logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2022
36m 54s

Babbage: Rise of the robots

The Economist
About this episode

Relations between people and robots are being reset. Host Alok Jha explores why the pace of automation is likely to accelerate, and what it means for societies and jobs. We also ask how advancements in AI and robotics can improve collaboration between humans and machines.


For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience.



See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Up next
Apr 30
Trailer: Boss Class Season 2
Good bosses are rare. They don’t have to be. The skills of management can be learned. The Economist’s management columnist, Andrew Palmer, is here to help. The second season of Boss Class features leaders at some of the world’s best performing companies, from Levi’s to Novo Nordi ... Show More
2m 3s
Feb 2025
Trailer: Scam Inc
A sophisticated, predatory, multi-billion dollar industry is emerging from the shadows. It already rivals the size of the illicit drug trade. And it’s about to get bigger and much more powerful.  The Economist’s Sue-Lin Wong follows a trail that starts with the collapse of a bank ... Show More
3m 47s
May 2024
Trailer: The Modi Raj
Narendra Modi may well be the most popular politician on the planet. India’s prime minister is eyeing a third term atop the world’s biggest democracy.  A tea-seller’s son, Mr Modi began life an outsider and the man behind the political phenomenon remains hard to fathom. India has ... Show More
4m 58s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2022
Babbage: Rise of the robots
Relations between people and robots are being reset. Host Alok Jha explores why the pace of automation is likely to accelerate, and what it means for societies and jobs. We also ask how advancements in AI and robotics can improve collaboration between humans and machines. For ful ... Show More
36m 54s
Feb 2023
Babbage: An interview with a humanoid robot
Engineers have spent decades trying to create functional humanoid robots, which look and act like humans. But these machines, which combine complex mechanics with generative artificial intelligence models, like ChatGPT, are finally coming-of-age. Are they good enough to sustain a ... Show More
44m 44s
Mar 2023
Money Talks: The rise of the robots
Robots are getting better and cheaper—and that means they will play a much larger role in our lives. They are already reaching beyond the car plants and warehouses, where they have become commonplace, to turn their mechanised hands to making cocktails and cooking chicken. But wha ... Show More
36m 14s
Mar 2023
Money Talks: The rise of the robots
Robots are getting better and cheaper—and that means they will play a much larger role in our lives. They are already reaching beyond the car plants and warehouses, where they have become commonplace, to turn their mechanised hands to making cocktails and cooking chicken. But wha ... Show More
36m 14s
Jun 2022
Babbage: Artificial intelligence enters its industrial age
A new type of artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly emerging as a candidate to become the next major general-purpose technology. "Foundational AI" will inject itself into many human endeavours—from writing to coding to drug discovery. We explore why foundation models could end ... Show More
38m 14s
Aug 2022
Babbage: Could artificial intelligence become sentient?
A debate has been raging in technology circles, after an engineer at Google claimed in June that the company’s chatbot was sentient. Host Kenneth Cukier explores how to define “sentience” and whether it could be attained by AI. If machines can exhibit consciousness, it presents m ... Show More
44m 50s
Sep 2023
Babbage: How AI promises to revolutionise science
Discussions about artificial intelligence tend to focus on its risks, but there is also excitement on the horizon. AI tools, like the models beneath ChatGPT, are being increasingly used by scientists for everything from finding new drugs and materials to predicting the shapes of ... Show More
46m 27s
Jan 2024
Preserving Our Humanity In The Age Of Robots
Human beings are hardwired for social connection – so much so that we think of even the most basic objects as having feelings or experiences. (Yup, we're talking to you, Roomba owners!) Social robots add a layer to this. They're designed to make us feel like they're our friends. ... Show More
14m 21s
Sep 2021
Ruth Aylett and Patricia A. Vargas, "Living with Robots: What Every Anxious Human Needs to Know" (MIT Press, 2021)
There's a lot of hype about robots; some of it is scary and some of it utopian. In this accessible book, two robotics experts reveal the truth about what robots can and can't do, how they work, and what we can reasonably expect their future capabilities to be. It will not only ma ... Show More
1h 5m
Jan 2022
Babbage: Sequencing the future
Genomic sequencing has risen to prominence during the pandemic. But the technology has vast potential to transform many aspects of human health. Host Alok Jha investigates the rise of the genome and personalised medicine. For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audi ... Show More
33m 40s