The Real Story

The European Commission has published draft proposals that will, if implemented, constitute the most expansive attempt to regulate the use of artificial intelligence. AI is becoming increasingly commonplace and automating jobs previously done by humans. From the algorithms that decide which social media posts to show you, to help desk chatbots capable of answering your questions, many AI applications make our lives easier and are set to receive fairly ‘light touch’ regulation.

Others, such as computer programmes capable of reading thousands of CVs and drawing up a shortlist of job applicants to be interviewed, have been accused of bias and will face extra scrutiny. But under the plan some more controversial technologies could be banned altogether - such as the deployment of real-time facial recognition systems in public spaces. Some in the industry welcome clear rules of the road, but others fear that restrictions will hamstring companies and force innovators to flee.

The United States is a global leader in the development of AI and the EU hopes it will adopt similar measures. But industry figures there are warning that Europe’s proposals go too far and would, if mirrored in America, result in China gaining dominance of the sector as it develops similar capabilities - but free from many of the regulations likely in the West. So, which AIs are good, which are bad, and how should they be regulated? Ritula Shah is joined by a panel of expert guests.

It’s been a week of tough talk on climate action. President Biden set out US plans for fighting climate change and called on the industrialised world to join his efforts to dramatically slash carbon emissions this decade. The global shift towards a greener world is transforming the way we work and live, but for many the changes are coming at a steep cost. Fuel taxes have increased the cost of farming, the shutting down of carbon-intensive industries is disproportionately affecting those in low-paid jobs, and while many big businesses have the resources to go green, levies for failing to reduce carbon footprints are increasing costs for many small and medium-size businesses. So how can the burden of a green transition be shared more evenly? Is the world at risk of leaving marginalised communities behind, and - if so - what can be done to minimise any increase in inequality that results from attempts to battle climate change? Ritula Shah is joined by a panel of expert guests.

Over 700 people, including children, have now died during pro-democracy protests in Myanmar following a coup on 1 February. Military chief General Min Aung Hlaing has declared a year-long emergency and promised to hold fresh elections at some time in the future. The armed forces of Myanmar are guaranteed a minimum number of seats in the nation’s parliament, retain control over many of the country’s institutions, and profit from a sprawling domestic business empire. But the military says the 2020 vote - which returned the governing NLD party under Aung San Suu Kyi to power with a larger majority – was flawed.

Many politicians, including Ms Suu Kyi, are under arrest. She’s been charged with criminal offences and if found guilty can be barred from contesting future elections. The coup has taken place at a time when Myanmar, also known as Burma, is continuing to battle the coronavirus pandemic, an economic crisis, regional insurgencies and is also facing an international investigation into alleged war crimes over the killing and expulsion of tens of thousands of minority Rohingya people. So, what's behind the military's decision to row back democracy and attack its own citizens? And what can the international community do about it? Join Ritula Shah and guests as they discuss the military in Myanmar.

The security situation in eastern Ukraine is flaring up again, seven years into a simmering conflict between Moscow and Kyiv that started with Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. Increased numbers of Russian armed forces have been moved to the region, Ukraine says two of its servicemen were killed earlier this week, and Moscow is blaming Ukraine for the death of a five-year-old in a reported explosion in a region controlled by Russian-backed separatists. The European Union is ‘severely concerned’ about the situation and the United States has put its troops in Europe on high alert. So why is Russia massing forces near Ukraine now? Is it a test for new US President Joe Biden and – if so – could it exacerbate tensions between the old Cold War rivals? What do events tell us about the intentions of Russia’s President Putin and Ukraine’s President Zelensky? Join Ritula Shah and guests as they discuss the latest escalating tensions between Ukraine, Russia and the West.

US special operations forces have agreed to help “support Mozambique's efforts to prevent the spread of terrorism and violent extremism”, with dozens of people reported killed during an Islamist attack in the north of the country this week. Joe Biden’s Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and other members of the global coalition against the Islamic State militant group have warned of a “serious and growing threat” from radical Islamists across Africa. But American’s interests in the region don’t end with security. Over recent years China has been extending its economic and military presence there and critics of Donald Trump’s presidency claim he failed to prioritise Africa policy - symbolised by the fact he didn’t visit during his 4 years in office. So, if the Biden administration is re-engaging with Africa, what does that mean? What should the priority be for US foreign policy across the continent? And what does China’s growing influence mean for America’s diplomatic credibility in the region? Paul Henley is joined by a panel of expert guests.

