Welcome to Futuremakers from the University of Oxford, where our academics debate key issues for the future of society. Season Three: The History of Pandemics (Starting 01 Dec 2020) - Returning for its third series, the University of Oxford's Futuremakers podcast follows host, Professor Peter Millican, as he talks to researchers from around the world about some of the devastating pandemics humanity has experienced. Peter and his colleagues look at ten major outbreaks: from the Plague of Athens to the West African Ebola outbreak, via the Black Death, Cholera and Smallpox, and ask how these outbreaks have shaped society, what we may be able to learn from them today, and where we might be heading? Season Two: Climate Change - Conversations on how we respond to a changing climate, and how humanity will cope and thrive in an uncertain future, with some of the world’s leading thinkers. (28 Oct 2019 - 20 Dec 2019) Special episode: Could quantum computing change the world? (11 Apr 2019) Season One: Artificial Intelligence (16 Oct 2018 - 08 Jan 2019)
Are all algorithms biased?
Our lives are increasingly shaped by automated decision-making algorithms, but do those have in-built biases? If so, do we need to tackle these, and what could happen if we don't? Join our host, philosopher Peter Millican, as he explores this topic with Dr Sandra Wachter, a lawyer and Research Fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute, Dr Helena Webb a Senior Researcher in the Department of Computer Science, and Dr Brent Mittelstadt, a philosopher also based at the Oxford Internet Institute.
How will the automation of jobs likely progress?
In 2013 two Oxford academics published a paper entitled 'The Future of Employment: How Susceptible Are Jobs to Computerisation?', estimating that 47% of U.S. jobs were at risk of automation. Since then, numerous studies have emerged, arriving at very different conclusions. So where do these estimates diverge, and where do we think the automation of jobs might be heading? Join our host, philosopher Peter Millican, as he explores this topic with one of the authors of that paper, Professor Mike Osborne, Dr Judy Stephenson, an expert on labour markets in pre-industrial England, and Professor David Clifton from our Department of Engineering Science.
Trailer: season one launching 22nd October!
Down winding streets, beyond the dreaming spires, inside the college walls, debates are happening - in every study room and lecture theatre - about the future of society. Futuremakers, from the University of Oxford, invites you to that debate. Join your host, philosopher Peter Millican, and three experts as we discuss the movements that are shaping the future of our society. Our first series is all about Artificial Intelligence, and we’ll explore topics from the inherent bias of algorithms to the future automation of jobs. That’s Futuremakers - available to download now.