Business Daily

Joanna Maiden was 26 years old when she arrived in Kenya and decided to open her business. Starting in a tiny outhouse with just four machinists, over the next few decades she built Soko Kenya, a clothing manufacturing company. She discusses the challenges of building a business in rural Kenya, the setbacks she faced along the way, and how she brought in work from international brands. Producers: Victoriya Holland and Neggeen Sadid You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: Joanna Maiden)

Nearly $2 billion was bet on last week's US midterm elections on two prediction markets, Polymarket and Kalshi. The platforms say they're regulated financial exchanges, not casinos. A growing number of US states disagree. Sam Fenwick follows the money behind a prediction market bet on the US midterm elections, speaking to traders, the exchanges hosting them, researchers who found most traders lose money and state regulators who argue political prediction contracts are no different from gambling in a casino. Producer: Josh Martin You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: Voters fill out their ballots during early voting in Detroit, Michigan, USA, 02 November 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock) Producer: Josh Martin You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: Voters fill out their ballots to vote in the midterm election on the last day of early voting at the City of Detroit Department of Elections in Detroit, Michigan, USA, 02 November 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

Europe has long relied on America's tech giants to power its digital economy. Now, as geopolitical tensions rise, it's seeking greater control over its digital future through a push for digital sovereignty. We examine what's driving the push and what it could mean for businesses and consumers. Presenter/producer: Elizabeth Hotson You can email us: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: European Commission Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy Henna Virkkunen at the European Parliament session in Strasbourg, France, 06 October 2026. Credit: Olivier Matthys/EPA/Shutterstock)

The Democrats won big in the US midterm elections and have control of both houses of Congress. But Donald Trump still holds a presidential veto and is threatening to use it. Can the Democrats use their new congressional majority to tackle America's affordability crisis? What does their victory mean for Big Tech and the construction of data centres? And will they scrutinise companies that benefited from close ties to the Trump White House over the past two years? The BBC's North America business correspondent Michelle Fleury joins Rahul Tandon and Will Bain to discuss what the election result could mean for the US economy, businesses and households. Producer: Gideon Long You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: US House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA), and Democratic candidate for House of Representatives Suzan DelBene celebrate at an election night watch party in Washington, DC, US, November 3, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst)

Andy Uhler who's Energy Reporter in Residence at The University of Texas in Austin and Rema Rahman who is White House and Politics Editor at Bloomberg in Washington DC join Rahul Tandon to look at the fall out from this week's mid-term elections. The look at the role the economy played in how people voted. The impact the result could have on Elon Musk and what it means for the future of data centres.

As other tech giants spent 2026 pouring billions into AI, Apple seems to have taken a more cautious approach. Its new CEO, John Ternus, insists that "we don't want to ship AI for AI's sake" and says the company remains focused on developing products such as the iPhone, including the foldable Duo model, and other devices that made Apple a household name. But with the AI revolution in full swing, is that the right strategy? Or is Apple, which changed the world when it gave us the iPhone, in danger of falling behind? Hosts Michelle Fleury and Rahul Tandon are joined by Ron Johnson, who worked at Apple for years and was instrumental in developing the Apple Store. Producer: Gideon Long You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: John Ternus, Apple CEO greets and takes photos with customers who came to purchase the new foldable iPhone Duo on the launch day at the Apple store in Austin, Texas, US, October 23, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Jan Sonnenmair)

Jerry Yue is the entrepreneur behind Brain Technologies. He believes artificial intelligence could replace many of the apps we use every day, changing how we interact with our phones and computers. Leanna Byrne talks to him about building technology businesses in China, his journey to Silicon Valley and why he thinks AI could reshape the future of computing. Producer: Huma Shah You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: Brain Technologies founder Jerry Yue)

