The Human Interface Podcast

This episode of the OII's The Human Interface podcast examines what happens to consumers, businesses, and innovation when a handful of tech giants come to dominate the digital markets we all rely on every day, and how regulators are working to keep that power in check.Professor Greg Taylor, an economist specialising in digital markets and competition at the OII, is joined by Tania Van Den Brande, Senior Director of Digital Markets at the UK's Competition and Markets Authority.They discuss why digital markets are particularly prone to entrenched market power, what the CMA's new regulatory tools under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act mean in practice, and where the frontier of competition policy is heading next, from AI to global regulatory coordination.

This episode pulls back the curtain on the often-invisible human workforce powering AI, from content moderation to data labelling, and explores why global standards in AI supply chains must be enforced to protect worker safety. With new EU regulations like the AI Act on the horizon, the researchers share Fairwork’s response to readying companies to face this scrutiny: a research-backed audit and certification process designed to help organizations ethically build their AI.

This episode explores the evolving role of human oversight of AI systems in the workplace and beyond. With so much of our professional lives being permeated by AI-enabled tools, where do checks and balances come in, and what might they look like? The OII’s Dr Johann Laux is joined by two members of Accenture’s Responsible AI team, Ali Shah and Maxine Setiawan, to discuss the commercial and regulatory considerations around human management of AI systems, and how we ensure new iterations of this technology remain ethical and accountable.

This episode of The Human Interface from the Oxford Internet Institute explores how streaming platforms impact musicians today. While it's never been easier for musicians to release music, the economics of the music industry and online streaming mean earning a living has become even more challenging.Researchers Dr Robert Prey (OII) and Dr Seonok Lee (University of Groningen) break down how the 'pro rata' model of streaming platforms dilutes payments to musicians, and draw on findings from a survey of 1,200 musicians across five countries to reveal cultural and economic differences in what it means to be a musician today.