming pursuits are taking her offline. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Platforms are really stretching the bounds of privacy rights with their terms of use these days. With recent changes to terms at Spotify, LinkedIn and Academia.edu in the spotlight, we called on data protection expert Daragh O Brien to give us a steer on how we should navigate impenetrable, and sneaky, user agreements. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of For Tech's Sake, Elaine and Kelly discuss TikTok's potential takeover by a consortium of Donald Trump allies, and the uptick of fake online content inflaming the discourse about real events. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joining Elaine this week are two special guests on two very different topics. Cybersecurity expert Brian Honan fills us in on what's going on with the EU's Chat Control proposal and explains how it could do more harm than good. Then, author Sylvia Leatham discusses her book Chaos Theory, which takes the familiarity of the workplace and mixes it up with a socially awkward robot.If you want to reach out to your MEP about concerns regarding Chat Control, go to FightChatControl.eu. And head to linktr.ee/SylviaLeatham to find out where you can pick up a copy of Chaos Theory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have things to say about another survey, this time all about AI in the workplace. We look at what some other research is telling us about AI adoption and consider the ethics of pushing gen-AI technologies on workers in light of some recent revelations.We also learn all about peer-to-peer energy sharing from Sweta Malik, a senior power systems researcher at the UCD Energy Institute. And, as usual, we end with our picks of what's good in the tech world right now, shining the spotlight on some great work from Irish artists. Content warning: This episode touches on the topics of self-harm and suicide. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Find out about the deep-tech side of femtech from our special guest Dr Tanya Mulcahy, director of Health Innovation Hub Ireland and founder of FemTech Ireland. In this episode we also try to get to the bottom of some bizarre search suggestions on TikTok. And remember to listen to the end for our suggestion of something good you can find online today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today is gonna be the day that Kelly and Elaine are gonna throw a look back on a bleak week of tech news, from some shocking revelations over at Meta AI to some concerning behaviour from Stripe's customer service team. We also look into why VPN advertising has ramped up in Ireland and leave you with something you can use to spend your days in the sunshine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are delighted to be joined in this episode by Benji Foley, a PhD researcher at DCU's Institute for Research on Genders and Sexualities, who explains the concept of digital sexual literacy and why it's important we build this up in young people. In particular, Benji's research looks at digital sexual literacy among young people from the LGBTQ+ community in Ireland, and what he's learned in the early stages of his research might surprise you. Kelly and Elaine also look at the release of OpenAI's new GPT-5 model, a Google Maps blunder that led a women to RTÉ looking for Lidl, some bad maths in the media and billionaire Dermot Desmond's unrealistic expectations of autonomous vehicles. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek's investments in AI military technologies are turning off musicians and listeners. Kelly Earley and Elaine Burke discuss the many ethical issues Spotify's streaming has waded into and how the algorithmic flow of music has affected their own listening habits, and Kelly floats some alternative options for music-lovers. Kelly also gives us a speedy intro to Formula E and Elaine has a surprising fact that links '90s punk band The Offspring with some modern medical marvels. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elaine Burke speaks to Riham Al Faqih, development and outreach director with MIFTAH, a civil society organisation based in Palestine, about digital rights violations committed against Palestinians. Their conversation took place shortly after an internet blackout in Gaza, and highlights how Palestine has become a testing ground for the advancement of surveillance tech. