The Big Tech Show

Could AI potentially blackmail humans in the future? Would it be a help or hindrance to schools? And will it lead to mass unemployment? Conor Kelly, head of growth at Human Loop, joins Adrian in this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did Lisa Brankin go from home economics to managing director? What lessons did she learn from her parents? And why are we a long way off autonomous vehicles? Lisa Brankin, chair and managing director of Ford in Britain and Ireland, joins Adrian Weckler on this episode of the Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joining Adrian Weckler is JJ Clarke, a producer shaping discussions in tech journalism. They delve into Google's latest AI innovations, like a shopping agent that can check out on behalf of users. Imagine trying on clothes virtually—could that become standard? The two also navigate the debate around AI's role in creativity, questioning its impact on the arts. They touch upon environmental concerns with AI's energy footprint and Google’s re-entry into mixed reality with smart glasses, sparking thoughts on sustainability in tech.

What are the steps to navigating tech at US border control? How can we learn from Lithuania’s cyber defence? And what is the new sport of sperm racing? JJ Clarke, producer, joins host, Katie Byrne, standing in for Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. Katie began by discussing an article that featured in the Irish Independent about navigating US border control phone checks at the airport. The article written by tech editor, Adrian Weckler, explained that you can delete your WhatsApp, Gmail and other social media with no loss of data as long as you back it up before you delete the apps. This will stop US border control agents checking these apps but may look suspicious as the phone won’t have any social media apps. You can listen to the full episode here on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does Amazon new Vulcan robot do? Why is the new Nothing phone the best affordable option? And how should the DPC respond to TikTok storing data on Chinese servers? JJ Clarke, producer, joins host Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will AI replace authors? How will we spot real from the fake? And have some LLMs already been trained on authors’ books? Shane Hegarty, bestselling children’s book author joined Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. Adrian began by reading out a five-hundred-word excerpt generated by chat GPT in the style of author Shane Hegarty. The tech editor then asked Shane to rate the piece for accuracy out of 10. The children’s book author gave the piece a one out of ten because it was trying to be funny and had little sense of what his book is actually about. You can listen to the full episode here on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The discussion kicks off with YouTube's meteoric rise as a dominant media platform, reshaping content consumption habits. A chilling report reveals how hackers exploit biometric security flaws, using artificial fingertips to bypass fingerprint and facial recognition systems. The conversation also delves into Intel's challenges amid tech evolution, highlighting potential job losses and the competitive edge of companies like NVIDIA. With the semiconductor industry facing R&D hurdles, the future of chip innovation remains uncertain.

What is the case for space? Does humanity benefit from it? And are the environmental impacts too great? Leo Enright, space commentator, former RTE and BBC correspondent joins Adrian on the Big Tech Show. Adrian began the conversation by asking was there any scientific merit to the Blue Origin New Shephard rocket which last week made a sub-orbital flight with an all-female crew to the edge of space and back. The space commentator stated that there was next to no scientific value in the Jeff Bezos backed space exploration. However, Leo Enright, did point out that Gail King was the first American journalist in space and the he is hopeful that she will once again popularise space exploration amongst the American public. You can listen to the full episode here on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What made Adam Dalton realise he loved selling? Which teacher influenced him in secondary school? And what are the downsides of a multi-million euro exit? Adam Dalton, co-founder of Jamango! former CEO and co-founder of Robotify, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. Adam Dalton seemed destined for entrepreneurship with an early love of LEGO and Minecraft. Adrian began the conversation by asking him about a guidance counsellor in his secondary school called Michael O’Neill. The teacher put on coding classes after school where Adam learned to build websites and games through coding, which served him well in his future career. You can listen to the full episode here on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will Irish jobs be impacted if the EU go after US tech services? Is Ireland the likely battle ground for a digital trade war? And why did the Chinese pull out of the deal to sell TikTok? JJ Clarke, Producer, joins host Donal O’Donovan on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. The business editor began by pointing out that Ireland sells about 52 billion dollars' worth of digital services to the US every year, versus about 53 billion dollars' worth of physical products. Roughly half of Irish exports to the US (the digital services) are not affected by Trump’s current tariffs. However, Donal O’Donovan highlighted that global trade in goods and the manufacturing sector are being targeted currently. You can listen to the full episode here on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.