

The Turing Podcast
The Alan Turing Institute
The Turing Podcast is an exciting podcast from The Alan Turing Institute, the UK’s national institute for data science and artificial intelligence.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 2, 2025 • 49min
The Cyber Cold War: How AI is Defending Our Critical National Infrastructure
New podcast - defending our critical national infrastructure.
Podcast host Amelia Jabry is joined by co-host and Turing Principal Research Scientist, Vasilios Mavroudis to explore how AI is reshaping both the defence and attack of vital systems like healthcare, energy and transport. With the help of special guest, Microsoft’s Director of Global AI & Cybersecurity Policy Nicholas Butts, they ask: how vulnerable are our power grids, water systems, and communications networks in the age of advanced AI? And what are organisations like the Alan Turing Institute and Microsoft are doing to protect these essential services?
Episode Notes
Please find below a list of resources and news articles that were mentioned in the podcast:
Microsoft Digital Defense Report 2024
Glossary - AIRC
Staying ahead of threat actors in the age of AI | Microsoft Security Blog
https://www.thestack.technology/ai-agent-whisperer-liberates-llm-to-spout-filthy-cardy-b-lyrics/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0el31nqnpvo
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czx1qp64wrno

Nov 12, 2024 • 54min
Defining AI safety
Ed and David chat with Professor Ibrahim Habli, Research Director at the Centre for Assuring Autonomy in the University of York, and director of the UKRI Centre for Doctoral Training in Safe AI Systems. The conversation covers the topic of defining and contextualising AI safety and risk, given existence of existing safety practices from other industries. Ibrahim has collaborated with The Alan Turing Institute on the "Trustworthy and Ethical Assurance platform", or "TEA" for short, an open-source tool for developing and communicating structured assurance arguments to show how data science and AI tech adheres to ethical principles.

Jul 4, 2024 • 46min
The cutting edge of emotional and cognitive neuroscience
On this episode, Bea and Jessie are joined by Becky Inkster and Mark Sheppard, co-founders of The Laß; a fusion of science, creativity and personal reflection.
Collaborating with famous musicians, dancers and members of the public, Becky and Mark use EEG brain activity technology to visualise poignant moments. They hope to offer both internal and external reflection opportunities to nurture personal growth and community bonds.
For more information visit -
https://www.beckyinkster.com/the-lab
Don't forget to explore our shorter AI news podcast - too long didn't read

May 3, 2024 • 47min
AI for Cyber Defence (AICD) research centre
Two research center leaders discuss applying deep learning to autonomous agents for cyber defense, the intersection of cybersecurity and machine learning, hardware vulnerabilities, enhancing cybersecurity measures, language models in cybersecurity, and the future of AI integration in cybersecurity.

Apr 16, 2024 • 33min
Our AI Futures - Lord Chris Holmes and the AI Bill
On this episode of The Turing Podcast Bea and Anneca are joined by Lord Chris Holmes, Britain’s most successful Paralympic swimmer and an active member of the House of Lords with a policy focus on digital technology for public good.
Connect with Lord Holmes on Linked In
Explore our regular news AI news podcast, too long didn't read

Jan 30, 2024 • 56min
Project Bluebird: Revolutionising Air Traffic Control with AI and digital twins
The Turing Podcast revisits Project Bluebird; a fascinating collaboration aiming to solve some of the biggest and most complex problems in air traffic control with digital twins and AI.
Join Ed as he sits down with Nick Pepper of The Alan Turing Institute, George De Ath of the University of Exeter and Marc Thomas of NATS - the team behind Project Bluebird.
First featured on our podcast in 2020, the team now provides a progress update at the midpoint mark. Learn how they are developing innovative AI to train a digital twin air traffic controller with the aim of enhancing aviation safety and functionality, and what the challenges are, integrating human expertise with machine intelligence.

Dec 21, 2023 • 52min
AI for Cyber Defence
PhD candidates from Imperial College London discuss using AI for cyber defence, winning the CAGE challenge with reinforcement learning. They explore defending networks with blue and red agents, discovering web app vulnerabilities, and defending against diverse hacking attempts. The conversation highlights the importance of data quality and AI in enhancing cybersecurity measures.

Dec 15, 2023 • 39min
Building Digital Tools for Polar Research
This week on The Turing Podcast we chat about some of the research going on in the collaborations between the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and The Alan Turing Institute, including efforts to automate the route planning of ships in polar regions, and the building of a digital twin for Antarctica! The hosts are joined by Dr Scott Hosking and Dr Jonathan Smith. Scott is Co-Director for the Alan Turing Institute Research and Innovation Cluster in Digital Twins, as well as the founder and leader of the BAS AI lab. Jonathan is a Principal Research Scientist, also at the BAS AI lab.

Dec 1, 2023 • 51min
Data Science for the Arts and Humanities
Dr Katie McDonough and Dr Daniel Wilson discuss the intersection of data science and the humanities, focusing on the MapReader software for analyzing maps. They explore the role of historians in the digital age, utilization of map data for historical research, translating map styles using generative networks, developing sustainable communities around data tools, advancements in document processing, and the use of technology to make research and history more accessible.

Nov 24, 2023 • 52min
Algorithmic Justice
In the first episode of The Turing Podcast season 4, the hosts are joined by Cari Hyde-Vaamonde, a PhD candidate at Kings College London and visiting lecturer in law. The episode discusses the field of Algorithmic Justice and Cari's work modelling the decision making process of judges.