A year into the Covid crisis, German Chancellor Angela Merkel this week announced her country was facing what amounts to ‘a new pandemic’. “The mutation from Great Britain has taken over,” she warned. “It is clearly more lethal, more contagious, and contagious longer.” Even in countries where attempts to vaccinate the population are continuing at pace, the threat from mutant variants that have shown a greater ability than the original pathogen to evade vaccines is threatening any recovery. The US Centers for Disease Control this week warned that variants now dominate cases in California, and that increased air travel for spring break - combined with a rise in the number of states easing mask and social distancing mandates - may result in another surge. The UK hopes to curb the spread of variants as part of its roadmap to reopening, but in the last week an adviser to Boris Johnson’s government warned that any return to international travel was “unlikely” given the threat new mutations pose. So how long will Covid variants rule our lives and what can be done to curb their influence? Paul Henley is joined by a panel of experts.

The killing of eight people at a number of massage parlors in Atlanta this week has brought fears that the crimes may have targeted Asian Americans. Six of the people killed were of Asian descent. Although it is not yet clear whether there was a racial motivation in the shootings, they come against a backdrop of a sharp rise in violent attacks against Asian Americans since the start of the pandemic. An elderly Thai immigrant died after being shoved to the ground, a Filipino-American had his face slashed on the subway and a Chinese woman was slapped and then set on fire. These are just some of the thousands of cases reported in the US in recent months. Advocates and activists say they are hate crimes, and often linked to political rhetoric that blames Asian people for the spread of Covid-19. They point to the language used during last year’s election campaign by Donald Trump, who used terms such as the “China virus” and “kung flu”. During his first prime-time address to the nation last week, President Joe Biden denounced the attacks as un-American and urged federal agencies to fight “a resurgence in xenophobia”. Ritula Shah and a panel of expert guests as they discuss the causes of these attacks, who is carrying them out and what should be done about them.

When a series of chillingly convincing Tom Cruise deepfakes went viral on TikTok this month, it brought home how fast synthetic media technology is evolving. Deepfakes are like photoshop for video – using a form of artificial intelligence called deep learning to create a realistic depiction of fake events. Are we entering an era where AI will let anyone make fake videos of anyone else? What will be the implications for individual dignity and privacy, and the shaping of public opinion and spreading disinformation? How might the technology bring new story-lines to filmmakers and joy to people who can now hear from their deceased relatives? What are the ethics of these developments and how do we regulate the technology as it continues to get better? Ritula Shah and a panel of experts discuss how deep fakes might change the world – for better and worse - and what we need to do now to get ready.

It took President Joe Biden more than a month to schedule a phone call with King Salman of Saudi Arabia, a contrast to his predecessor Donald Trump, who chose the kingdom as his first foreign destination after the election. Even though Saudi Arabia is considered a key ally in a volatile region, Mr Biden took a tough stance on the kingdom during his campaign. He promised to end the sale of offensive weapons used in Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen, and accused its crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, of directly ordering the killing of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Mr Biden also pledged to restart nuclear talks with Iran, and further reduce America's dependence on fossil fuels, putting Washington at odds with the political and economic priorities of Riyadh. Now, as his administration looks for a reset of relations, what are the friction points in the decade old alliance between the two countries? Will a push for recalibration encourage Saudi Arabia to seek out new alliances at the expense of the United States? And can US policies succeed in the region by antagonising one of the leading countries in the Muslim world? Join Ritula Shah is joined by a panel of experts.

Countries around the world are using the coronavirus pandemic to 'crush dissent and silence independent reporting' according to the UN chief Antonio Guterres. He says some nations are using restrictions meant to halt the spread of Covid-19 to weaken political opposition. Governments say a tighter grip over freedom of expression is essential to curb disinformation and confusion at a time when societies are under lockdown. Countries with authoritarian tendencies aren't the only ones under fire - the criticisms are being leveled at governments with well-established democracies too. So what are governments trying to get away with under the cover of Covid? How have the changes taken away democratic rights, and can the trends be reversed? Ritula Shah and a panel of guests discuss dissent in the time of Covid.