The Times Tech Podcast

The Times
The Times
  • 4.9 (173)
  • Technology
  • Updated Weekly

From Silicon Valley to The City, tech journalists Danny Fortson and Katie Prescott bring you the inside track on the new industrial revolution. Co-hosted from San Francisco and London, this weekly podcast delivers the latest news and freshest interviews with the people creating the future. As West Coast Correspondent for The Sunday Times, Danny is on the ground to witness the technological whirlwind that first roared out Silicon Valley. From London, working as The Times' Technology Business Editor, Katie has seen the waves of boom and bust rolling through one of the world's financial capitals. Together they explore this strange new world of high finance and tech giants, explaining how we got here and what is just around the corner. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 1d ago

    BONUS | Will.i.am: will AI repeat the mistakes of social media?

    In this bonus episode of The Times Tech podcast, Katie Prescott shares her conversation with will.i.am about what comes after the AI boom. The musician and tech investor says the next big battle will be over personal data, privacy and power. Who owns your data? Where should it live? And can AI agents be built around people’s values and goals, rather than the business models of big platforms? He's been sharing his views at the recent UN AI for Good Summit in Geneva and told Katie why he believes AI could still be a force for good if it does not repeat the mistakes made by social media. Contains strong language. Listen to Part 1 of the interview Watch on YouTube  Producers: Shabnam Grewal & Marnie Duke Executive Producer: Priyanka Deladia Image: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    BONUS | Will.i.am: will AI repeat the mistakes of social media?

  2. 4d ago

    Will.i.am: musicians will survive AI

    Will.i.am is not as worried about AI and artists. He tells Katie Prescott that the "creatives will be alright," but it's "the assistants, the sales clerks, the lawyers, the accountants" that we should be concerned about.  As musicians, publishers and Silicon Valley debate over whether AI should be allowed to train on creative work, the Black Eyed Peas musician and tech investor offers a different take. He says music has always borrowed from what came before – from samplers to bass lines and rhymes. So what changes when machines start borrowing too? Plus, Danny Fortson and Katie discuss Anthropic’s stark new AI advert, Demis Hassabis’s call for an AI watchdog, and whether governments can keep up with the pace of artificial intelligence. Watch on YouTube  Producers: Marnie Duke & Shabnam Grewal Executive Producer: Priyanka Deladia Image: Getty Clip: Claude Music Credit: Contains a sample of the recording "Billie Jean."  Performed: Michael Jackson,  Written: Michael Jackson.  Published: Sony/ATV Songs LLC o/b/o Mijac Music Courtesy: Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. Music Credit: Contains a sample of the recording "Caribbean Queen - No More Love on the Run” Performed: Billy Ocean Written: Billy Ocean, Keith Diamond Published: Jive Records/ Sony Music Entertainment Courtesy: Sony Music Entertainment Music Credit: Contains a sample of the recording "Boom Boom Pow.” Performed: Black Eyed Peas William Adams (will.i.am), Stacy Ferguson (Fergie), and Jaime Gomez (Taboo) Writen: William Adams (will.i.am), Stacy Ferguson (Fergie), Allan Pineda (apl.de.ap), and Jaime Gomez (Taboo). Published: Will.i.am Music Publishing, Jeepney Music, Headphone Junkie Publishing, Tab Magnetic Publishing, and EMI Music Publishing Courtesy: Interscope Records. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Will.i.am: musicians will survive AI

  3. Jul 9

    Can beautifying AI data centres save them from backlash?

    AI needs vast data centres to power it but communities around the world are increasingly pushing back against the large, ugly “sheds” appearing on their doorsteps. In the US, one proposed Utah data centre is set to be larger than Manhattan. Meanwhile, architects in the UK are looking at ways to make data centres more attractive, functional and useful to local communities. So Danny Fortson and Katie Prescott ask whether better design, waste-heat reuse and local benefits could make AI infrastructure more acceptable. Plus, Danny speaks to Jason Kelly, co-founder and CEO of Ginkgo Bioworks, who explains how AI and biology are coming together through autonomous “cloud labs” that could transform scientific discovery. Would you hate data centres less if they were more beautiful? Get in touch: techpod@thetimes.co.uk Watch on YouTube  Read more: Save our countryside from ugly AI data sheds: make them beautiful Producer: Ethan Sills, Shabnam Grewal & Marnie Duke. Executive Producer: Priyanka Deladia Video Producer: Bronwen Latham Image: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Can beautifying AI data centres save them from backlash?

