Tech Life

GPT-3 is a tool whose predecessor was dubbed “too dangerous to release”. We find out why the new version is creating a hot debate in the tech world. Plus, why a popular mobile game in China has been pulled because of some morse code in a song. And many people have had to get used to videoconferencing during the past few months. Are meetings in virtual reality the next step? Please note that since this episode was recorded the Congressional hearing mentioned in the show has been postponed. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC tech reporter Jane Wakefield. Produced by Jat Gill.(Image: Stock image representing a human brain against a tech-related background, Credit: Getty Images).

Hackers take over accounts belonging to famous names including Joe Biden and Barack Obama after breaching Twitter’s security. Plus, the UK bans telecoms firms from buying new equipment from the Chinese giant Huawei. And we find out about robots with a sensitive touch. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC tech reporters Jane Wakefield and Joe Tidy. Produced by Jat Gill.(Image: A night shot of the Twitter HQ in San Francisco, Credit: JOSH EDELSON/ AFP/ Getty Images).

The hit video sharing platform quits operating in Hong Kong as the US considers a ban. Plus, is the threat from “deep fakes” overblown? And has the lockdown made video calling seem less awkward than it used to be? Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC tech reporter James Clayton. Produced by Jat Gill.(Image: Close-up of the TikTok icon on a smartphone screen. Credit: Reuters/ Dado Ruvic).

Marketers express unease about Facebook’s handling of hate speech. Plus, how Singapore is introducing wearable dongles to help log and trace people who might have Covid-19. And the simulation company aiming to help redesign cities fit for a post-pandemic world. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC tech reporter Jane Wakefield. Produced by Jat Gill.(Image: A smartphone showing the website of the “StopHateForProfit” campaign, Credit: EPA/ SASCHA STEINBACH).

The tech giant tells developers future Macs will use Apple-designed chips as found in the iPad and iPhone. Plus, as shops reopen after lockdowns, how can tech make physical shopping safer and more pleasant? And CEO of Slack, Stewart Butterfield, talks to us about communication between businesses, and how President Trump’s ban on work visas will hurt Silicon Valley. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC North America tech reporter James Clayton. Produced by Jat Gill.(Image: Apple CEO Tim Cook gives the keynote address at the 2020 Worldwide Developers’ Conference WWDC, Credit: EPA/ BROOKS KRAFT/ APPLE).

As Apple prepares for its annual developers conference (WWDC 2020), it comes under fire for what many see as anti-competitive practices. Developer David Heinemeier Hansson of Basecamp tells us why he’s angry about Apple's rates. We get the latest in contact tracing apps from Professor Stephen Farrell of Trinity College, Dublin, who has been researching the effectiveness of Bluetooth and German journalist Anna Noryskiewicz talks about the launch of a tracing app in Germany. And we go to India to hear about the digital divide being experienced by school children with Nishant Baghel of the Pratham Education Foundation in Mumbai.Presented by Rory Cellan Jones with help from BBC Technology Reporter Zoe Kleinman. Produced by Clare Williamson.(Image: Apple's app store, screen shot. Credit:BBC)

IBM, Amazon, and Microsoft stop providing controversial facial recognition tools for law enforcement. Do they need to go further and bin the technology for other customers? Plus, how young activists are using the latest online techniques to amplify the Black Lives Matter message. And, what’s the oldest gadget you have lying around your house, and do you still use it? Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC tech reporter Jane Wakefield. Produced by Jat Gill.(Image: Stock photo representing a facial recognition algorithm scanning an African man’s face. The tech is known to be less accurate when used to scan faces with darker skin, leading to the possibility of discrimination. Credit: Getty Images).

Facebook staff strike out at a decision by their boss not to moderate Donald Trump’s postings, despite Twitter having done so. How are long-running tensions between India and China affecting the way Indians see Chinese technology? And why philanthropist and Microsoft founder Bill Gates has become a target for outlandish conspiracy theories about Coronavirus. Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC tech reporter Chris Fox. Produced by Jat Gill.(Image: Mark Zuckerberg talking about free expression at Georgetown University in 2019, Credit: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/ AFP/ Getty Images)

US President Donald Trump signs an order that could strip social media firms of legal protections after Twitter adds warnings to his tweets. Plus, despite predictions, artificial intelligence has not replaced radiologists. We find out why humans plus AI are seen as more effective in cancer screening than software alone. And will the Covid-19 pandemic give online learning a boost as schools and universities consider a “socially-distanced” future? Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC tech reporter Jane Wakefield. Produced by Jat Gill.(Image: Donald Trump in the Oval Office as he signs an order aimed at social media companies, Credit: Jonathan Ernst/ Reuters).

What happens in Silicon Valley often sets a trend for the wider world. So will the tech giant’s new policy change how people at other firms work? Plus, millions of people have found extra time on their hands during lockdown. What have they been doing online during that period? Presented by Rory Cellan-Jones, with BBC tech reporter Chris Fox. Produced by Jat Gill.(Image: Stock photo of a woman wearing a headset working from home. Credit: Getty Images).