214 episodes

Helping you make sense of what’s happening in your world. Big stories, small stories and everything in between. Understand more, feel better. Five days a week, Monday to Friday.

What in the World BBC World Service

    • News

Helping you make sense of what’s happening in your world. Big stories, small stories and everything in between. Understand more, feel better. Five days a week, Monday to Friday.

    Is AI blurring reality in the Indian elections?

    Is AI blurring reality in the Indian elections?

    As India votes in the general election, it is impossible to avoid the wealth of AI-generated content being created - from campaign videos, to personalised audio messages in a range of Indian languages, and even automated calls made to voters in a candidate's voice.
    Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also already made the best of the emerging technology to campaign effectively - addressing an audience in Hindi which, by using the government-created AI tool Bhashini, was then translated into Tamil in real time.
    But as the tools get more sophisticated, experts worry about its implications when it comes to making fake news appear real. In April, two viral videos showed Bollywood stars Ranveer Singh and Aamir Khan campaigning for the opposition Congress party. Both filed police complaints saying these were deepfakes, made without their consent.
    The BBC’s Meryl Sebastian, who is based in Kochi in southern India, explains how the election is playing out amidst the wave of AI and deepfake content.
    Plus we get advice on how to deal with AI and deepfake material as a voter from Divyendra Jadoun, founder of The Indian Deepfaker, who creates this exact content.
    Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
    WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6
    Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
    Presenter: William Lee Adams
    Producers: Julia Ross-Roy, Josh Jenkins and Adam Chowdhury
    Editor: Verity Wilde

    • 11 min
    The death of Iran’s president

    The death of Iran’s president

    Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi, and several other officials, including the foreign minister, have died in a helicopter crash. Mr Raisi was widely tipped to eventually become Supreme Leader, the most powerful role in the country.
    The BBC’s Shayan Sardarizadeh explains who Mr Raisi was, how power works in Iran, what the reaction has been, and what this could mean for the future of the regime.
    Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
    WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6
    Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
    Presenter: William Lee Adams
    Producers: Mora Morrison and Maria Clara Montoya
    Editor: Simon Peeks

    • 10 min
    Is the Premier League going to give VAR the red card?

    Is the Premier League going to give VAR the red card?

    The Premier League may vote to scrap the use of video assistant referees (VAR) from next season.
    Adam Chowdhury, from the What in the World team, explains how VAR works, why the technology is so controversial (including THAT Luis Diaz disallowed goal), and how it’s used in major leagues, including the Bundesliga and La Liga.
    BBC Africa Sport Mimi Fawaz also shares how VAR is used in Africa, and AFCON.
    Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
    WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6
    Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
    Presenter: William Lee Adams
    Producers: Mora Morrison and Maria Clara Montoya
    Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

    • 11 min
    Electric vehicles: Charging up or powering down?

    Electric vehicles: Charging up or powering down?

    The electric car industry is sending mixed signals. On one hand, sales of electric vehicles in Europe overtook diesel vehicles for the first time last year and annual sales of electric vehicles in China now make up 30% of total car sales in the country.
    On the other hand, Elon Musk’s company Tesla and Chinese manufacturer BYD, two of the biggest electric vehicle makers, have both reported significant drops in sales this year. Plus, industry heavyweights General Motors, Nissan, Hyundai, Volkswagen and Ford have all revealed that as a result of a loss in momentum for electric cars, they are increasing their investment in hybrid vehicles, which partly use fossil fuels like petrol or diesel that harm the environment.
    Confused? BBC business correspondent Erin Delmore explains what exactly is going on.
    Plus, we take a closer look at how the electric vehicle industry is doing in Africa - and why the future is all about e-motorbikes instead of cars. Prosper, a 24 year old courier in Uganda tells us why she likes using an electric motorbike to get around.
    Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
    WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6
    Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
    Presenter: Daniel Dadzie
    Producers: Josh Jenkins and Adam Chowdhury
    Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

    • 14 min
    Why is ChatGPT so flirty?

    Why is ChatGPT so flirty?

    Open AI has just revealed the latest version of the AI chatbot ChatGPT. It’s called GPT-4o and is faster, more friendly, and even flirtatious. Tech journalist Rhiannon Williams explains how it differs from previous versions, and what this means for the future of AI technology.
    But not everyone has equal access to ChatGPT. Grace Kejo, a 17-year-old student in Tanzania, shares why. Plus, Maria Clara Montoya describes how AI voices have changed over time: from the 1950s speech recognition systems to Siri and Alexa, and the present day.
    Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
    WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6
    Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
    Presenter: Laura Cress
    Producers: Mora Morrison and Maria Clara Montoya
    Editor: Julia Ross-Roy

    • 15 min
    Is the world experiencing more flooding?

    Is the world experiencing more flooding?

    Several nations have suffered flooding in just the last few months. Brazil, Kenya, Indonesia and China are just some of those that have been hit. Many people have died and thousands have been forced to move away from their homes.
    Floods are common and can happen at any time during the year. However, are we seeing more than usual these days? And how much impact is the El Nino weather system having? BBC Climate Reporter Georgina Rannard explains what’s been happening and why.
    We hear from listener Leandro who sent us a voice message from the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, where more than half a million people have been displaced from their homes.
    And eight months on from floods which hit Eastern Libya, the nation is continuing to rebuild from its catastrophic event. The BBC’s Amira Fathalla describes what it’s like on the ground today.
    Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld
    WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6
    Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
    Presenter: Beverly Ochieng
    Producers: Josh Jenkins and Adam Chowdhury
    Editor: Simon Peeks

    • 10 min

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