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kicking off a new season of For Tech's Sake, hosts Elaine Burke and Kelly Earley discuss recent developments in age verification for social media and online platforms within the EU and the UK. They assess the practical challenges, examine the privacy risks and debate the implications of relying on tech alone to solve this problem. Listen to the end for our suggestion of something good you can find online today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For Tech's Sake is back with an all-new series, a brand new co-host and lots more tech stories to talk about.Join Elaine Burke and Kelly Earley as they look at tech through a critical lens – not evangelising or demonising it, but definitely throwing a bit of shade when it's deserved.Follow us for updates:InstagramBlueskyTikTok Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cybersecurity researcher Dr Hazel Murray has developed a knack for guessing Irish people's passwords. But is it really our fault that our passwords have become predictable? Listen to this episode to find out why some of the standards enforced on passwords are actually making our accounts less secure, and what you need to do to start the new year with better password protection.You can check out ForTechsSake.info for links to more resources, or find out more about CONNECT at ConnectCentre.ie and keep up with their research by subscribing to their newsletter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you confused by quantum? You're not alone! 100 years on and even the science hasn't settled on quantum mechanics and how they can be applied to technologies such as computing. But how we harness this emergent technology from the outset could have long-term impacts, which is why researchers at the CONNECT Research Ireland Centre for Future Networks and Communications are exploring not just quantum computing and quantum networks, but the policy and communication around such technologies.So strap yourself in for a world-expanding conversation with Dr Harun Šiljak and Dr Tom O'Dea from the Not a Space Race project, on how we discuss and plan for something that doesn't exist yet, and the usefulness of interpretations of quantum science in pop culture.You can check out ForTechsSake.info for links to more resources, or find out more about CONNECT at ConnectCentre.ie and keep up with their research by subscribing to their newsletter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From cross-stitching your research proposals to diagramming the quantum internet, there are many ways that art and science can intersect – and it's when artists in research are treated as equals that you get the best, most transformative results. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion as we dissect the concept of STEAM and try to word the world better with Dr Jessica Foley and Dennis McNulty from the CONNECT Research Ireland Centre for Future Networks and Communications.You can check out ForTechsSake.info for links to more resources, or find out more about CONNECT at ConnectCentre.ie and keep up with their research by subscribing to their newsletter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You know we love sustainability so we were very excited to learn about plans for digital product passports, which could slow down fast fashion, boost our right to repair and help shoppers make more informed choices. Explaining this transformative tech for us are Dr Grace Walsh and Dr John Dooley from the CONNECT Research Ireland Centre for Future Networks and Communications.You can check out ForTechsSake.info for links to more resources, or find out more about CONNECT at ConnectCentre.ie and keep up with their research by subscribing to their newsletter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jenny and Elaine are back in studio and catching up after Elaine was zooming around San Francisco in a driverless taxi. But how close are we to seeing fully autonomous cars on every road? Will Tesla's Cybercab have enough in its computer vision system to see where it's going? And how safe are self-driving cars, really? We put all these questions to Dr Aisling O'Driscoll, a researcher at the CONNECT Research Ireland Centre for Future Networks and Communications. At CONNECT, Aisling is discovering how connecting vehicles to create a vast information-sharing network can help improve autonomous capabilities, as well as overall road safety and transport efficiency.You can check out ForTechsSake.info for links to more resources, or find out more about CONNECT at ConnectCentre.ie and keep up with their research by subscribing to their newsletter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For Tech's Sake is back with a very special mini-series in partnership with the CONNECT Research Ireland Centre for Future Networks and Communications. Starting from Science Week, we'll be releasing a new episode every week for five weeks, exploring the intersection of science, art and society with CONNECT researchers. In this preview episode, hear from CONNECT's director Prof Dan Kilper about what to expect.You can check out ForTechsSake.info for links to more resources, or find out more about CONNECT at ConnectCentre.ie and keep up with their research by subscribing to their newsletter. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Despite all our “wireless” connectivity and “cloud” computing, the internet we enjoy today relies on extensive cables that cross seas and oceans, and our island on the edge of Europe has had a crucial role to play in this global network, both in the past and present. In this episode, we get a history lesson in telecommunications from Deryck Fay, author of Connecting A Nation, who appears alongside Elaine in the upcoming documentary, The Cable that Changed the World. We also follow this development to the present day, and examine Ireland's continued critical position in protecting the internet's infrastructure.The Cable that Changed the World will air on RTÉ One, August 12th at 9.35pm. You can connect with Deryck Fay at DFIT.ie and pick up a copy of his book online or in stores. And check out ForTechsSake.info for links to some of the stories we discussed here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CrowdStrike learned some valuable lessons in software deployment recently – lessons that it should have known already, arguably, as they would be concerned golden rules and best practices. Jenny and Elaine talk through the software disaster that was, and the ill-advised gesture of goodwill that back-fired on CrowdStrike. They also have a public service announcement regarding how X is sneakily assuming your consent for training AI for Grok and xAI.For links to the stories discussed in this episode, check out ForTechsSake.info.CONTENT NOTE: This episode contains swearing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Elaine and Jenny look at the risks of working with robots – and it's not just that they might steal your job. For this discussion, they are joined by Tom Deegan, a health and safety consultant at Mackin EHS who has become the go-to guy for risk assessments in workplaces introducing robotics and cybernetics, ensuring that the bots behave and everyone is safe. (You might even say he's a robo-cop.)You can find out more about Mackin EHS at MackinConsultancy.com or connect with Tom on LinkedIn. And check out ForTechsSake.info for links to some of the stories – and the many robots – we discussed here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are celebrating Irish techin' legends Réaltra and Dr Lisa Heffernan, for their roles in the ESA's Ariane 6 rocket launch and LISA mission, respectively. We also have new names for our recent tech bugbears: aggressive eventing and the AI sludge populating the internet.For links to the stories discussed in this episode, and videos of a giant robot and terrible images generated by AI, check out ForTechsSake.info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We often look at the mental and emotional effects of technology on For Tech's Sake, and this episode we have expert help in understanding it all in the form of cyberpsychologist Dr Nicola Fox Hamilton, a lecturer on the topic at IADT.You can follow Nicola on Instagram @nicolafoxh and on X @foxnic, and check out her work on her website, NicolaFoxHamilton.com. And head to ForTechsSake.info for some relevant links and resources. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's a bold title for an episode in which Elaine didn't come prepared, but thank god we have Jenny, who's calling out Perplexity's plagiarism and hailing the creator of OneMillionCheckboxes.com. And while Jenny is in a trance ticking boxes on the internet, Elaine is also mesmerised by a phenomenon she calls ‘TikTok hands'. She's also got a terrifying tale of robots with human-like skin and Billy Roll faces.For links to the stories discussed in this episode, and images of horrifying robot skin, check out ForTechsSake.info.CONTENT NOTE: This episode contains swearing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Algorithms – they're everywhere! But what the hell are they, how much influence do they wield and what makes them tick? This episode we're joined by Megan Nyhan to explain it all.Megan is a PhD researcher at D-Real where she is working on a framework for designing ethical and trustworthy AI recommender systems. Be sure to find her on LinkedIn if you are interested in Encode Justice and AI 2030. And head to ForTechsSake.info for all the links and resources for this episode.CONTENT NOTE: This episode includes some discussion on eating disorders, and if you are affected by or seeking support on these issues, check out these resources from Bodywhys. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've got all the AI updates covered in this episode, from Apple Intelligence and elephant intelligence to user backlash and self-driving car crashes. And we end with a shout-out for legendary computing pioneer Lynn Conway, who passed away earlier this month.For links to the stories discussed in this episode, check out fortechssake.info.CONTENT NOTE: This episode contains some swearing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we're looking at health data all the way from the cradle to the grave, and beyond! Helping us on this journey is Prof Ciara Heavin, co-director of the Health Information Systems Research Centre at University College Cork and founder of CommPAL, a software platform using AI to better allocate specialist palliative care. Follow Ciara on X @c_heavin and get links and resources for this episode at ForTechsSake.info. For Tech's Sake is a co-production from Silicon Republic and The HeadStuff Podcast Network, hosted by Elaine Burke and Jenny Darmody and produced by Hilary Barry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this bonus episode from For Tech's Sake, Elaine and Jenny weigh up whether Canva's cringe-inducing rap announcement was junk or genius, and stick it to Spotify for junking Car Thing (a decision they thankfully rowed back on after recording).For links to the stories and embarrassing videos discussed in this episode, check out fortechssake.info.CONTENT NOTE: This episode contains some swearing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Everyone's talking about kids and tech, but is the internet responsible for young people's anxieties? And are bans an effective way of moderating behaviour? We looked at the research and spoke to an expert in early childhood education, Paula Walshe, who believes we can do better at teaching positive tech use from a young age. Paula is a PhD researcher and assistant lecturer with Dundalk Institute of Technology. You can find out more about her work on TheDigitalEarlyChildhoodEducator.ie and you can also check out her own podcast, the ECE Quality Ireland Podcast – and keep an eye out for her book on STEAM in early childhood education coming out later this year. As always, you can find links to the stories discussed in this episode at ForTechsSake.info. For Tech's Sake is a co-production from Silicon Republic and The HeadStuff Podcast Network, hosted by Elaine Burke and Jenny Darmody and produced by Hilary Barry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this bonus episode from For Tech's Sake, Elaine and Jenny assess where we're at with the current AI hype cycle (with some help from a scathing op-ed from tech writer Julia Angwin), though they still find some gen-AI to have fun with. There are also more robots to talk about, because we clearly have a type.For links to the stories discussed in this episode, check out fortechssake.info.The song, Triumph of the Tech Queen, was made with Suno. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did you know there are bins in Dublin connected to the internet? They are part of what's known as the internet of things, or IoT, which is turning into something of an internet of trash for reasons other than the bins. To explain this, we have Prof Dirk Pesch, the director of Advance CRT, which is a Science Foundation Ireland centre for research and training focused on advanced networks for sustainable societies. You can follow Dirk on X (@DirkPesch) and you can find links to the stories and silly things discussed in the episode at ForTechsSake.info. For Tech's Sake is a co-production from Silicon Republic and The HeadStuff Podcast Network, hosted by Elaine Burke and Jenny Darmody and produced by Hilary Barry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this bonus episode from For Tech's Sake, Elaine is joined by special guest host Dr Jessamyn Fairfield, a physicist and performer of science stories. Jessamyn came to talk about the co-founder of LinkedIn being cringe with his AI double and the incredible story of how NASA has managed to get Voyager 1 back online, even though it's in interstellar space. Meanwhile, Elaine has some stories about sus social media activity in Ireland, a Miss AI beauty pageant, and a doorbell you can ring to help fish get through a Dutch dam.For links to the stories discussed in this episode, and more, head to ForTechsSake.info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2024 is a major year for voters worldwide, but with tech being used to push all sorts of manipulative messaging and agendas, how can we trust what we see online during an election cycle? In this episode, we have