logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2022
18m 50s

The Morality of Machines

Bbc World Service
About this episode

From search engines to chatbots to driverless taxis – artificial intelligence is increasingly a part of our daily lives. But is it always ethical? In this episode, Katie Barnfield explores some of the moral questions raised by new developments in smart technology. Leading researcher Dr Kate Crawford tells us about the powerful AI art software that reinforces gender stereotypes. We’ll hear from Bloomberg technology columnist Parmy Olson about the eyebrow raising conversation she had with Meta’s new chatbot. As driverless 'robotaxis' become more popular in China and the US, we’ll look at the difficult moral choices involved in their design. And how would you feel about AI that can read your emotions? We’ll hear why some companies have decided it’s a step too far. Presenter/ producer: Katie Barnfield

(Image: Robot using AI. Credit: Getty)

Up next
Nov 21
What happens when the aid money runs out?
<p>In the second of our two-part series on tightening aid budgets, Sam Fenwick explores what shrinking donor support means for global health — from the sudden halt to major US-funded projects, to the pressure on low-income countries to increase their own health spending.</p><p>As ... Show More
17m 30s
Nov 20
What's next for USAID funded projects?
<p>We examine the fallout from the cuts to US foreign aid.</p><p>We meet projects in Rwanda and Nepal that were close to shutting down - and hear the story of a mystery donor who stepped in to keep them going. </p><p>But how long will the support last? </p><p>Presented and produ ... Show More
17m 28s
Nov 19
Is cricket financially healthy?
<p>One of world sport's biggest rivalries gets underway this week, with England and Australia going head to head in the Ashes. Most matches will last around four or five days, but it's actually the short form of the game that is growing the fastest - and bringing in big audiences ... Show More
17m 29s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2021
Can robots care? A conversation with the World Economic Forum's head of AI
<p>Do robots care? What should companies keep in mind before using facial recognition or machine learning? Can new laws being mulled in the EU protect citizens from fast-changing technology?</p> <p> Kay Firth-Butterfield, the head of AI and machine learning at the World Economic ... Show More
24m 7s
Dec 2022
Ethical AI
In this episode of High Theory, Alex Hanna talks with Nathan Kim about Ethical AI. Their conversation is part of our High Theory in STEM series, which tackles topics in science, technology, engineering, and medicine from a highly theoretical perspective. In this episode, Alex hel ... Show More
22m 39s
Nov 2021
Robot as Threat
When a robot goes bad, who is responsible? It’s not always clear if the user or the manufacturer is liable when a robot leaves the lot. Human behavior can be complex—and often contradictory. Asking machines to interpret that behavior is quite the task. Will it one day be possible ... Show More
23m 11s
Aug 2023
How to Turn Our Fear of AI Into Optimism
<p><em>Mo Gawdat, an artificial intelligence expert and former chief business officer of Google X, explains how humans have the power to turn AI into a positive force that benefits society.&nbsp;</em></p><br><p><strong>Background:</strong></p><br><p>Public perception of artificia ... Show More
21m 8s
Jan 2023
24. Artificial Intelligence: What Is It? What Is It Not? (feat. Susan Farrell, Principal UX Researcher at mmhmm.app)
<p>The term artificial intelligence, AI, is having a bit of a boom, with the explosion in popularity of tools like ChatGPT, Lensa, DALL•E 2, and many others. The praises of AI have been equally met with skepticism and criticism, with cautionary tales about AI information quality, ... Show More
35m 35s
Mar 2023
What’s a human’s place in the AI Future of Work?
The earliest Artificial Intelligence program was written way back in 1951 but outside of science fiction AI didn’t enter the mainstream conversation until decades later. At Fast Company we’ve been covering AI technologies for many years but nothing has compared to the excitement ... Show More
37m 57s
Feb 2023
Real Humans Chat About Chatbots
<p>The unstoppable march of artificial intelligence carries on. In mere weeks, AI has oozed into nearly everything we interact with on the internet, from conversations, to journalism, to how we look stuff up online. It's even got Google scrambling to reclaim its spot on the searc ... Show More
32m 53s
Dec 2021
Robot as Vehicle
Self-driving cars are seemingly just around the corner. These robots aren’t quite ready for the streets. For every hyped-up self-driving showcase, there’s a news story about its failure. But the good news is that we get closer every year. Alex Davies steers us through the history ... Show More
24m 26s
Jul 2023
Tech and AI: 6. What is AI?
Artificial Intelligence has been in the news constantly this year, from a chatbot that can write anything you can imagine, in any style, to scientists and world leaders warning that AI needs to be controlled. With the big tech firms all rushing to make their AI products available ... Show More
13m 50s