Tech Tent

English is the most widely-used language online. Internet material helps to train AI tools. So where does that leave people whose native language barely features on the web? We find out about a project helping AI to work in more of the world's languages.Also this week: regulating tech might sound about as appealing as a trip to the dentist. But, like your check-up, it is important. With Europe and the United States taking different approaches, we'll ask who gets to set the rules, and what that means for the rest of us. And there's a growing range of technology aimed at older people. We'll look at some of the products out there, and ask how useful they really are.Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn(Photo: A young woman holds a smartphone to her mouth while sitting at a table. She is using a smartphone AI voice assistant. Credit: Getty Images)

ARIA is the UK's research and development funding agency that's built to unlock new scientific and technological developments. We speak to ARIA's new boss about their work.Also this week: the tech that's helping disabled racing drivers to achieve their dreams. And the pros and cons of making AI-generated complaints.Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn(Image: An illustration of a light bulb, representing creative thoughts and ideas. Two human hands attempt to grasp the image. Credit: Getty Images)

Cloudy lines in the sky, caused by aircraft engines, are called contrails. They're harmful to the environment. Now a project is underway, using AI, to reduce the amount generated. It's called Operation Blue Skies, and we speak to Google about their involvement.Also this week: we look at three very different approaches taken by manufacturers to help children and adults have a healthy relationship with mobile phones. And AI detectors - how do they work?Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn(Photo: A large four engine passenger jet flies at high altitude. The sky is blue, and the jet engines are emitting white cloudy trails, known as contrails. Credit: Getty Images)

For many schools, it's normal to post pictures of their own pupils online, either celebrating events or for marketing. But these photos could also be taken by criminals and used to make distressing deepfake AI images. We speak to the founder of a company which says it has a solution. Also on the programme, the incredible ways graphene can augment our senses – including to smell for diseases. And the student with dyslexia who invented his own tech to help him through his course.Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones(Image: A child places a metal pin impression toy over their face, so they cannot be identified. Credit: Getty Images)

The transition from petrol to electric cars is well underway. But why are most aircraft in the skies still burning jet fuel? We look at new developments in electric aviation. Also this week: keeping children safe online - a leading international child charity talks to Tech Life.Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn(Photo: An all-electric CX300 aircraft from BETA Technologies takes part in a demonstration flight in Scotland. It is a small white aircraft, flying at low altitude. The propeller can be seen at the rear of the fuselage. Credit: Loganair/BETA Technologies)

AI agents carry out tasks autonomously on behalf of users. But what are they capable of, and what do we need to know about them? With AI agents in the news, we speak to an expert.Also this week: can AI make the process of recruiting employees better? And we find out about the campaign to teach AI how to represent people with limb loss.Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn(Image: In the foreground, a hand holds a smartphone. The screen displays an AI Agent, with various task options available. The background is blurry and coloured blue. Credit: Getty Images)

The nose of a dog is incredibly sensitive. And odour contains information. With the help of AI, electronic 'noses' are being used to sniff out complex odours, including diseases. Chris Vallance visits a company developing the technology.Also this week: Shiona McCallum is in Paris to see the tech that can help us understand sleep. And Liv McMahon accompanies Chris on a walk in a park. There, they try one of many bird identification apps that are proving a hit, especially with younger users.Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn(Image: A photo of a cute mixed breed dog with black fur. It is sitting down, looking up at the camera. Its nose is prominent in the foreground. Credit: Getty Images)

Humanoid robots have successfully performed surgery in an operating theatre for the first time. They were remotely controlled by surgeons. An expert involved talks to Tech Life.Also this week: the man who invented the infinite scroll tells us his latest thoughts on social media. And how do you stop big cargo ships pumping greenhouse gases into the air, as they move our goods around the world? We hear about a carbon capture solution.Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn(Photo: Two human-shaped robots stand holding equipment, and perform surgery in an operating theatre. Credit: University of California San Diego)

What is a good age to give a child a smartphone? A community in Ireland might have the answer. In Greystones there's a voluntary agreement to wait until secondary school age. We hear from the school principal who leads the "It Takes A Village" initiative, and a local parent.Also this week: a woman tells Shiona McCallum how surviving a late-night attack inspired her to develop a wearable safety device. And AI was let loose to run a cafe in Sweden. Find out what happened next.Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn(Photo: A small group of boys and girls look at their smartphones. Credit: Getty Images)

