Tech Life

A group of cybersecurity researchers found a prompt which gets past ChatGPT’s guardrails and causes it to generate some disturbing images. We unpack what this tells us about the way AI is trained, and how it could be exploited.
Also on the show, after a recent episode about potholes, we were contacted by the UK’s ministry of transport. We speak to their chief scientific adviser about potholes and the future of transport.
And what is a quantum diamond magnetometer? We speak to the company which has just put one into space – in order to measure where magnetic north really is.
Presenter: Chris Vallance
Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones
(Image: A phone with the white and black ChatGPT logo on it. In the background is green Matrix-style code. Credit: Getty Images)

When we fly we love to take our gadgets with us. But the lithium batteries that power them can catch fire. We find out about a new campaign urging us to pack with safety in mind.
Also this week: the BBC's Lily Jamali visits an international competition for new AI applications in San Francisco. And protecting Africa's endangered wildlife is an increasingly high-tech business - a new scheme aims to give conservation workers the latest skills.
Presenter: Chris Vallance
Producer: Tom Quinn
(Photo: A man is in an airport lounge. He is charging his smartphone with a portable charger, which is resting on a suitcase. Credit: Getty Images)

Microsoft unveils a new quantum chip. It's a big moment for the company, as its quantum programme has faced criticism. Is the tech giant's strategy finally paying off? And when will this chip deliver practical quantum computing? The BBC's Technology Editor, Zoe Kleinman, interviews Microsoft's executive vice president for quantum.
Also this week: what new tech can soccer fans expect at the World Cup? Shiona McCallum reports from FIFA headquarters in Switzerland. And a leading critic of AI hype returns to Tech Life.
Presenter: Chris Vallance
Producer: Tom Quinn
(Photo: A hand is seen holding the new Majorana 2 quantum chip from Microsoft. The chip is gold-coloured. It is so large that it is the same size as the hand. Credit: Microsoft)

We speak to Google about the introduction of artificial intelligence into classroom learning, and what they think this will mean for teachers and pupils.
Also this week: Shiona McCallum reports on a new artificial limb which is making a big difference to the life of one man who has a very personal story to tell. And find out about the engineering technology that's being used to check the heart health of unborn babies as they grow in the womb.

Presenter: Shiona McCallum
Producer: Tom Quinn
(Photo: A female teacher sits at a classroom desk with a female high school pupil looking at a laptop screen. Credit: Getty Images)

From fears that a powerful new AI could supercharge hacking, to the ransomware gangs holding our data hostage, we talk to a former FBI expert about the latest cyber threats.
Also in Tech Life this week: we hear from a listener who is using dermatology tech to educate schoolchildren on the importance of staying safe in the sun.

Presenter: Chris Vallance
Producer: Tom Quinn
(Photo: Numerous computer screens are displaying green-coloured code and a finger pointing at a smartphone screen. Credit: Getty Images)