The Human Interface Podcast

This episode of the OII's The Human Interface podcast examines what happens to consumers, businesses, and innovation when a handful of tech giants come to dominate the digital markets we all rely on every day, and how regulators are working to keep that power in check. Professor Greg Taylor, an economist specialising in digital markets and competition at the OII, is joined by Tania Van Den Brande,...

This episode pulls back the curtain on the often-invisible human workforce powering AI, from content moderation to data labelling, and explores why global standards in AI supply chains must be enforced to protect worker safety.  With new EU regulations like the AI Act on the horizon, the researchers share Fairwork’s response to readying companies to face this scrutiny: a research-backed audit and...

This episode explores the evolving role of human oversight of AI systems in the workplace and beyond. With so much of our professional lives being permeated by AI-enabled tools, where do checks and balances come in, and what might they look like?  The OII’s Dr Johann Laux is joined by two members of Accenture’s Responsible AI team, Ali Shah and Maxine Setiawan, to discuss the commercial and regula...

This episode of The Human Interface from the Oxford Internet Institute explores how streaming platforms impact musicians today. While it's never been easier for musicians to release music, the economics of the music industry and online streaming mean earning a living has become even more challenging. Researchers Dr Robert Prey (OII) and Dr Seonok Lee (University of Groningen) break down how the 'p...

The impact of founder personalities on startup success, how a predictive model outperforms industry standards to predict company success, and what factors can help us predict which startups will succeed. In the eighth episode of the OII Podcast, our experts discuss topics such as: * How founder personalities and early company characteristics significantly predict startup success * How traits of su...

Our experts discuss why AI adoption in defence is slow -- covering procurement, regulation, and tech hurdles -- and how conflicts like the Ukraine war shape its future. They also call for public debate on risks and ethics. In the seventh episode of the OII Podcast, our experts discuss topics such as: - The factors behind AI’s slow penetration into global defence systems, including complex procurem...

The link between misinformation and polarisation on social media, what's being done to combat misinformation and disinformation, the role of social media platforms and regulators, and where the research gaps are. In the sixth episode of the OII Podcast, our experts discuss topics such as: * The real world impacts that arise when people increasingly identify with their political tribes online * Wha...

The current state of artificial intelligence regulation, the potential negative consequences of AI proliferation, and what needs to change about how AI is governed by policymakers, with Professor Sandra Wachter and Professor Brent Mittelstadt. The current state of artificial intelligence regulation, the potential negative consequences of AI proliferation, and what needs to change about how AI is g...

The future of work in an AI-driven world, whether these new technologies help or hurt the labour market, and what employees should be doing to future-proof their skills, with Dr Fabian Stephany (Oxford Internet Institute) and El-Iza Mohamedou (OECD). In the fourth episode of the OII Podcast, our experts discuss topics such as: - How AI is affecting the labour market and reshaping the skills landsc...

How digital technologies impact young children, and new ways to think about the ethical and safety measures that govern their use of technology, with Professor Vicki Nash and Professor Katya Hertog (Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford) In the third episode of the OII Podcast, our experts discuss topics such as: - The evolving nature of digital technologies in childrens' lives, and how...

The FairWork project and how it is helping make short-term, low job security 'gig' work fairer across the world, with Professor Mark Graham and Dr Alessio Bertolini (Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford) In the second episode of the OII Podcast, our experts discuss topics such as: - The current state of the gig economy in the labour market, which accounts for an increasing proportion of...

How the digital world is affecting society and individuals, and concerns around tech usage, with Professor Andy Przybylski (Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford) and Dr Sakshi Ghai (London School of Economics). In the inaugural episode of the OII Podcast, our experts discuss topics such as: - The evidence behind how our wellbeing has been influenced by digital technologies - The need to...