Why Connectivity and Moderation Matter More Than Ever

Exciting news from Somewhere on Earth and Digitally Curious! We’re teaming up with Andrew Grill, the Actionable Futurist behind the Digitally Curious podcast, for a special edition all about AI, society, and the real-world impact of digital change. Andrew brings practical, no-nonsense insight into how to use the future — not just imagine it. Plus, Ghislaine Boddington joins us to share her unique take from the cutting edge. 🎧 Somewhere on Earth x Digitally Curious — coming Tuesday, 14th October. 👉 Subscribe now so you don’t miss this fascinating collaboration! https://open.spotify.com/show/65YZwVfA03MSdZ3198yLdb #AI #DigitalTransformation #FutureOfWork #Podcast #Futurebusiness #SomewhereOnEarth #DigitallyCurious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Artificial intelligence isn’t just coding our future - it’s saving lives right now on Ukraine’s frontlines. New research that’s being presented at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress 2025 in 2025 shows how AI-driven evacuation systems, real-time medical data streaming, and autonomous rescue vehicles are reshaping combat medicine amid more than 390,000 reported injuries since Russia’s invasion began. From triage algorithms that choose who gets evacuated first, to AI-designed prosthetics built for precision and recovery, this is tech meeting humanity in the most urgent way possible. Dr. Evgeni Kolesnikov’s research shows how AI is redefining what’s possible when machine learning meets medicine. 🌍💻 Nowhere to Hide: Dr. Julia Shaw on the Rise of ‘Green Crime’ and the Tech Tracking the Planet’s Worst Offenders Criminal psychologist Dr. Julia Shaw is on the show to talk about the tech behind her new book “Green Crime: Inside the Minds of the People Destroying the Planet - and How to Stop Them”. She explains how AI, satellite surveillance, and forensic finance are tracing the data signatures of environmental offenders who thought they could hide. The programme is presented by Gareth Mitchell and the studio expert is Ania Lichtarowicz. More on this week's stories: AI optimizes evacuation, diagnosis and treatment of wounded soldiers in Ukraine “Green Crime” by Dr. Julia Shaw Production Manager: Liz Tuohy Producer: Liz Tuohy Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz For the PodExtra version of the show please subscribe via this link: https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/ Follow us on the socials: Join our Facebook group Instagram BlueSky If you like Somewhere on Earth, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Contact us by email: [email protected] Send us a voice note: via WhatsApp: +44 7486 329 484 Find a Story + Make it News = Change the World Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast explores how innovation shapes real lives worldwide. In this episode, we uncover how AI is helping Ukrainian medics evacuate and treat wounded soldiers from the frontline - technology in action where every second matters. Plus, Dr. Julia Shaw joins us to discuss her new book Green Crime, and how tech is being used to expose crimes against our planet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🌐 Crisis of Social Media Moderation - 16m in EU without checks online 14% of EU based X users have no human content moderators in their languages, according to new research from the Oxford Internet Institute. 16 million EU-based users of X don’t have moderators for their national language.  Hate speech in English is often flagged and removed quickly. But in many other languages - including Italian, Portuguese, Arabic and Spanish - especially on smaller platforms, dangerous content stays online unchecked. This moderation gap leaves entire communities exposed to harassment and disinformation.  The study also found gaps on LinkedIn. The lead author of the study, Manuel Tonneau speaks to Gareth.   📵 Sudan’s WhatsApp Ban: A Lifeline Cut Off Sudan has blocked WhatsApp voice and video calls, citing vague security concerns. For families separated by war, aid workers, and journalists, this was a vital lifeline. The Keep It On coalition say the ban is less about safety and more about control, worsening isolation and disrupting humanitarian relief. In conflict zones, connectivity isn’t optional - it’s survival.  They are calling for the ban to be lifted immediately. The programme is presented by Gareth Mitchell and the studio expert is Ania Lichtarowicz.   More on this week's stories: Language Disparities in Moderation Workforce Allocation by Social Media Platform #KeepItOn: Time to end Sudan’s isolation; lift the WhatsApp block now   Production Manager: Liz Tuohy Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz For the PodExtra version of the show please subscribe via this link: https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/ Follow us on all the socials: Join our Facebook group Instagram BlueSky   If you like Somewhere on Earth, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify   Contact us by email: [email protected] Send us a voice note: via WhatsApp: +44 7486 329 484   Find a Story + Make it News = Change the World Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

🌍The Crisis of Social Media Moderation Moderation isn’t equal. New research shows social media platforms fail non-English speakers — with dangerous consequences.” 📵 Sudan’s WhatsApp Ban Sudan has blocked WhatsApp calls. For families in war, aid workers, and journalists, that’s more than inconvenient — it’s survival cut off. All this and more on Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast - out every Tuesday at 2100BST. The podcast connecting global stories of technology, society, and the people living through them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Ceasefire for the Digital Age When war moves online, civilians and critical infrastructure become targets in new ways. In this episode, we unpack Access Now’s call for a digital ceasefire — a bold demand to protect human rights in cyberspace. What would it mean to declare peace in networks, servers, and code? And how do we hold governments and companies accountable in this invisible but devastating battlefield? Giulio Coppi, senior humanitarian officer author at Access Now and Marwa Fatafta, co-author of the recent report, Digital Ceasefire: The Path to Peace Goes Online are on the show. The Science Behind DeepSeek’s Success China’s DeepSeek R1 AI model has stunned the tech world — not just for its performance, but for how it was built. With no billion-dollar budgets and no shortcuts, the team leaned on efficiency and innovative training methods that are rewriting the rules of AI research. In this episode, we explore the science behind their success and what it reveals about the future of innovation and