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Technology

Tech Life discovers and explains the ways technology is changing our lives, wherever we are in the world. We meet the people with bright ideas for rethinking the way we work, learn and play, and get hands-on with the products they dream up. We hold tech giants to account for their huge power to affect our lives, and ask who wins, and who loses, in the technology transformation. Tech Life is your g... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes361Founded12 years ago
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Artwork for Tech Life

Latest Episodes

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, afte... more

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 competit... more

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 ... more

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 differen... more

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Jonathan Nicholson
Head of strategic projects at the UK Civil Aviation Authority
UK Civil Aviation Authority
Episode: Tackling lithium battery fires on planes
Gary Marcus
AI researcher, critic of hype around AI
Independent researcher/author
Episode: Microsoft's big quantum bet
Nicholas Evans
Head of FIFA's research team
FIFA
Episode: Microsoft's big quantum bet
Ben Gomes
Chief Technologist for Learning and Sustainability at Google
Google
Episode: Teaching in the AI world
Adelaide de Vecchi
Academic at King's College London, leads digital twins research in healthcare
King's College London
Episode: Teaching in the AI world
Mark Palmer
Lead chief technologist for healthcare at Synopsys
Synopsys
Episode: Teaching in the AI world
Fergal Mackey
Co-founder of Metacarpal, developer of the GEM hand
Metacarpal
Episode: Teaching in the AI world
Jim Ashworth-Bolmont
Prosthetics user and professional in the field
Self/Prosthetics user and advocate
Episode: Teaching in the AI world
Cynthia Kaiser
Former Deputy Assistant Director, FBI Cyber Division; Halcyon Ransomware Research Center
Halcyon Ransomware Research Center / FBI
Episode: Myth or mythos: Is the AI cyber threat real?

Hosts

Shona McCallum
Co-host focusing on technology and society; primary presenter for Tech Life.
Chris Vallance
Co-host providing context on technology trends, policy, and consumer tech.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 464 ratings
  • Dreadful BBC drivel, shame.

    This podcast replaced Digital Planet which was very interesting and had great presenters until it started to push the BBC’s propaganda. Tech Life has taken over and it’s now just wall-to-wall boring chat with lifeless presenters. The BBC pushing their political views and dressing it up as a Tech show. Unsubscribed.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    colwright3
    United Kingdom8 months ago
  • There's a real potential here based on the topics chosen, but sadly there is virtually no depth of analysis or questioning of the subject on the part of the hosts beyond the most perfunctory and introductory of levels.

    Most of the episodes are instead taken up by tangential personal stories from the presenters coupled with listener mail which is read to everyone with their thanks, but so far none has been actually investigated or answered.

    Podcast Addict
    3
    MCMH
    10 months ago
  • Very poor journalism

    Disappointing from the BBC. Nothing new, no insights, no in depth reporting, just very basic tech stories that are either old or reported much better elsewhere. Recommend “Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast” instead.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Vilnius girl
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Hahahaha!

    What a shame - after more than four years this BBC podcast has received only 11 ratings.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    phuk azure
    New Zealand2 years ago
  • Not a patch on Digital Planet

    I tried to get into this show but it’s just not a patch on the (stupidly) cancelled Digital Planet.

    Fortunately, Gareth and the team took their rejection by the BBC on the chin and have started up their own replacement for DP called Somewhere on Earth - The Global Tech Podcast.

    It’s brilliant, has most of the same team, and just feels like the old wonderful Digital Planet.

    I strongly suggest that any fans of DP look it up and subscribe to the podcasts!

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    SamQ
    Australia3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Some listeners feel content is too BBC-centric or biased against certain tech trends.
Positive feedback highlights strong guests and clear explanations when complex topics are broken down.
Listeners appreciate concise, well-structured tech news with practical takeaways.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#55
United Kingdom/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#129
Canada/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#87
Australia/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#26
Russia/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#31
Saudi Arabia/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#33
South Korea/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Microsoft's big quantum bet
Q: Do you think the shine is wearing off AI or is public perception shifting?
Marcus points to a backlash in public perception, explains that enthusiasm has cooled as people see limitations and economic realities, but argues progress will continue with increasingly specialized, less chatbot-focused tools.
Microsoft's big quantum bet
Q: What worries you most about AI and large language models?
Marcus highlights threats to democracy, disinformation, cybercrime, and the potential erosion of social and educational systems, while acknowledging some positive uses in science and coding.
Microsoft's big quantum bet
Q: Is AI a bubble, and when is it going to burst?
Gary Marcus discusses the high costs, the risk of overinvestment, and the need for more realistic expectations about AI economics, while noting some credible use cases in coding and medicine though cautioning against overreliance on chatbots.
Myth or mythos: Is the AI cyber threat real?
Q: Why is labeling ransomware operators as terrorists considered helpful?
Labeling can unlock enhanced intelligence sharing and international cooperation, increasing pressure on hosting countries to take action and potentially enabling more aggressive disruption of criminal networks.
Myth or mythos: Is the AI cyber threat real?
Q: What practical steps should organizations take to defend against AI-enabled cyber threats?
Adopt defense in depth, baseline network behavior to detect anomalies, segment networks to limit movement, and ensure rapid patching and coordinated incident response across partners and law enforcement.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Tech Life

What is Tech Life about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A tech-focused show that covers a broad spectrum of technology's impact on everyday life, from AI in education and health to cyber security, privacy, and future-of-work topics. Episodes frequently feature interviews with researchers, industry leaders, and innovators, plus on-the-ground reporting that illustrates practical applications of tech in health, heritage preservation, transportation, and accessibility. A distinguishing trait is its willingness to tackle complex, high-stakes tech topics with accessible explanations, human-interest angles, and real-world case studies, making it useful for listeners who want practical insights and thoughtful commentary on how technology reshapes society.

Noteworthy strengths include a mix of policy-co... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Tech Life?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Tech Life. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Tech Life and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Tech Life get?

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What are the audience demographics for Tech Life?

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How many subscribers and views does Tech Life have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Tech Life has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Tech Life?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Tech Life:

1. BBC Inside Science
2. FT Tech Tonic
3. The Inquiry
4. Business Daily
5. Global News Podcast

How many episodes of Tech Life are there?

Tech Life launched 12 years ago and published 361 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Tech Life?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Tech Life?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Tech Life from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

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Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Tech Life. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Tech Life?

Recent guests on Tech Life include:

1. Jonathan Nicholson
2. Gary Marcus
3. Nicholas Evans
4. Ben Gomes
5. Adelaide de Vecchi
6. Mark Palmer
7. Fergal Mackey
8. Jim Ashworth-Bolmont

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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