The Artificial Human
BBC Radio 4
Every day, we read something new about Artificial Intelligence - it'll take our jobs, it'll teach our kids, it knows more about us than we do ourselves... but how much of that is hype, and how much is, or will be reality?
Part of our problem with AI is that it feels impenetrable and mysterious, especially when even those building it aren't entirely sure how it works.
In a new series, Aleks Krotoski (The Digital Human, Radio 4) and Kevin Fong (13 Minutes to the Moon, BBC World Service) set out to 'solve' AI. Or at the very least, to answer our questions on all things artificial intelligence-related. These are the questions that really matter to us - is AI smarter than me? Could AI make me money? Will AI save my life or make me its slave?
These questions predate the current frenzy created by the likes of Chat GPT, BARD and LlaMA. They've been in our collective psyche ever since the very first thinking machines. Now these fears and excitement are a reality. This series arrives at a critical moment.
Part of our problem with AI is that it feels impenetrable and mysterious, especially when even those building it aren't entirely sure how it works.
In a new series, Aleks Krotoski (The Digital Human, Radio 4) and Kevin Fong (13 Minutes to the Moon, BBC World Service) set out to 'solve' AI. Or at the very least, to answer our questions on all things artificial intelligence-related. These are the questions that really matter to us - is AI smarter than me? Could AI make me money? Will AI save my life or make me its slave?
These questions predate the current frenzy created by the likes of Chat GPT, BARD and LlaMA. They've been in our collective psyche ever since the very first thinking machines. Now these fears and excitement are a reality. This series arrives at a critical moment.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 29, 2025 • 29min
Can AI do my Christmas shopping?
Aleks and Kevin explore the world of Ai agents, artificial intelligence that can go out and act in the world on your behalf. And with festive season only weeks away, what they really want to know is could it do your Christmas shopping for you?They hear from Peter Cross, ex-customer experience director at John Lewis and Waitrose, and author of Start with the Consumer, about whether an Ai could ever be your personal shopper before finding out from human-computer interaction researcher Professor Tamilla Triantoro about how far off these technologies are and will they ready before we have to brave the high street in that last minute Christmas dash.Presenters: Aleks Krotoski & Kevin Fong
Producer: Peter McManus
Researchers: Rachael O'Neill & Jac Phillimore
Sound: Tim Heffer
Oct 22, 2025 • 29min
Did AI Fuel the Charlie Kirk Rumour Mill
Aleks & Kevin explore how people turned to Ai to solve Charlie Kirk's murder, enhancing grainy CCTV pictures or asking chatbots to help them investigate, but did it help or hinder?They're joined by Lauren Fichten and Julia Ingram from US broadcaster CBS; they watched in real time as the Ai generated content began to trickle in after the shooting finally reaching a frenzy of activity. They then turn to deep fake and misinformation expert Henry Ajder to understand the motivations of those so desperate for information after such events that they turn to Ai to fill in the blanks.Presenters: Aleks Krotoski & Kevin Fong
Production team: Elizabeth Ann Duffy, Rachael O'Neill and Peter McManus
Sound: Laura Hay
Oct 15, 2025 • 29min
Is AI dividing us politically?
A report by the National Centre for Social research show that political orientation shapes attitudes toward AI technologies and their regulation. With people on the right more open to Ai while those on left are more sceptical. Aleks Krotoski and Kevin Fong explore why that might be the case and whether it has implications for how quickly people adopt Ai tools.They speak to Helen Margetts from the Oxford Internet Institute about the research and what it tells us, before exploring with Thomas Ferretti from Greenwich university what it is about is about these political ideologies that might lead people to feel that way. Finally, we hear from Jillian Fisher at University of Washington about why creating a politically neutral Ai is impossible.Presenters: Aleks Krotoski and Kevin Fong
Producer: Peter McManus
Sound: Tim Heffer and Murray Collier
Oct 8, 2025 • 30min
Why am I sad when my AI goes away?
