logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2022
38m 14s

Babbage: Artificial intelligence enters ...

The Economist
About this episode

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 up having an economic impact similar to that of electricity, and why the emerging technology is also proving so controversial. Alok Jha hosts.


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.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Aug 22
Rule and divide: opposition grows in Syria
Less than nine months after Syria’s dictator Bashar al-Assad was toppled, the honeymoon is over. How is the new regime responding to rising dissent? Introducing Britain’s revolutionary retirees: why pensioners increasingly dominate political protest. And celebrating the life of o ... Show More
23m 38s
Aug 21
Stake and chips: will America take 10% of Intel?
Intel was once synonymous with chip-making, but in recent years it has fallen behind. Now the Trump administration may become its biggest shareholder. A political assassination in Colombia raises fears about a return to violence. And what an annual snail race tells us about rural ... Show More
21m 2s
Aug 20
Trouble in paradise: US plans for Pacific war
With China as its new rival, America is reviving old wartime facilities across the Pacific. Our correspondent visits an abandoned airfield that has been given new life. The outlook for climate technology is surprisingly bright. And why the universe of Hello Kitty keeps expanding. ... Show More
22m 34s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2022
Babbage: The tech behind ChatGPT—an episode from our archive
ChatGPT is just one example of a new type of artificial intelligence, which could become the next major general-purpose technology. This week, we revisit one of our favourite episodes of 2022, which explains why "foundational AI" promises to be so transformative. The Economist’s ... Show More
44m 52s
Mar 2024
Babbage: The science that built the AI revolution—part one
What is intelligence? In the middle of the 20th century, the inner workings of the human brain inspired computer scientists to build the first “thinking machines”. But how does human intelligence actually relate to the artificial kind? This is the first episode in a four-part ser ... Show More
42m 57s
Mar 2022
Babbage: The fountain of youth
Billions of dollars are being pumped into technologies that hope to reduce the effects of ageing. Host Alok Jha explores the latest research in the field—from regenerating organs to rejuvenating cells—and whether these efforts could help to conquer debilitating human diseases. Is ... Show More
39m 52s
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
Jan 2024
Babbage: Sam Altman and Satya Nadella on their vision for AI
OpenAI and Microsoft are leaders in generative artificial intelligence (AI). OpenAI has built GPT-4, one of the world’s most sophisticated large language models (LLMs) and Microsoft is injecting those algorithms into its products, from Word to Windows.  At the World Economic Foru ... Show More
45 m
Sep 2023
The Coming Wave
There is no more consequential technological development in recent years than widely accessible artificial intelligence. And there are few more consequential contemporary figures in the artificial intelligence field than Mustafa Suleyman, who is the co-founder of DeepMind Technol ... Show More
1h 1m
Feb 2023
A.I. is Here: Now What? | 2.12.23
Artificial intelligence, or AI, has burst into the mainstream, captivating people around the world, and setting off a global race to implement the revolutionary technology in every facet of society. We talk to a number of experts about the future of artificial intelligence and th ... Show More
16m 51s
Sep 2023
Babbage: The scientific quest to conquer ageing
How ageing happens and whether it can be slowed has recently become the subject of intense research and investment. Scientists are exploring differing approaches to reducing age-related deterioration, tech billionaires are experimenting with as-yet-unproven interventions. It is e ... Show More
39m 37s
Oct 2023
Ethics in AI
As the adage states, “with great power comes great responsibility” and as Artificial intelligence emerges as one of the fastest growing tools across multiple sectors of industry, there is a responsibility of leaders in these fields to determine a code of ethics in how AI will be ... Show More
28m 21s
Dec 2023
When AI Goes Wrong
Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used throughout the world to predict the future. Banks use it to predict whether customers will pay back a loan, hospitals use it to predict which patients are at greatest risk of disease and auto insurance companies use it determine ... Show More
14m 16s