We look at an issue known as shadow banning. What is it? How does it work? And could it be affecting health education messages for women and young girls?Also this week: we're feeling nostalgic about the discs that hold our favourite video games. And Shiona McCallum speaks to the founder of the Global Gaming League.Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn(Photo: A young sports woman relaxes after a workout. She is lying on a yoga mat, looking at her smartphone. Credit: Getty Images)

Shiona McCallum visits a huge technology show in Paris. There, she finds some of the latest kit that could be in your home or workplace before too long. And we're talking about data centres. They are central to our modern online lives. But not everyone thinks they are great. Shiona speaks to the head of a big global data centre company about some of the challenges facing the industry.Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn(Photo: Shiona McCallum tries on some wearable tech at VivaTech in Paris. Credit: BBC)

A group of cybersecurity researchers found a prompt which gets past ChatGPT's guardrails and causes it to generate some disturbing images. We unpack what this tells us about the way AI is trained, and how it could be exploited. Also on the show, after a recent episode about potholes, we were contacted by the UK's ministry of transport. We speak to their chief scientific adviser about potholes and the future of transport. And what is a quantum diamond magnetometer? We speak to the company which has just put one into space – in order to measure where magnetic north really is.Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones(Image: A phone with the white and black ChatGPT logo on it. In the background is green Matrix-style code. Credit: Getty Images)

When we fly we love to take our gadgets with us. But the lithium batteries that power them can catch fire. We find out about a new campaign urging us to pack with safety in mind.Also this week: the BBC's Lily Jamali visits an international competition for new AI applications in San Francisco. And protecting Africa's endangered wildlife is an increasingly high-tech business - a new scheme aims to give conservation workers the latest skills.Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn(Photo: A man is in an airport lounge. He is charging his smartphone with a portable charger, which is resting on a suitcase. Credit: Getty Images)

Microsoft unveils a new quantum chip. It's a big moment for the company, as its quantum programme has faced criticism. Is the tech giant's strategy finally paying off? And when will this chip deliver practical quantum computing? The BBC's Technology Editor, Zoe Kleinman, interviews Microsoft's executive vice president for quantum.Also this week: what new tech can soccer fans expect at the World Cup? Shiona McCallum reports from FIFA headquarters in Switzerland. And a leading critic of AI hype returns to Tech Life.Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn(Photo: A hand is seen holding the new Majorana 2 quantum chip from Microsoft. The chip is gold-coloured. It is so large that it is the same size as the hand. Credit: Microsoft)

We speak to Google about the introduction of artificial intelligence into classroom learning, and what they think this will mean for teachers and pupils.Also this week: Shiona McCallum reports on a new artificial limb which is making a big difference to the life of one man who has a very personal story to tell. And find out about the engineering technology that's being used to check the heart health of unborn babies as they grow in the womb. Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn(Photo: A female teacher sits at a classroom desk with a female high school pupil looking at a laptop screen. Credit: Getty Images)

From fears that a powerful new AI could supercharge hacking, to the ransomware gangs holding our data hostage, we talk to a former FBI expert about the latest cyber threats.Also in Tech Life this week: we hear from a listener who is using dermatology tech to educate schoolchildren on the importance of staying safe in the sun. Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn(Photo: Numerous computer screens are displaying green-coloured code and a finger pointing at a smartphone screen. Credit: Getty Images)

Drivers and cyclists know the dangers of potholes and broken road signs. A Swedish company is fitting vehicles with cameras, and using AI to spot potential problems and defects. We speak to the CEO to find out how it works.Also in Tech Life this week: some think the internet's business model is obsolete. We talk to a big tech leader on what might replace it. And a young entrepreneur, who learned to code without a computer, tells us about his AI teaching app that will work without the internet.Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn(Image: Deep potholes have formed on a tarmac road. They are deep enough to catch rainwater. A car is about to drive over them. Credit: Getty Images)

An anti-snoring device is being trialled as a potential solution to sleep apnoea, a condition which affects millions and can have wide-ranging consequences on daily life. We speak to the team behind the trial. Also on the programme, two health tech entrepreneurs whose personal experiences informed their products: A man who had a heart attack at 44 and now works to help reduce hospital recovery times, and a woman who lost a close family member to breast cancer and is working to help inform women in Pakistan to spot the signs and get help.Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producers: Tom Quinn and Imran Rahman-Jones(Image: A man asleep in bed with a black boomerang-shaped device attached to his neck. Credit: Zeus Sleeps)