Gold is worth about twice what it was four years ago, so who profits when a Hindu family buys gold during the Diwali festive period? Sam Fenwick traces the gold supply chain from a mine that digs up 140 tonnes of rock for a single ounce of gold to a Delhi jeweller, examining the role of central banks and refiners along the way. (Photo: A jewellery shop in Bangalore, India, 13 October 2025. Credit: Jagadeesh Nv/EPA/Shutterstock) You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Producer: Josh Martin and Huma Shah

Why does artificial intelligence sometimes make things up? From law firms to consultants, businesses are grappling with the risks of AI hallucinations. What's causing them, and can they be prevented? Presenter/producer: Ed Butler You can email us: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: Conceptual image of a large glowing pink holographic cube with "AI" text, positioned as a central hub within a vast, sparse crowd of silhouetted human figures.)

Rahul Tandon and Will Bain are joined by the BBC's Silicon Valley correspondent Lily Jamali to look at issues being faced by Google and if it's a sign of wider tech sector problems. Google and You Tube's parent company, Alphabet, saw its value fall by half a trillion dollars on Thursday after warning about spending on AI as its advertising revenue growth also cooled off. It's not the only tech company to warn of problems in the latest round of results. In this special edition of Business Daily, we ask is Google a victim of wider worries about AI spending, or is AI coming for the crown of the unquestioned king of search?

This week on Taking Stock, Rahul Tandon is joined by Katrine Kielos, journalist for Swedish financial broadcaster EFN based in London and Dan Ives, tech analyst based in New York. We look at Anthropic’s reported plans for a mega-IPO that could value the AI company at close to two trillion dollars, what the US midterm elections could mean for the consumers in America and across the globe and if the seasonal favourite Pumpkin Spice has gone too far.

Meta is a social media giant. It's so big, a second Hollywood movie about the company was released just last month. More than three billion people access its biggest apps - Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram - every single day. And those apps make the company a ton of cash. In the last three months alone, they generated $64bn in revenue. Meta now appears to be focused on developing AI, particularly wearable technology. So despite its enormous social media success, will Meta be primarily an AI company in the future? Presenters: Rahul Tandon, Michelle Fleury and Will Bain Producer: Guy Kilty (Picture: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg tries on Meta smart glasses during the Meta Connect event on September 23, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Carlos Barria)

Burning cars, looted shops and clashes on the streets of France have dominated headlines around the world. The chief executive of Carrefour has warned that the unrest is taking a toll on business. But beyond the violence lie deeper questions about living standards and the state of the French economy. Vishala Sri-Pathma hears from protesters, businesses and the French government about what recent protests tell us about France's economy. (Photo: A masked protester holding an umbrella and a French flag reacts as French police use a water canon amid clashes during demonstrations against the cost of living and rising fuel prices in France, 24 October, 2026. Credit: Hannah McKay/Reuters) You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Producer: Rebecca Smyllie Editor: Stephen Ryan

After decades in which borrowing has been virtually free, Japan is raising interest rates, affecting savers and borrowers alike. We talk to a former rate-setter at the Bank of Japan, to a homeowner who is braced for the cost of her mortgage to rise, and to a saver who ponders whether now is the time to finally bring her investments back to Japan. And we explore who's making money from the rising cost of borrowing. (Photo: A Japanese man cycles pass by a stock market indicator board in Tokyo, Japan, 15 October 2026. He has short black hair, going grey at the sides and wears black trousers and a black T-shirt. Credit: EPA) You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Gideon Long

China's booming export figures, driven in part by demand for AI-related products, suggest a high-tech economy that's thriving. Yet many consumers at home continue to face economic pressures. Ed Butler asks whether there's a link between weakness at home and strength abroad, and what China's export surge could mean for other countries and trading partners. Presenter/producer: Ed Butler You can email us: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: Security guards walk past containers at a port in Shanghai, China. Credit: REUTERS/Aly Song)

