Jeff Wilkinson

The Horizon Guide to AI

The BBC's Horizon programme began in 1964, and since then has produced films looking at computer technology and the emergence of 'artificial intelligence'. Our dreams always begin with ideology and optimism, only for this optimism to be replaced with suspicion that AI machines will take over. However, as the Horizon archive shows, throughout each decade once we have learnt to live with the new emerging technology of the time, the pattern begins again. We become once more optimistic, before becoming fearful of it. The dream for decades had been for a computer with AI to be embedded within a humanoid robot, but just as scientists began to perfect machines with these qualities, something happened nobody expected. Today, AI systems power our daily lives through smart technology. We are currently experiencing a level of fear about the power of AI, but will we enter the next decade optimistic about all that AI can deliver - or fearful of its ability to control vast areas of our lives?

The Big Crash Diet Experiment

Could crash diets be the future of weight loss? This bold documentary tackles the obesity crisis head on, as scientists test a radical diet based on new research that could transform the way we lose weight forever.

Rome's Lost Empire

Dan Snow attempts to use the latest satellite technology to reveal the secrets of the Roman Empire, identifying lost cities, amphitheatres and forts.