We look at revelations about outsourced tech workers in Kenya, and try to find out why more than a thousand of them have been made redundant.Also this week: are you getting the best out of artificial intelligence? Could changing "how" you communicate with AI make a difference? We speak to an author and put his recommendations to an AI test. And we hear from a company turning lamp-posts into data centres.Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn(Image: The words "Meta AI" are displayed on a smartphone screen. The phone is resting on a laptop keyboard. Credit: Reuters)

Pam Cronrath tells her deeply personal story of creating a lifelike speaking hologram of her husband, Bill, after he passed away. Pam wanted to honour a promise she'd made to Bill, for a "super wake". And so Bill's hologram appeared in front of two hundred guests at the event, and surprised them with a verbal greeting.Also this week: if you've had a knee operation and have a smart device monitoring your health, the doctor might want to see you now. And virtual glucose monitoring tech for diabetics - with the help of AI.Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn(Image: Pam Cronrath is standing beside the hologram of her husband, Bill. Credit: George Johnsen)

Chris Vallance finds out about research to help self-driving cars communicate with other road users. Hear what happened when he came into contact with a virtual vehicle!Also this week: you've probably seen the app on TV news recently, but how does MarineTraffic know which ships are doing what in the Strait of Hormuz? And Shiona McCallum checks out changes to Roblox age checks for children.Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn(Photo: Illustration of a driverless car on a main road approaching a pedestrian crossing, with people walking in front of and around the side of the car and sensors detectimg its surroundings. Credit: Getty Images)

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)

Climate change is making devastating extreme weather more common. Tech Life's Yasmin Morgan-Griffiths explores the science that could help communities take polluters to court.Also this week: we look at whether the boom in AI is causing a boom in electronic waste. And as astronauts head back to the Moon, we meet a veteran NASA space robot that's on a mission to return home.Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn(Photo: Smoke billows from a chimney at a coal-fired power station in Eastern Europe. The light of the sun is obscured by the dense dark smoke clouds. Credit: Reuters)

Humans are returning to the Moon - hear all about it on the BBC's space podcast. 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II is following Nasa's mission to loop around the Moon, with a new episode every day. Starts on Monday 30 March 2026. Search for 13 Minutes Presents: Artemis II wherever you get your BBC podcasts. Follow or subscribe now so you don't miss an episode. Nasa plans to return to the Moon for the first time in more than half a century. Its Artemis II mission aims to send four astronauts to loop around the Moon. They are planning to go further from Earth than any human in history. The story of Artemis II will be told by space scientist, Maggie Aderin and British astronaut, Tim Peake, with regular guest, US space journalist Kristin Fisher. 13 Minutes is the BBC's space podcast, telling epic space stories, including the first Moon landing, Apollo 13 and the space shuttle. Theme music by Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg and produced by Russell Emanuel, for Bleeding Fingers Music.

We discuss how AI could help health professionals work better, detect diseases earlier and even change the way people around the world look after themselves. Also this week: Shiona McCallum interviews a businesswoman who is trying to make female health tech more accessible and affordable. And we have a good news story that originated on the darker side of the internet.Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn(Image: A photo of a female doctor sitting at a desk in a hospital lab. She is using AI technology on a laptop computer. Credit: Getty Images)

We dig through the evidence on the effect of screen time on babies and young children, with the help of some parents and experts. And after hearing our story of a woman who got her voice back with the help of AI, a listener got in touch to tell us his own moving story of hearing his father's voice for the first time in 50 years.Producers: Imran Rahman-Jones and Vuyelo Ndlovu Presenter: Shiona McCallum(Image: A baby holds a smartphone, looking at the screen while lying in bed. Credit: Getty Images.)

Behind some OnlyFans models making money from chatting to paying subscribers is the unseen human labour people who pretend to be the models and chat on their behalf. We speak to a woman in the Philippines about her jobs as a “chatter'. Also on the programme, scientists using AI to help advance their research. And the White House has been cutting real footage from the war with Iran with clips from video games. We analyse their strategy.Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones

Quantum computing promises revolutionary new discoveries. But tech revolutions can be messy. Is now the time to start thinking about how we ethically use quantum machines?Also, we find out how glass can be turned into useful data storage that will last for thousands of years. And what can science fiction tell us about our spacefaring future? Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn(Photo: An image of a quantum computer inside a high-tech facility. The computer has metallic silver and gold-coloured tubing to assist in cooling. Credit: Getty Images)

AI tech is giving people their lost voices back. We chat to Yvonne Johnson, who has motor neuron disease. She's lost much of her ability to speak. But artificial intelligence is helping Yvonne to be heard again, with her own voice.Also this week: we discuss AI and the price of memory chips with a big computer manufacturer. And video gaming is booming in Africa.Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn(Image: A photo of Yvonne Johnson. She is smiling directly at the camera. Credit: Portrait Of A Voice.)

