Tech Life
Tech Life discovers and explains the ways technology is changing our lives, wherever we are in the world. We meet the people with bright ideas for rethinking the way we work, learn and play, and get hands-on with the products they dream up. We hold tech giants to account for their huge power to affect our lives, and ask who wins, and who loses, in the technology transformation. Tech Life is your guide to a future being made, and remade, at lightning speed in front of our eyes.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 25 minutes
- Episodes
- 320
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
Bezos' rocket blasts Star Trek actor into space
William Shatner makes global headlines by becoming the oldest person to travel to space, aboard the Blue Origin craft backed by Jeff Bezos. But has Elon Musk effectively already won the billionaires’…
Facebook’s punishing week
The social giant suffers one of its worst ever weeks after a tech blunder takes its platforms offline for hours, and a whistleblower gives highly critical testimony to Congress about its attitude to …
A ‘practical’ quantum computer
Are quantum computers ready to make the leap from the lab to the business? We visit two companies trying to make that a reality. Plus, we hear about Intel’s advances in neuromorphic computing, which …
A turning point for Facebook?
Will US press reports about Facebook bring tighter regulation or a breakup a step closer? Plus, the British startup that wants to power the metaverse. And the plan to connect the UK’s museum and gall…
Wikipedia’s editing war
Can the online encyclopaedia be impartial in a world of hotly-contested narratives? Plus, is Apple struggling to innovate? And the privacy implications of Facebook’s smart sunglasses. Presented by Ro…
El Salvador's Bitcoin experiment
El Salvador becomes the first country to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender. Cryptocurrency fans celebrate, but will Salvadorans benefit? Rory Cellan-Jones speaks to Alex Gladstein from the Human Rights F…
China's video games ban
China announces plans to restrict children to just three hours of video games a week. How will gamers cope and what does it mean for China's booming video games industry? We speak to Rui Ma, China te…
AI: Reality and hype
Is language-based artificial intelligence as capable as it seems? We visit a theatre production that places the GPT-3 algorithm at its heart. Plus, why attempts at using AI to help diagnose and treat…
Fears over Afghan biometric data
Human rights activists say that the Taliban could use databases compiled by the previous government and coalition forces to target citizens. Plus, why is there a flurry of investment in undersea inte…
Removing carbon from the air
Can tech to capture and store carbon prevent a climate catastrophe? Plus how cyber criminals can now check whether their planned cryptocurrency transfers will raise suspicions. And is there any signi…
China cracks down on online games
A state-run media outlet brands online games ‘electronic drugs’ and calls for more curbs on the industry. Plus, the AI that’s claimed to speed up insurance claims following extreme weather events. An…
Intel’s road ahead
Pat Gelsinger, the CEO of Intel, outlines his plan to regain the lead in silicon chips. Plus, the US tech giants report bumper quarterly profits. Will regulators be taking note? And is the battle aga…
Fresh questions over Pegasus spyware
How the Pegasus software from Israel’s NSO Group has kept ahead of smartphone makers’ attempts to block it. Plus, can Zoom’s new app features keep people video-conferencing post-pandemic, or has ever…
Football and online hate
England’s black players received a wave of racist abuse after the team lost to Italy in the European Championship final. What could the social platforms do to end such behaviour? Plus websites associ…
Have apps helped tackle the pandemic?
Did exposure and contact tracing apps live up to the hopes for them? Plus, how ransomware-as-a-service is becoming a serious cyber threat. And new laws in the US could give people access to the infor…
Should robots look like humans?
SoftBank pauses production of the Pepper service robot with no date for when it will resume. Does it suggest a lack of appetite for humanoid devices? Plus, Mobile World Congress is back in hybrid for…
Antivirus pioneer John McAfee found dead
The colourful and controversial entrepreneur created an entire industry with his early antivirus software. But he was now facing extradition from Spain to the US on tax charges. Plus, gamers say no t…
Web creator to sell source code as an NFT
Sir Tim Berners-Lee surprises observers by using the latest tech craze to raise funds for charity. Plus, we visit the Founders Forum ClimateTech Summit to hear entrepreneurs’ ideas for tackling the e…
Tech victories for law enforcement
The FBI recovers Bitcoins paid in the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack, and separately, tricks organised crime suspects into using a messaging app they could monitor. Plus leading researcher Prof.…
Huawei pins hopes on HarmonyOS
The Chinese giant launches its own smartphone and connected device operating system after the US blocked access to key Google Android tech. Will China be a big enough market for it to become establis…