Tech Life

This week on Tech Life, we ask why online banking and payment outages happen, and find out what you can do to protect your data and money. The first Saudi Arabian woman to run an international body speaks to us about her life in tech, and her role in charge of the Digital Co-operation Organisation. And if you had to spend a long time on the Moon or Mars, what kind of base would you want to live in ? We are always keen to hear from you. You can email us: techlife@bbc.co.uk, or send us a text message or voice note on Whatsapp: +44 330 1230 320. Presenter: Graham Fraser Producer: Tom Quinn Editor: Monica Soriano (Image: A woman's hand holds a mobile phone. A login window for online banking is on the screen. Credit: Torsten Asmus/Getty Images)

Live trials are under way in Ghana of holoportation 3D telemedicine tech. It allows a patient in a remote location to connect to a doctor many miles away, and be examined. We speak to the lead engineer involved in the project, as well as a patient and a doctor benefiting from the portable kit. Also on Tech Life, what happens when a country's leader decides the names of some places (or stretches of water) are about to change ? Do online maps update ? How is it decided ? Our reporter has been searching for the answers. And what is it like working as a technology correspondent, reporting on the busy and ever-changing North America tech scene ? We chat to Lily Jamali who does exactly that for the BBC. We are always keen to hear from you. You can email us: techlife@bbc.co.uk, or send us a text message or voice note on Whatsapp: +44 330 1230 320. Presenter: Graham Fraser Producer: Tom Quinn Editor: Monica Soriano (Image: Image of a female doctor communicating with a patient on a portable video link. Credit: Hiraman/Getty Images)

With Amazon now in charge of James Bond, how will they use data to shape the franchise. We speak to a company which analyses scripts using AI and suggests actors or story changes. Plus, the computer scientist who got her native language on to Google Translate, and the Indian village which became a YouTube sensation. We love hearing from you. Send us an email on techlife@bbc.co.uk or send a Whatsapp to +44330 1230 320. Presented and produced by Imran Rahman-Jones. Our editor is Monica Soriano. (Image: Daniel Craig in a black tuxedo and bow tie, looking down the barrel of the camera. Credit: Getty Images.)

Planet Earth's oceans remain relatively unexplored. Now one company has a bold plan to build habitats for humans to live and work underwater for long spells of time. We hear about the tech challenges of life on the seabed. Also on Tech Life, we speak to a Californian TikTok content creator, and a company benefiting from being on TikTok, as the future of the video-sharing platform in the United States remains uncertain. And who needs big crowds and long queues ? Is the future of gaming expos virtual ? We are always keen to hear from you. You can email us: techlife@bbc.co.uk, or send us a text message or voice note on Whatsapp: +44 330 1230 320. Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn Editor: Monica Soriano (Image: An illustration of an underwater human habitat known as a Sentinel. Credit: Deep.)

Artificial intelligence can pick out the words we're typing from analysis of our brainwaves. Could it give a voice to those who can't speak because of brain injury or illness ? We interview an expert leading the research. Also on this week's edition of Tech Life, will AI and 3D printing revolutionise the shoe business ? And the hot and cold solution to keep fish fresh in Kenya. We are always keen to hear from you. You can email us: techlife@bbc.co.uk, or send us a text message or voice note on Whatsapp: +44 330 1230 320. Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn Editor: Monica Soriano (Image: A photo of a female volunteer typing words onto a keyboard while her brain is being scanned. Credit: Meta)

As DeepSeek shocked the world, we speak to an AI expert who worked at a Chinese AI firm. We hear about a new battery exchange system for EVs in Addis Ababa. And imagine a world without potholes - we've got a scientist on who is working on self-healing roads. Get in touch by emailing techlife@bbc.co.uk or sending a Whatsapp to +44330 1230 320. Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones Editor: Monica Soriano (Photo: The logo of the Alibaba AI model Qwen, a blue triangle with Chinese characters beneath. Credit: Getty Images.)

It sounds like a Hollywood movie - bringing extinct animals like the dodo back to life - but a company has attracted hundreds of millions of dollars of investment to do just that. We hear the arguments for and against de-extinction technology. Also on Tech Life this week - losing the alcohol but keeping the taste....our reporter takes a sober dive into the tech behind alcohol-free beer. We’re always keen to hear from you. You can email us: techlife@bbc.co.uk, or send us a text message or voice note on Whatsapp: +44 330 1230 320. Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Tom Quinn Editor: Monica Soriano (Image: An illustration of a dodo bird. Credit: DeAgostini Picture Library/Getty Images)

In this edition we're trying to find out why some popular security and privacy services - known as VPNs - are disappearing from app stores in India. Also on this week's Tech Life, we speak to the team behind a super-lightweight plane, powered by the sun's rays, that could be used like a steerable satellite. And does talk of artificial intelligence make you worried about your job, or make you wonder what the future might hold ? Don't worry, it's not all gloom ! We hear from a historian who is taking a very long view of AI. We’re always keen to hear from you. You can email us: techlife@bbc.co.uk, or send us a text message or voice note on Whatsapp: +44 330 1230 320. Presenter: Zoe Kleinman Producer: Tom Quinn Editor: Monica Soriano (Image: An illustration of Internet access via a VPN. A shield with the inscription VPN and a globe. Credit: Getty Images)

In this edition we discuss ways of checking facts on social media. This is after Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg announced Facebook and Instagram will change the way facts are checked. Also in Tech Life, data is being saved for the future, deep underground in the Arctic Circle. Our reporter Adrienne Murray visits the Arctic World Archive in Svalbard. LinkedIn tell us how they are verifying their users are real. And find out why online mapping has become more than getting from A to B. We’re always keen to hear from you. You can email us: techlife@bbc.co.uk, or send us a text message or voice note on Whatsapp at +44 330 1230 320. Presenter: Imran Rahman-Jones Producer: Tom Quinn Editor: Monica Soriano (Image: A photo image of Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg. Credit: Getty Images)

Tech Life is at CES in Las Vegas, one of the world’s biggest consumer tech shows. We hunt for some of the event’s weirdest tech, and speak to the people behind the showcase. Plus, why is the tech world now obsessed with cars? We love hearing from you. Get in touch by emailing us on techlife@bbc.co.uk or send us a Whatsapp on +443301230320. Presented and produced by Imran Rahman-Jones, Alasdair Keane and Lily Jamali Edited by Monica Soriano (Image: The neon "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign lit up against a blue sky. Credit: Getty Images.)