We chat to NVIDIA about AI chat and how to make it sound more human. Explore making and breaking an emotional connection with AI. And new tech is helping stroke survivors.Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn(Image: A colourful illuminated digital screen shows an image of a chatbot. Written text invites users to ask it anything. A human finger is interacting with the bot by pressing on the screen. Credit: Getty Images)

Is this the year when smart glasses become mainstream? Whether you need spectacles for your vision, or wear sunglasses, tech firms are hoping you'll buy their latest devices. Tech Life's Alasdair Keane has road tested some of the latest wearables on the market.From smart glasses to smart bricks! It's been a childhood favourite for decades, and now Lego is packing its colourful plastic with lights, sensors and sound synthesisers. Shiona McCallum plays with the new tech.And we hear from a Hong Kong tech company that's developing AI for neglected languages, starting with Cantonese.Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn(Image: A photo of Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta. He is wearing dark-rimmed smart glasses. Credit: Reuters.)

Autonomous taxis are already part of everyday life in some cities. What will it be like when self-driving car tech gets up to full speed ? And we find out how scientists are using quantum sensing technology to peer inside soldiers' brains on the firing range.Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn(Image: A Zoox robotaxi containing passengers is stationary on a road. The skyscrapers of San Francisco are in the background. Credit: Zoox, Inc.)

The launch of China's DeepSeek AI tool a year ago sent shockwaves through US markets and Silicon Valley. But now Chinese AI tech is being used by more and more US companies. Our North America Technology Correspondent, Lily Jamali, tells us about it.Also this week: shoppers in Denmark are using mobile phone apps to boycott some goods from overseas. And we road-test an exoskeleton taking the physical effort out of long outdoor walks.Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn(Image: An image of a mobile phone displaying the DeepSeek name and logo on the screen. In the background are flags of China and the United States of America. Credit: Reuters.)

We all want to stay fit and healthy. But how can technology help ? Shiona McCallum discusses new health tech on display at the world's biggest consumer electronics trade show. And if you own cryptocurrency - beware. Thieves could be targeting you. The BBC's Cyber Correspondent, Joe Tidy, joins us to explain more.Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn(Image: A photo of Shiona McCallum wearing an LED face mask. The room is dark and the transparent face mask covers Shiona's face. The light emitting from the mask gives Shiona's face a red glow. Credit: BBC.)

How close are we to humanoid robots in the home? A flurry of new robots, designed to look like us, have been revealed recently, with many in Silicon Valley excited that this is the next big leap in AI. But many humanoid robots still struggle with the basics, such as picking up a glass or watering a plant. The BBC's cyber correspondent Joe Tidy meets some of these robots and asks: Will we really let them into our homes in the next few years?Presenter: Chris Vallance and Joe Tidy Producers: Tom Quinn and Imran Rahman-Jones(Photo: Joe Tidy looks at a white humanoid robot wearing a red baseball cap, looking back at him, inside a domestic kitchen setting)

For our first episode of 2026, Tech Life looks forward to the rest of the year, and beyond. What are the latest consumer gadgets on display at a huge electronics trade show in Las Vegas? How will assistive technology, designed to help people with disabilities, change this year? What should we be looking out for in the world of gaming? And we ask a futurologist to predict how tech will help us buy things from retailers over the next decade.Presenter: Chris Vallance Producers: Tom Quinn & Imran Rahman-Jones(Image: A computer-generated image of a circuit board, with “2026” shown in neon numbers in the centre. Credit: Getty Images)

A selection of our favourite stories in 2025. From bringing back extinct species to AI at a royal palace. And you tell us about the tech that's made a difference to your life.Presenter: Chris Vallance Producers: Tom Quinn and Imran Rahman-Jones(Image: A young woman sits at a desk. A laptop computer is open on the desk. The number 2025 is projected in front of her, and she points to it with her index finger. Credit: Getty Images)

A company called Vast hopes to put Haven-1 into orbit in 2026. If successful, it'll be the world's first commercial space station. We speak to the company's CEO, Max Haot.Also on Tech Life this week: find out about robots in Japan that will help people cope with dementia. And the local language avatar providing growing tips to farmers in Africa.Presenter: Shiona McCallum Producer: Tom Quinn(Image: A future illustration of the commercial space station Haven-1 in orbit above Planet Earth. It is docked with a Dragon spacecraft. Credit: Vast.)

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)

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)