The Artificial Human

Of all the jobs artificial intelligence might replace surely trading in stocks and shares is at the top of the list. Aleks and Kevin find out it might have already happened. The first algorithms hit the trading floors nearly 30 years ago and since then the numbers of people involved in the buying and selling of shares has been dwindling. Aleks and Kevin speaking professor Dave Cliffe who wrote one of those first trading programmes. He was told the future of trading was a computer, a dog and a man. The computer would do the trading, the dog would guard the computer and the man, well he was there to feed the dog. So how close are we to that future, closer than you think. But what does that mean for volatility in financial markets with AI’s well documented imperfect view of the world and is there still a place for human insight and perspective? Presenters: Aleks Krotoski & Kevin Fong Producer: Peter McManus Mixed by: Fraser Jackson

The arms race is over and we lost. All those increasingly annoying little puzzles to prove "I am not a robot" from how many buses can you see to the invisible behavioural analysis going on behind the screen, AI powered bots can now pick every lock designed to keep them out. Aleks Krotoski and Kevin Fong ask what's left to prove we're an actual human being online and if that becomes impossible does much of the internet stop being useful? Presenters: Aleks Krotoski and Kevin Fong Producer: Peter McManus Researcher: Emily Esson Mixed by: Fraser Jackson

Conspiracy theories—once confined to fringe communities—have entered the mainstream. Social media has supercharged outlandish narratives, giving them an air of legitimacy through viral sharing. With generative AI now capable of producing hyper-realistic images, videos, and audio, the boundaries between fact and fiction are more blurred than ever. It feels almost inevitable that AI will further amplify conspiracy theories in public and online discourse. But perhaps the future isn’t quite so bleak. Aleks and Kevin explore how AI could actually help debunk conspiracy theories and combat the flood of misinformation online. They speak with the team behind 'Debunk-bot', an AI chatbot that has shown remarkable success in shifting people’s beliefs around conspiracy theories. They also talk to Mick West, who has spent decades debunking falsehoods, about how AI might help reduce the impact of dangerous conspiracies—and what role humans must play in guiding those who find their way out of conspiracy rabbit holes with the help of a bot. Join Aleks and Kevin as they investigate how AI can help us separate fact from fiction. And if you have a question about AI, email us at theartificialhuman@bbc.co.uk.

The Darzi report of September 2024 painted a bleak picture of the NHS; crumbling infrastructure, low productivity and increasingly unhappy patients. AI is seen as key to turning the health service around but is it the panacea many claim? Aleks Krotoski and Kevin Fong find out if its on the front line or in the back office that AI can offer the NHS the biggest bang for its limited buck? Presenters: Aleks Krotoski & Kevin Fong Producer: Peter McManus Researcher: Emily Esson Mixed by: Kris McConnachie

Ever wondered what others are feeling but can’t quite read their emotions? Chris, a listener, emailed us with this exact dilemma. Partly due to being neurodivergent, he struggles to interpret the emotions of those around him—and even his own emotional reactions. So, he asked us: Could AI translate emotions for him? In this episode, Aleks and Kevin dive into the fascinating and complex world of Emotional AI. They start with Professor Andrew McStay, head of the Emotional AI Lab at Bangor University, who shares the long—and surprising—history of humans trying to decode emotions through technology. He also uncovers the potential risks of trusting an AI system to get inside people’s heads. Then, they meet Dr. Amir-Hossein Karimi, whose team at the University of Waterloo has developed an AI specifically designed to recognise emotions—just like what Chris is looking for. Could this be the solution? Dr. Karimi breaks down how this cutting-edge AI works, how it was created, and how a mix of tech innovation and human expertise could potentially help people better understand the emotions of others. But should this type of AI be used at all? Do the potential benefits outweigh the risks? Aleks and Kevin explore both sides. Got a question about AI? Email us at theartificialhuman@bbc.co.uk.