Want to know what’s in store for the tech world in 2025? Tech Life has got you covered. From AI to cybersecurity, gaming and crypto and beyond, we bring you our predictions for the next 12 months. And we’re not alone. We’re calling on the help of friends of the show and experts around the world – with some familiar voices for regular Tech Life listeners.

From the innovations that flourished to those that flopped, from providing virtual boyfriends to taking very real jobs, we look back an another fascinating twelve months in tech – and hear from reporters, experts and listeners about which tech most changed your lives in 2024. (Image: a montage of text message like speech boxes on a background of what looks like code. Copyright: Getty Images).

One of the world’s biggest car manufacturers pulled the plug on its robotaxi project. So what next? We also ask the experts how AI will impact your job. And we’re at the launch of a new music discovery tool, which uses a mix of AI and expert curation. We’re always keen to hear from you. You can email us on techlife@bbc.co.uk, or send us a voice note on Whatsapp at +44330 1230 320. Presenter: Graham Fraser Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones Editor: Monica Soriano (Image: A Cruise car with cameras attached to its exterior at an intersection in San Francisco. Credit: Getty Images)

We speak to cyber security experts about how cyber warfare works – and how it stays out of the headlines. Then we hear about the aerodynamics tech making athletes more streamlined. And we meet the new Indiana Jones, gaming star Troy Baker. Tell us about the new tech you've tried out in 2024. What gadgets or apps helped you out this year? Send us an email to techlife@bbc.co.uk or Whatsapp us on +44 330 123 0320. Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones Editor: Monica Soriano (Image: A computer-generated, pixelated image of a globe with a neon blue padlock superimposed on top. Credit: Getty Images.)

Computer scientist Sasha Luccioni is a pioneering voice in AI, especially when it comes to its environmental impact. We speak to her as she is announced on the BBC 100 Women list. We also meet one of the only AI startups in Bhutan, and the two friends who met online and have finally met in real life – after 13 years of knowing each other. Presenter: Zoe Kleinman Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones Editor: Monica Soriano (Image: A black and white portrait photo of Sasha Luccioni smiling at the camera. In the background are orange computer-generated geometric shapes. Credit: Steve Gerrard.)

Women in a forest in India found they were being followed and recorded by cameras which were meant to be for monitoring tigers and other wildlife. We speak to the researcher who interviewed hundreds of women in the community. We learn about how online shopping tries to influence your behaviour. And we visit an Arctic island which is turning to renewables. We want to know about the big tech stories of 2024 where you are. Get in touch with us by emailing techlife@bbc.co.uk or Whatsapp us on +44 330 1230 320. Presenter: Alasdair Keane Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones Editor: Monica Soriano (Image: A tiger among green foliage looking at the camera. Credit: Getty Images.)

Robot security dogs have been spotted at Mar-A-Lago, the Florida home of US president-elect Donald Trump. Who are behind them, and what security services do they offer? Also on the programme, we hear about one phone company’s plan to waste phone scammers’ time. And the startup using AI to provide loans to people without a credit history. We love hearing from you on Tech Life. Get in touch by emailing techlife@bbc.co.uk or sending us a Whatsapp on +44330 1230 320. Presenter: Zoe Kleinman Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones Editor: Monica Soriano (Image: A picture of a Boston Dynamics dog, “Spot”. Credit: Reuters.)

We hear from a former moderator in Kenya who was left traumatised by his previous job. And we ask what video games could do to be more accessible to blind people. Plus – the radar tech used to help with online mapping. Warning: This episode includes a description of child sexual abuse. We love hearing from you on Tech Life. You can email us at techlife@bbc.co.uk or Whatsapp us on +44330 1230 320. Presenter: Graham Fraser Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones Editor: Monica Soriano (Image: A man in glasses looking at a screen, with writing digitally imposed in front of his face. Credit: Getty Images.)

Tech Life created a fake podcast using a new AI tool from Google Labs, and we spoke to the head of the tool, Steven Johnson. Don’t worry – this programme is still brought to you by real human beings! We also look into how deepfakes have been used in the US. Plus – have we unveiled the real inventor of Bitcoin? (Spoiler – no.) We love hearing from you. Email us on techlife@bbc.co.uk or send a WhatsApp on +44 330 123 0320. Presenter: Chris Vallance Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones Editor: Monica Soriano (Image: An AI-generated head with letters coming out of its mouth. Credit: Getty Images.)

Intel was once unrivalled as the world's chip maker. Now it has fallen behind its rivals. We hear why the company is struggling ahead of its latest earnings call this week. Also, the many uses of drones around the world. And the surprising tech behind indoor golf. We love hearing from you - and if you're a regular listener you'll know by now that you can contact us via email on techlife@bbc.co.uk. Or, send us a message or voice note on WhatsApp. Our number is +44 330 123 0320. Presenter: Zoe Kleinman Producer: Tom Quinn, Imran Rahman-Jones, Alasdair Keane Editor: Monica Soriano (Image: A close up of a computer chip. Credit: Getty Images)