global competition in AI. The programme is presented by Gareth Mitchell and the studio expert is Ania Lichtarowicz. More on this week's stories: Digital Ceasefire: The path to peace goes online The secrets of DeepSeek AI model revealed in landmark paper   Production Manager: Liz Tuohy Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz For the PodExtra version of the show please subscribe via this link: https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/ Follow us on the socials: Join our Facebook group Instagram BlueSky   If you like Somewhere on Earth, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify   Contact us by email: [email protected]   Send us a voice note: via WhatsApp: +44 7486 329 484   Find a Story + Make it News = Change the World Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Coming up this week on Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast: 🔌 War has gone digital. So must peace.What does it look like to demand a #DigitalCeasefire—not on the ground, but in the code, networks, and servers where conflict now spreads? 🧠 Meanwhile in China: a small AI lab just schooled the giants.DeepSeek’s R1 model made waves globally—not with limitless funds, but with clever, efficient science. No supercomputers. No hype. Just breakthrough innovation. We break down how they did it. 🌍 Two stories. One theme: Technology is what we make it. It can safeguard rights or accelerate disruption. It can be built by a handful of thinkers or a room full of servers. The future isn’t just coming—it’s being coded, trained, and deployed right now. Out every Tuesday @2100BST/2200CEST/1600EDT. ✨ Tune in to Somewhere on Earth for deep dives into tech that’s reshaping humanity’s future—ethically, efficiently, and unexpectedly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Artificial Intelligence isn’t coming — it’s already here. In Episode 102 of Somewhere on Earth – The Global Tech Podcast, host Ghislaine Boddington explores how AI is transforming the workplace, what it means for Africa’s young population, and who’s winning the global race for AI supremacy. 🤖 The Future of Work: Why AI Assistants Are Here to Stay Alex Farrell, CEO of Autometry, believes AI assistants will soon be our digital colleagues, boosting productivity by taking over repetitive tasks while humans focus on creativity and decision-making. Her message is clear: AI is here now, and businesses must adapt. 🌍 Africa’s Youngest Generation: Can AI Earn Their Trust? Dr. Wambui Kahara, CEO of Crystal Tribe Investments, highlights how Africa’s young, fast-growing population needs AI tools built with local languages and contexts. Without trust and cultural relevance, digital natives risk being left behind in the AI revolution. ⚡ AI Supremacy: Who’s Winning the Global Tech Race? Bloomberg columnist Parmy Olson unpacks the battle between the US and China for AI dominance, warning that corporate ambition often overrides ethics and regulation. With rising concerns over trust, energy use, and mental health, the world must decide what price to pay for AI’s convenience. She also discusses her international best selling book "Supremacy: AI, ChatGPT and the Race That Will Change the World". The programme is presented by Ghislaine Boddington.   More on this week's stories: Alexandra Farell Wambui Kahara Parmy Olson Supremacy: AI, ChatGPT and the Race That Will Change the World   Production Manager: Liz Tuohy Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz For the PodExtra version of the show please subscribe via this link: https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/ Follow us on the socials: Join our Facebook group Instagram BlueSky   If you like Somewhere on Earth, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify   Contact us by email: [email protected] Send us a voice note: via WhatsApp: +44 7486 329 484   Find a Story + Make it News = Change the World   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our next episode: 🚨 AI isn’t just the future — it’s already here. From the workplace to Africa’s digital youth to the global AI race, the world is changing fast. In this week’s Somewhere on Earth – The Global Tech Podcast, host Ghislaine Boddington dives deep with: 🤖 Alex Farrell — why AI assistants could soon sit next to us at work. 🌍 Dr. Wambui Kahara — how Africa’s young generation can shape AI that truly speaks their language. ⚡ Parmy Olson — who’s winning the global AI race, and what it means for trust & innovation. 🎧 Episode 102 is out on Tuesday at 2100 BST! 👉 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Evergreen Podcasts: https://open.spotify.com/show/65YZwVfA03MSdZ3198yLdb #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfWork #AfricaTech #AISupremacy #GlobalTech #TechPodcast #DigitalTransformation #AIRevolution #Innovation #SomewhereOnEarth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From underserved African languages to a revolutionary Braille display — the latest Somewhere on Earth podcast covers stories that matter. Story 1 – AI and African LanguagesHausa, spoken by 94 million people, is understood by ChatGPT only 10-20% of the time. The issue? Lack of training data. A team behind African Next Voices has recorded 9,000 hours of speech across eighteen African languages, creating datasets to train AI and finally bring these languages online. Dr Ife Adebara CTO of EqualizeAI and Lead Solutions Engineer at Data Science Nigeria shares insights into the challenges, scope, and wider economic potential of this project. Story 2 – Micro-Explosive BrailleMost braille displays only show one line at a time, limiting access to complex content. A team from Cornell, MIT, and Michigan Universities has developed a multiline braille display using micro-explosions of fuel gas in silicone sheets to raise dots safely and rapidly. Tested successfully with users, this innovation could bring tactile reading into classrooms, libraries, and homes, while opening applications in VR, AR, and biomedical research.   The programme is presented by Gareth Mitchell and the studio expert is Ania Lichtarowicz.   More on this week's stories: AI models are neglecting African languages — scientists want to change that Explosion-powered eversible tactile displays   Production Manager: Liz Tuohy Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz For the PodExtra version of the show please subscribe via this link: https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/ Follow us on all the socials: Join our Facebook group Instagram BlueSky   If you like Somewhere on Earth, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify   Contact us by email: [email protected] Send us a voice note: via WhatsApp: +44 7486 329 484   Find a Story + Make it News = Change the World Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices