Sideways

Sideways returns with seven new stories of seeing the world differently and the ideas that shape our lives. Stories about everything from the ethics of using AI to simulate conversations with the dead to viewing decay as a vehicle for rebirth. Listen to the eleventh series of Sideways first on BBC Sounds.Presenter: Matthew Syed Producers: Julien Manuguerra-Patten, Vishva Samani and Caroline Thornham Series Editors: Georgia Moodie and Max O'Brien Sound Design and Mix: Daniel Kempson and Nicholas Alexander Theme music by: Ioana Selaru Produced by: Novel for BBC Radio 4

Geoffrey Hinton's work laid the foundation for today's artificial intelligence systems. His research on neural networks has paved the way for current AI systems like ChatGPT.In artificial intelligence, neural networks are systems that are similar to the human brain in the way they learn and process information. They enable artificial intelligence to learn from experience, as human beings would.But Geoffrey Hinton has warned that machines could one day outsmart humans. He has even warned that autonomous weapons could be active on the battlefields of the future. In this final episode of 25 Years of the 21st Century, Matthew Syed interviews Professor Hinton. Historian and author Margaret MacMillan and Baroness Joanna Shields also join Matthew in discussion. Baroness Shields has been working in the field of technology for forty years, holding senior roles at both Google and Facebook. She was the UK’s first Minister for Internet Safety and Security. She’s also a Conservative life peer in the House of Lords. Does she agree with Geoffrey Hinton's concerns for the future?For 25 Years of the 21st Century, is this the age of artificial intelligence?Production team Editor: Sara Wadeson Producers: Michaela Graichen, Marianna Brain, Emma Close Sound: Tom Brignell Production Co-ordinators: Janet Staples and Katie MorrisonArchive Steve Jobs launches the Apple iPhone, 2007

As we swipe to find love and consult chatbot therapists, Matthew Syed asks how technology has altered the way we approach dating, friendship and community.It’s not all technology, though. Key changes in social trends, medical innovations, demography and economic factors have also played a part in how people live. How have relationships changed in the past 25 years?Contributors Margaret MacMillan, Emeritus Professor of International History at the University of Oxford and author of several acclaimed books. Meghan Nolan, an Irish novelist and journalist based in New York. Sarah Harper, Professor of Gerontology at the University of Oxford and a fellow at University College.Production team Editor: Sara Wadeson Producers: Emma Close, Marianna Brain, Michaela Graichen Sound: Tom Brignell Production Co-ordinators: Janet Staples and Katie MorrisonArchive Steve Jobs launches the Apple iPhone, 2007

Is this the age of outsourcing? This is not a show about call centres in India. Rather, it's a look at a much deeper shift in who we are, how we think, and where value is created. In some ways, it's the most dizzying and philosophical shift of all. In this episode, we attempt to understand outsourcing at the macro level - how corporations have outsourced so much that they’ve become hollow. And we look at the micro level - how we've outsourced our minds and memories to technology. Contributors Margaret MacMillan, Emeritus Professor of International History at the University of Oxford and author of several acclaimed books. James Williams is an author and technology advisor. He worked for Google for more than 10 years where he received the Founders Award for his work on search advertising. He's the author of Stand Out of Our Light: Freedom and Resistance in the Attention Economy. John Key is author of The Corporation in the 21st Century. He's a visiting professor at the London School of Economics and a columnist for the Financial Times.Production team Editor: Sara Wadeson Producers: Emma Close, Marianna Brain, Michaela Graichen Sound: Tom Brignell Production Co-ordinators: Janet Staples and Katie MorrisonArchive Steve Jobs launches the Apple iPhone, 2007