Nine To Noon for Friday 15 March 2024

09:05 'Godfather of AI' Geoffrey Hinton on his fears for the technology he created

The man widely regarded as the godfather of artificial intelligence is worried the technology is becoming too powerful for humanity's own good. Renowned computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton quit his role at Google last year. When he resigned, he said he was able to speak freely about what the dangers of be, and that some were "quite scary". In particular, around how AI could spread misinformation, upend the job market, and ultimately, pose an existential risk to humanity. Dr Hinton was an early pioneer of the neural network - a method which teaches computers to process data in a way that is inspired by the human brain. It's that network which morphed into AI, which is advancing so quickly that this week European Union lawmakers approved new regulations around it. Meanwhile, the Government here has indicated it will draw up a framework. Dr Geoffrey Hinton speaks with Kathryn Ryan.

09:25 Shock suspension of Green MP over migrant exploitation claims

More turmoil in the Green Party today with the shock announcement this morning that the Green MP Darleen Tana has been suspended. This follows allegations of migrant exploitation involving her husband's business. RNZ's political editor Jo Moir with the latest.

09:25 New Zealand brothers James and Stefan Powell are building the future infrastructure of space 

Brothers Stefan and James Powell refer to their business as providing the future infrastructure of space. Dawn Aerospace helps customers who want to get into orbit and space - whether for surveillance of crops or emissions, to check the potential for asteroid mining or to provide satellite services for mobile phones. The two services Dawn Aerospace provides include satellite propulsion - a system that includes thrusters, fuel tanks and control systems - and its own rocket-powered space plane called the Aurora Mk-II. Last year they successfully launched and landed the prototype version of the plane near Aoraki Mount Cook. They founded the company in 2017 alongside three other engineers and the company is mostly based out of Christchurch, with some staff in the Netherlands and the US. The pair are up for a New Zealander of the Year award - in the innovation category. Stefan is chief executive at Dawn Aerospace and James is chief financial officer and chief engineer.      

09:45 Asia correspondent: TikTok faces US ban, China cancels longstanding media tradition

Tensions between China and the West are rising, as the United States House of Representatives passes a bill offering TikTok's owner ByteDance an ultimatum. The company has six months to divest the US assets of the social media app, or face a ban. Meanwhile China's cancellation of the premier's annual post-parliament press conference is causing concern. The 30-year tradition is one of the rare opportunities where journalists there can ask questions.

Ed White is a correspondent for the Financial Times, based in Shanghai.

10:05 Aaron Carter: mental health and getting outdoors

Aaron Carter is the director of Total Sport, where he's spent the last 25 years running events to help people take a break from the daily grind and get outdoors in nature. Struggling with depression, it was the simple act of getting active outdoors that turned things around in Aaron's own life. The Total Sport team has been busy organising the upcoming 'Love Taupo Trail Festival', which kicks off on April 26th. The festival has a special focus on the link between mental wellbeing and outdoor activities.

10:35 Book review: The Unsettled: Small Stories of Colonisation by Richard Shaw 

Airini Beautrais reviews The Unsettled: Small stories of colonisation by Richard Shaw published by Massey University Press

10:45 Around the motu: Tess Brunton in Dunedin

The Dunedin City Council has voted to take a proposed 17.5 percent rates hike for the coming year to the public. Tess backgrounds what is driving the rise. The council is also considering a proposal to sell its lines company, Aurora Energy.  Asbestos has been found in a Southland dump that is eroding into the sea at Bluecliffs. Rapid erosion means the area remains under a state of emergency. And Otago can now lay claim to its own population of the rare and nationally threatened Smeagol sea slug following a discovery in the Akatore Creek estuary.

11:05 New music with Jeremy Taylor

Jeremy Taylor has the long awaited collaboration between Oasis' Liam Gallagher and The Stone Roses' John Squire, a couple of new releases from Waxahatchee and Fabiana Palladino, and a farewell to The Raspberries' Eric Carmen.

11:30 Sports commentator Dana Johannsen

Dana unpacks at the significance of the finding that former halfback Billy Guyton, who died in a suspected suicide last year, had a brain injury related to repeated head knocks. Also, a look at how New Zealand's newly-named A-League football franchise, Auckland FC, is taking shape. The track and field nationals get underway this evening, so why is interest in the event so high this year? And, why the bargaining process for a new collective employment agreement for elite netball players is on ice.

11:45 The week that was with Te Radar and Pinky Agnew

Te Radar and Pinky Agnew wrap up the lighter moments of the week, including a library in Massachusetts which is allowing patrons to pay with cat pictures. And in Australia, crowds of people have lined up to bare their backsides at an oncoming train - a tradition which takes place every 10 years.