Why aren't AI companies being stopped?

If the risks we hear about AI are real, why aren't the companies building it being stopped? Aleks Krotoski and Kevin Fong investigate the power and influence amassed by a handful of frontier AI firms and ask whether existing laws and institutions are capable of holding them to account.

The people leading these companies promise transformative benefits for humanity, but critics argue that the race to build ever more powerful AI systems has allowed a small group of organisations to accumulate unprecedented influence.

Aleks and Kevin explore the culture of Silicon Valley and the forces that helped AI companies reach their current position. Who are the personalities driving this technological revolution, and what incentives are shaping the future they're building?

They also hear from Meetali Jain, Director of Tech Justice Law Project, who has brought legal cases against some of the world's biggest AI companies. She explains why so many people are seeking accountability for AI-related harms, and why taking on the companies behind the technology remains such a challenge.

Presenters: Aleks Krotoski and Kevin Fong
Producer: Rachael O'Neill
The Artificial Human is a BBC Audio Scotland Production for Radio 4.

A spokesperson at Character.ai. said:
“Plaintiffs and Character.ai have reached a comprehensive settlement of all claims in lawsuits filed by families against Character.ai and others involving alleged injuries to minors. These families are working to raise public awareness of the importance of safety in AI design and will continue their education and advocacy efforts on these critical issues. Over the past year, Character.ai has taken innovative and decisive steps with regard to AI safety and teens, and will continue to champion these efforts and push others across the industry to adopt similar safety standards. The families and Character.ai remain committed to working together in the months and years to come.”