Tech Life

Behind some OnlyFans models making money from chatting to paying subscribers is the unseen human labour people who pretend to be the models and chat on their behalf. We speak to a woman in the Philippines about her jobs as a “chatter’.
Also on the programme, scientists using AI to help advance their research. And the White House has been cutting real footage from the war with Iran with clips from video games. We analyse their strategy.
Presenter: Shiona McCallum
Producer: Imran Rahman-Jones

Quantum computing promises revolutionary new discoveries. But tech revolutions can be messy. Is now the time to start thinking about how we ethically use quantum machines?
Also, we find out how glass can be turned into useful data storage that will last for thousands of years. And what can science fiction tell us about our spacefaring future?
Presenter: Chris Vallance
Producer: Tom Quinn
(Photo: An image of a quantum computer inside a high-tech facility. The computer has metallic silver and gold-coloured tubing to assist in cooling. Credit: Getty Images)

AI tech is giving people their lost voices back. We chat to Yvonne Johnson, who has motor neuron disease. She's lost much of her ability to speak. But artificial intelligence is helping Yvonne to be heard again, with her own voice.
Also this week: we discuss AI and the price of memory chips with a big computer manufacturer. And video gaming is booming in Africa.
Presenter: Shiona McCallum
Producer: Tom Quinn
(Image: A photo of Yvonne Johnson. She is smiling directly at the camera. Credit: Portrait Of A Voice.)

We chat to NVIDIA about AI chat and how to make it sound more human. Explore making and breaking an emotional connection with AI. And new tech is helping stroke survivors.
Presenter: Chris Vallance
Producer: Tom Quinn
(Photo: A digital screen shows an icon of a chatbot with text inviting users to ask it anything and a finger pressing on the screen. Credit: Getty Images)

Is this the year when smart glasses become mainstream? Whether you need spectacles for your vision, or wear sunglasses, tech firms are hoping you'll buy their latest devices. Tech Life's Alasdair Keane has road tested some of the latest wearables on the market.
From smart glasses to smart bricks! It's been a childhood favourite for decades, and now Lego is packing its colourful plastic with lights, sensors and sound synthesisers. Shiona McCallum plays with the new tech.
And we hear from a Hong Kong tech company that's developing AI for neglected languages, starting with Cantonese.
Presenter: Shiona McCallum
Producer: Tom Quinn
(Image: A photo of Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta. He is wearing dark-rimmed smart glasses. Credit: Reuters.)