  4. Jul 4

    BONUS: The hidden technology behind Wimbledon

    This episode of The Times Tech Podcast is in paid partnership with IBM. Wimbledon may be one of the most familiar events in British sport, but behind the tennis is a vast technology operation – from live match data and digital storytelling to AI tools designed to help fans follow the Championships in real time. Katie Prescott is joined by Kameryn Stanhouse, Vice President of Sports and Entertainment Partnerships at IBM, and Chris Clements, Senior Manager of Digital Strategy and Products at the All England Club, to discuss how technology is changing the Wimbledon experience, both on the grounds and for fans around the world. Image: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    BONUS: The hidden technology behind Wimbledon

  5. Jul 2

    PayPal’s Max Levchin on Donald Trump, Elon Musk and mega-IPOs

    Affirm CEO, PayPal co-founder, original member of the 'PayPal Mafia' Max Levchin joins Danny Fortson and Katie Prescott to talk about moral moneylending, Elon Musk, mega-IPOs and why there are so many tech bosses in Washington. As he puts it – “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.” Meanwhile, Anthropic has announced that Claude Fable 5 will be released again globally after the Trump administration's ban. Plus, Danny and Katie discuss the latest trend in Silicon Valley - the rise of voice AI and the death of the keyboard. Is it hot air or if we are really in a new era of "yapping, rather than tapping"? On that note, Norman, Katie's AI agent, finally (and terrifyingly), has a voice. Would you swap your keyboard for voice-to-text software? Get in touch: techpod@thetimes.co.uk Watch on YouTube Read more: Is it time to say goodbye to the keyboard? Producer: Marnie Duke Executive Producer: Priyanka Deladia Video Producer: Bronwen Latham Image: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    PayPal’s Max Levchin on Donald Trump, Elon Musk and mega-IPOs

  6. Jun 25

    Why Europe fears America’s AI power

    Who really controls the future of AI? A rare warning from the Five Eyes intelligence alliance says powerful AI models capable of devastating cyberattacks on governments and businesses could be just months away. At the same time, the Trump administration’s decision to block foreign access to Anthropic’s most advanced AI models has intensified fears that Europe and the UK are dangerously dependent on Silicon Valley. Danny Fortson and Katie Prescott ask what an AI “kill switch” could mean for Europe – and whether the race for AI sovereignty is now impossible to ignore. And as the race towards Artificial General Intelligence intensifies, so too has the talent war between AI labs, after two leading Google DeepMind researchers – Noam Shazeer and John Jumper – left for OpenAI and Anthropic. Plus, Judith Dada, AI adviser to the German government and Senior Partner at Visionaries, joins them to discuss Europe’s AI future, tech sovereignty, and what losing the AI race could mean. Producer: Marnie Duke Executive Producer: Priyanka Deladia Image: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Why Europe fears America’s AI power

  7. Jun 18

    Keir Starmer vs Big Tech - the UK's under-16s social media ban

    Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a ban on social media for under-16s, due to come into effect next year. But questions remain over how it will be enforced, and whether it will actually work. Mark Sellman joins Katie Prescott to answer the key questions. In the US, the Trump administration has banned two of Anthropic’s most powerful AI models which include the controversial 'Mythos', intensifying calls for Europe to build sovereign AI systems of its own. If America can restrict access to critical AI technology at short notice, what does that mean for the rest of the world? Plus, Katie has been at Founders Forum, where she interviewed Katie King, the founder and CEO of BioOrbit, a company building a pharmaceutical lab in space to transform the way we treat cancer. Do you agree with the social media ban? Get in touch: techpod@thetimes.co.uk Producers: Marnie Duke & Ethan Sills Executive Producer: Priyanka Deladia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Keir Starmer vs Big Tech - the UK's under-16s social media ban

  8. Jun 11

    Anthropic's warning: AI will start building itself

    Anthropic has warned about the next phase of 'recursive AI', where agents could become capable enough to build and train models themselves without human intervention. The idea is that “self-improving” armies of agents could create purely AI-run, zero-person companies that optimise while you’re sleeping. If that’s the story in Silicon Valley, in the UK Katie is at London Tech Week, where everyone from Prime Minister Keir Starmer to AMD’s Lisa Su is focused on tech sovereignty and the question of who owns, controls and shapes AI, not just how fast the technology is advancing. Plus, Cisco’s Jeetu Patel joins Danny and Katie to discuss the potentially catastrophic consequences of the agentic era for cybersecurity, and share his insights on the trillion-dollar IPOs potentially coming from OpenAI, SpaceX and Anthropic. Is Britain losing the AI race? Get in touch: techpod@thetimes.co.uk Producer: Marnie Duke Executive Producer: Priyanka Deladia Image: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Anthropic's warning: AI will start building itself
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4.9
out of 5
173 Ratings

About

From Silicon Valley to The City, tech journalists Danny Fortson and Katie Prescott bring you the inside track on the new industrial revolution. Co-hosted from San Francisco and London, this weekly podcast delivers the latest news and freshest interviews with the people creating the future. As West Coast Correspondent for The Sunday Times, Danny is on the ground to witness the technological whirlwind that first roared out Silicon Valley. From London, working as The Times' Technology Business Editor, Katie has seen the waves of boom and bust rolling through one of the world's financial capitals. Together they explore this strange new world of high finance and tech giants, explaining how we got here and what is just around the corner. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Channel
    The Times
  • Creator
    The Sunday Times
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    478
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © News UK
  • Show Website
    The Times Tech Podcast
  • Provider
    News Corp UK & Ireland Limited

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