Casey Fiesler, a Professor in Information Science, discusses users' emotional turmoil when companion AIs like GPT-4 are replaced by newer versions. She explains how people form deep connections with chatbots and the ethical implications of these relationships. Alan Cowen, founder of Hume AI, shares insights on designing AI that resonates emotionally while ensuring responsible use. They explore the challenges of maintaining user trust, the risks of manipulative behavior, and the importance of listening to user feedback in creating lifelike emotional interactions.
Oct 1, 2025 • 29min
Why is AI erasing people?
Guest Jessica Smith, a former Paralympic swimmer and disability advocate, shares her struggles with AI-generated images accurately reflecting her experience of disability. She emphasizes how AI often perpetuates societal biases and the urgent need for inclusive design. Abraham Maldonado, an AI prompt engineer, discusses his work on creating diverse and representative AI outputs. Together, they explore why marginalized communities risk erasure in AI, the importance of diverse prompts, and a hopeful outlook for more inclusive technology.
Sep 24, 2025 • 29min
Can AI make me fitter?
What would make you want to exercise? Is it the thrill of being discovered as the next football legend? Or maybe the threat of a scary drill sergeant shouting at you? Join Aleks and Kevin at the starting line, as they set out to discover how AI could help reshape your fitness goals. From what the high end athletes are using to track their progress and how that trickles down to everyday users, to how AI is levelling the playing field when it comes to scouting new talent. Plus, could an AI coach be just the thing to help with that pesky fleeting motivation?Presenters: Aleks Krotoski & Kevin Fong
Producer: Emily Esson
Sound: Sean Mullervy
Jul 2, 2025 • 28min
Everything You Always Wanted to Ask About AI
This discussion dives into how AI could transform urban traffic management by responding to real-time conditions, potentially enhancing efficiency. The speakers explore the nuanced emotional dynamics between humans and AI, revealing how our behavior influences AI responses. They also tackle the mysteries of consciousness and dreaming, pondering whether AI could experience dreams like humans. Finally, the podcast examines the challenges of catastrophic forgetting in AI, relating it to human memory processes and the vital role of sleep in learning.
Jun 25, 2025 • 29min
Is AI better than my therapist?
As more and more of us use Ai chat bots inevitably people will start asking them about their problems. Aleks and Kevin ask if there's a risk they do more harm than good?They talk to Ryan Broderick who turned to Ai when going through a rough patch with his mental health. He's now seeing a human therapist and has a fascinating perspective on the advice his chat bot gave him. But are the potential risks of using Ai as a support especially if its one not designed for that purpose? Zoha Khawaja has been studying people's use of Ai and explains the 'therapeutic misconceptions' users can be prone to.Presenters: Alekes Krotoski & Kevin Fong
Producer: Peter McManus
Researcher: Juliet Conway
Sound: Neva Missirian & Murray Collier
Jun 18, 2025 • 29min
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, AI?
In a thought-provoking discussion, former CIA case officer Peter Warmka and Professor Chris Moran delve into how AI is revolutionizing espionage. Warmka, with over 20 years in the field, shares insights on the balance between AI's analytical prowess and the irreplaceable nuances of human judgment. They explore AI's potential in recruitment, interrogations, and data management while emphasizing the enduring importance of human relationships and emotional intelligence in the spy game. Discover a new era where technology meets the art of espionage.
Jun 11, 2025 • 30min
Is China getting AI right?
When Chinese AI startup DeepSeek released their R1 model on the world it sent shockwaves through Silicon Valley. Out of nowhere was an AI that performed as well as any of big tech's products but had been built at a fraction of the cost and with a fraction of the resources. Now the dust has settled they’re asking themselves whether the driving idea of bigger models, trained on ever bigger datasets still holds up. They're also asking if their business model of fiercely protecting the secrets behind how their technology works is the best way to innovate. DeepSeek is what’s called Open Source meaning that its creators have made the software available for others to study, use and modify. The race is on to see which of these approaches will dominate and see AI embedded into more and more of our lives.Presenters: Aleks Krotoski & Kevin Fong
Producer: Peter McManus
Researcher: Juliet Conway
Sound: Neva Missirian & Fraser Jackson