Liz Carolan explaining how she remains (mostly) hopeful in the face of these threats to democracy, and giving us tips on how to muddle through the misinformation. Liz is a strategist and campaigner for tech and democracy, and the founder of Digital Action, a globally connected organisation campaigning to protect democracy and human rights from digital threats. Subscribe to her updates at TheBriefing.ie and check out ForTechsSake.info for links to the stories discussed in this episode and more resources. For Tech's Sake is a co-production from Silicon Republic and The HeadStuff Podcast Network, hosted by Elaine Burke and Jenny Darmody and produced by Hilary Barry. CONTENT NOTE: This episode contains swearing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this bonus episode from For Tech's Sake, Elaine and Jenny are laughing at Grimes's disastrous Coachella set and squealing at an impressive and terrifying new robot from Boston Dynamics. They also take Amazon's Just Walk Out retail tech to task, chuckle at the reviews of Humane's AI pin, and discover a new way that AI is being used for good.For links to the stories discussed in this episode, and the creepy robot video, check out fortechssake.info. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of For Tech's Sake, Elaine and Jenny draw parallels between the tech industry and ‘fast fashion' – notorious for its short production cycles and disregard for the environment and sustainability. Joining us for this conversation is Luísa Vasconcelos E Sousa, the new country manager of Swappie in Ireland, who introduces us to a more circular alternative for smartphone purchases. For links to the stories and reports discussed in this episode, and other resources, check out fortechssake.info. For Tech's Sake is a co-production from Silicon Republic and The HeadStuff Podcast Network, hosted by Elaine Burke and Jenny Darmody and this episode was guest-produced by Dan Wilcox. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this bonus episode from For Tech's Sake, Elaine and Jenny single out their techin' eejits and techin' legends from recent tech news. Listen in to find out why Elaine is calling for a fight between YouTube and OpenAI, Jenny is mad at AI image generators, and both agree that scarecrows are due an upgrade.For links to the stories discussed in this episode, and some helpful visual aids, check out fortechssake.info.CONTENT NOTE: This episode contains swearing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're back! And we're catching up on all the AI news, good and bad, that's been happening. And to prove there really are good applications of AI out there, we spoke to Dr Mark O'Sullivan, co-founder and CEO of NeuroBell, which is developing a device using AI to help detect seizures in newborns. You can find out more about their work at NeuroBell.com and on Silicon Republic. You can also check out the following stories discussed in this episode: — The problematic Tessa chatbot: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/06/08/1180838096/an-eating-disorders-chatbot-offered-dieting-advice-raising-fears-about-ai-in-hea — Tyler Perry's studio pull-out: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/tyler-perry-ai-alarm-1235833276/ — OpenAI's Sora videos: https://openai.com/sora — Why WPP's partnership with Nvidia is bad news for creators: https://businessplus.ie/tech/ad-tech-nvidia/ — Joe Biden robocalls: https://www.siliconrepublic.com/machines/fake-phone-calls-ai-voice-joe-biden-new-hampshire-us-elections — Trump's AI-generated Black friends: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68440150 — Jenny's interview with Dr Pallavi Tiwari: https://www.siliconrepublic.com/machines/ai-machine-learning-pallavi-tiwari — AI for Māori language preservation: https://www.newscientist.com/article/0-how-artificial-intelligence-is-helping-keep-indigenous-languages-alive/ — The story behind the development of Charlie Bird's voice tech: https://www.siliconrepublic.com/machines/future-human-keith-davey-trevor-vaugh-voice-banking-motor-neurone-disease-charlie-bird — AI for flood warnings: https://www.siliconrepublic.com/innovation/flood-warning-system-ai-researchers-ceadar You can find Conor Nolan's excellent tribute to the Glasgow Willy Wonka debacle on Instagram (@cheesenolan), and we'll share the hilarious AI-generated obituary on socials so you should follow us @fortechssakepod on your platform of choice. Next week, we'll have a special bonus episode for HeadStuff+ Community members, and then we'll be back in a fortnight with an all-new episode. For Tech's Sake is a co-production from Silicon Republic and The HeadStuff Podcast Network, hosted by Elaine Burke and Jenny Darmody and produced by Hilary Barry. If you want to support The HeadStuff Podcast Network, for our sake, for tech's sake and for many more great podcasts, visit HeadStuffPodcasts.com. CONTENT NOTE: This episode contains a brief discussion on disordered eating. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's just us, your hosts, for this bonus episode of For Tech's Sake. Following on from our round-up of 2023, we're giving out the For Tech's Sake awards for Biggest Techin' Eejit of the Year and Techin' Legend of the Year, among others.This episode makes a lot more sense if you've listened to episode 15 in our main feed, and here are some other episodes we mentioned that you might enjoy:— Our robotics episode with Niamh Donnelly: https://pod.fo/e/1fd892 — Our sex-tech episode with Dr Caroline West: https://pod.fo/e/18563d— Our AI episode with Abeba Birhane: https://pod.fo/e/1856e8And you can also check out this recent interview Jenny did with Abeba, after her appointment to the UN's advisory on AI: https://www.siliconrepublic.com/future-human/abeba-birhane-generative-ai-chatgpt-openai-machine-learningYou can find us @fortechssakepod on your platform of choice or let us know what you think via fortechssakepod@gmail.com.Be sure to come back next year for an all-new season! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week it's just Elaine and Jenny as we round up 2023's tech news – which took a long time to get through! And even at that, things have changed since this recording and the EU AI Act did in fact enter the next stage of its development, and we'll be following up on that in the new year. In the meantime, we have plenty of suggestions to entertain you until we come back with season three. First of all, some episodes to listen back to: — v1.1: Space is ace (with Prof Tom Ray and Dr Patrick Kavanagh, two Irish scientists who worked on the James Webb Space Telescope) https://headstuffpodcasts.com/show/for-techs-sake/episode/v1-1-space-is-ace/ — v1.4_bonus: The Elon-phant in the room https://headstuffpodcasts.com/show/for-techs-sake/episode/v1-4_bonus-the-elon-phant-in-the-room/ — v1.5: AI & U (with Dr Abeba Birhane from the UN advisory panel on AI) https://headstuffpodcasts.com/show/for-techs-sake/episode/v1-5-ai-u/ — v1.7: Max power (with battery scientist Dr Valeria Nico) https://headstuffpodcasts.com/show/for-techs-sake/episode/v1-7-max-power/ — v2.7: Be smart and break things (with Dr David McKeown, EIRSAT-1 lead engineer and Dublin Maker co-founder) https://headstuffpodcasts.com/show/for-techs-sake/episode/v2-7-be-smart-and-break-things/ — v2.7_bonus: Even more from David on EIRSAT-1 and space-tech https://headstuffpodcasts.com/show/for-techs-sake/episode/v2-7_bonus-dr-david-mckeown-rocket-scientist-and-dublin-maker/ — v2.13: Money talk (with Rachel O'Dwyer, author of Tokens) https://headstuffpodcasts.com/show/for-techs-sake/episode/v2-13-money-talk/ You might also enjoy reading the New Yorker's report on the ‘Turkey-Shoot Clusterfuck', or you can get lost in space while gazing at these images from the James Webb Space Telescope: — Cat's Eye Nebula: https://www.jameswebbdiscovery.com/astronomy-news/webb-telescopes-exploration-of-cats-eye-nebula-and-its-galactic-impact — Pandora's Cluster: https://www.siliconrepublic.com/innovation/james-webb-telescope-pandora-cluster-galaxy-image-nasa — Tarantula Nebula: https://www.siliconrepublic.com/innovation/james-webb-space-telescope-tarantula-nebula For Tech's Sake is a co-production from Silicon Republic and The HeadStuff Podcast Network, hosted by Elaine Burke and Jenny Darmody. Thank you to Hilary Barry for production, Matt Mahon and Dall-E for our graphics, Claudia Grandez for her social media support, and all at the HeadStuff team. If you want to support The HeadStuff Podcast Network, for our sake, for tech's sake and for many more great podcasts, visit HeadStuffPodcasts.com. And follow us @fortechssakepod on your platform of choice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this extended interview with Padraig Hennessy, chair of AgTech Ireland, you'll hear more about how he built a successful agri-tech start-up as CEO of Terra Nutritech (from 2:20), as well as Ireland's role in the global context of sustainable farming and some of the agritech innovations that most excite him (from 19:30).You can find out more about Terra Nutritech and the other agritech start-ups we mentioned on SiliconRepublic.com, and you can find us @fortechssakepod on your platform of choice or let us know what you think via fortechssakepod@gmail.com.We hope you enjoy this discussion with Padraig as much as we did, and be sure to come back next week for an all-new episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.