Can we prove we’re real online?

"Am I really real?"

Tom runs a simple test, involving his dear Aunt Eleanor, with far‑reaching consequences: can a real human prove they’re not a machine? The experiment was sparked by two viral moments; Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu scrambling to show he was alive after a suspected fake image, and a too‑perfect “MAGA dream girl” who convinced millions she was real. We explore the “liar’s dividend”, where the flood of AI‑made images and videos lets anyone dismiss inconvenient truths as fakes. And if “seeing is believing” no longer holds, what should replace it?

Also this week:

Tech and the brain; what is a brain implant (a brain‑computer interface), and what can it actually do today? China has cleared a device called NEO for wider use beyond clinical trials, a huge milestone. We set that against Elon Musk’s Neuralink, decades of research, and new advances decoding speech and complex thoughts for people with paralysis or neurodegenerative illness. It’s life‑changing medicine - but what if funding dries up and implants no longer work? Would you want a chip in your head that someone else controls? We explore the benefits and risks — and why mass‑market “mind tech” is still a long way off.

AI’s supply chain under fire; how the war in Iran exposes the fragility of artificial intelligence. The Strait of Hormuz matters for more than oil: training models and running data centres are energy‑hungry and rely on liquefied natural gas and global supply line. A ceasefire won’t rebuild damaged infrastructure quickly, and many AI companies are already laden with debt. With trillions bet on AI, could AI failures sink the wider economy quicker than an oil crisis?

The Interface is your weekly guide to the tech rewiring your week and our world. Hosted by journalists Thomas Germain, Karen Hao, and Nicky Woolf, each episode unpacks, week by week, the unfolding story of how technology is shaping all of our futures. No guests. No jargon. Just three sharp voices debating the tech stories that matter — whether they shook a government, broke the internet, or quietly tipped the balance of power.

New episodes drop every Thursday on BBC Sounds in the UK. Outside the UK, find us on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts, or watch the video version on YouTube (search “The Interface podcast”).

To get in touch with the team: [email protected]

The Interface is a BBC Studios production. Producer: Natalia Rodriguez Ford Executive Editor: Philip Sellars