What impact have the protests in France had on businesses and the wider economy? What does Netflix's latest data and job-cut plans signal about the streaming giant's future? And what does a referendum in Alberta, Canada, highlight about the province's future? Will Bain is joined by Toronto-based tech journalist Takara Small and Zambia-based consultant Trevor Simumba to discuss. (Photo: A protester throws a projectile through tear gas amid clashes with the French riot police at the Place de la Republique during a demonstration against the cost of living and rising fuel prices in Paris as part of nationwide protests in France, 17 October, 2026. Credit: Stephanie Lecocq/Reuters) You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Producer: Rebecca Smyllie

Netflix transformed the entertainment industry, changing how audiences around the world discover and consume media. But after announcing plans to cut 1,000 jobs and losing its content and film chiefs, questions are growing about the streaming giant's future. Has Netflix reached a turning point, or does it still have room to grow? Will Bain and Rahul Tandon are joined by Simon Gallagher, a former Netflix head of content and acquisition who worked with co-founder Reed Hastings and later at Hulu. Producer: Matt Lines You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Tessa Clarke is the co-founder and CEO of Olio, the food-sharing app helping millions of people reduce waste by sharing food and household items with their neighbours. She explains how a simple idea grew into a global movement, the challenges of convincing investors to back it, and why changing human behaviour may be key to tackling climate change. Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Barbara George You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: Tessa Clarke. Credit:Annabel Staff)

Some economies are increasingly dependent on migrants sending money home to their families. But how much does it cost, and who's making money from a business worth around $900 billion a year? Sam Fenwick follows a transfer from a housekeeper in London to her family in the Philippines, tracking the money every step of the way. We talk to one of the world's biggest transfer companies about the fees involved, and to a remittances expert who argues that while costs have fallen, they still need to come down further. Producer: Gideon Long If there’s something you pay for and you’d like to know where the money goes, tell us. It could be on a future Follow the Money episode. You can email us: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: A delivery worker in Manila, Philippines. Prices have been rising in the country this year, which receives remittances from many of its citizens living abroad. Credit: ROLEX DELA PENA/EPA/Shutterstock)

China's latest trade data show another huge surplus, putting the country on course for what could be a record $1.5 trillion trade surplus this year. In the first of two episodes examining China's export machine, we look at the country's massive solar panel industry. We hear from the so-called Sun King, Dr Jerry Shi, China's first solar billionaire, about the rise of solar power in China. Ed Butler also examines how solar power and other green technologies have helped drive the global response to climate change, while critics raise concerns about oversupply and its impact on industries and economies around the world. Presenter/producer: Ed Butler You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: Workers are seen at a production line manufacturing solar photovoltaic components at a factory in Huzhou, Zhejiang province, China. Credit: Lin Yunlong/Zhejiang Daily via Reuters)

From Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, to China and India, companies and countries are pouring billions of dollars to get ahead in the space industry. It's not just about interplanetary exploration, huge investment is going into satellites, defense systems and location technology. Rahul Tandon speaks to Carissa Bryce Christensen, Founder and CEO of BryceTech and Professor of Space Security, Dr Namrata Goswami to discuss who winning the race and who might be coming up from behind. Producers: Amber Mehmood and Matt Lines Editor: Stephen Ryan PHOTO: The planet Mars is shown in this NASA Hubble Space Telescope view taken May 12, 2016. NASA/Handout via Reuters

Competition from China, weaker sales and a slower-than-expected shift to electric vehicles have left Volkswagen facing its biggest challenge in decades. VW says up to 100,000 jobs could go, with some of its biggest German plants facing closure. Rahul Tandon, Michelle Fleury and Will Bain look at whether VW can turn things around, and whether its troubles reflect wider problems in Germany's economy. (Photo: Volkswagen's main German plant in Wolfsburg, Germany, 17 September, 2026. Credit: Liesa Johannssen/Reuters) You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Producer: Matt Lines

Greek-born billionaire John Catsimatidis rose from working in a New York grocery store to build the Gristedes supermarket chain and a wider business empire after leaving university before graduating. Now head of the Red Apple Group, with interests spanning real estate, energy, aviation and media, he remains a prominent figure in US business and politics, regularly discussing business with President Trump, despite setbacks including a collapsed airline venture and an unsuccessful run for New York mayor. Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Amber Mehmood You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk [This episode was first broadcast on 17 June 2026] (Picture: John Catsimatidis attends the Economic Club of New York in New York City, U.S., May 28, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Jeenah Moon)

The war in the Middle East has pushed up crude oil prices this year and that's had a knock-on effect on the price of refined oil products like diesel. But after months of conflict, the Gulf's oil-producing nations are now getting most of their exports out, so why hasn't the price of diesel come down? And will it fall now that Donald Trump has reached a deal allowing Russia to export diesel again? The BBC's Sam Fenwick traces the journey of a barrel of oil from the Middle East to the petrol pump, looking at the rising costs along the way. (Photo: A worker fills a lorry with diesel in London on 2 October 2026. Credit: Yui Mok/PA) You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Producer: Gideon Long

Birth rates are falling across much of the world, raising questions about how economies will cope as populations age rapidly. Rob Young examines why people are having fewer children, from the financial pressures facing couples in the US to changing social attitudes. He also looks at government efforts to reverse the trend, including Finland's generous family support system and Hungary's costly incentives for larger families. Presenter/producer: Rob Young You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: A newly born baby in a maternity ward at the Royal Gloucestershire Hospital in the UK. Credit: BBC)

A chance to listen again as Will Bain and Rahul Tandon are joined by the BBC's India Business Correspondent Arunoday Mukherjee to look at the rise of the 'Cockroach movement'. They discuss the economic concerns of young people and the difficulties getting well paid jobs Producer: Rebecca Smyllie Editor: Stephen Ryan Image description: Supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) take part in a protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi, India, 10 October 2026. Thousands of security personnel were deployed across the Indian capital as demonstrators gathered to demand electoral reforms and the resignation of the chief election commissioner following allegations surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. CJP protest demanding resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, New Delhi, India - 10 Oct 2026

Young people in France are protesting over schooling conditions, whilst in Spain they have taken to the streets over housing. We ask if there is hope them, and how we can make a better future. Also, we unpack the deal for Paramount Skydance to officially take over Warner Bros Discovery in a $110bn merger. Connecting the time zones this week are Rahul Tandon in Salford, David Kuo in Malaysia and Emily Peck in New York to unpack the week's biggest business stories. (Photo: Student protests over school conditions spread across France, Montpellier - 08 Oct 2026 Credit: EPA/Shutterstock) Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Matt Lines

With less than a month to go until the US mid-term elections, voters are preparing to head to the polls with the economy high on the agenda. From the cost of living, interest rates and tariffs, how much will economic concerns shape the result? Rahul Tandon, Michelle Fleury and Will Bain look at whether the economy could prove to be the defining issue of these mid-terms.

We meet Janice Bryant Howroyd, founder of ActOne Group. She arrived in Los Angeles with just $900 borrowed from her mother and went on to build a multi-billion-dollar business, becoming the first Black woman to own and run a billion-dollar company. But Janice says the foundations of her success were laid much earlier, growing up as one of 11 children in the segregated American South. So, how did those early experiences shape the entrepreneur she would become? Presented by Leanna Byrne Produced by Bisi Adebayo and Barbara George (Picture: Janice Bryant Howroyd)

The El Nino in 2023 had a detrimental impact on the cocoa harvest in West Africa, prices quadrupled and businesses reacted. Chocolate prices skyrocketed around the world, chocolate makers were reducing their cocoa content and in some cases making their products smaller. Since then cocoa prices have come back down, but the cost of chocolate products hasn't followed, Hannah Mullane takes a look at why. Now, the 2026 El Nino threatens to repeat history, cocoa prices have already started rising again as bad weather is expected to impact the next harvest. Farmers, wholesalers, and chocolate makers explain how the volatile market is impacting them. (Photo: A large machine mixing molten chocolate. Credit: Olivia Richwald) Presenter: Hannah Mullane Producer: Gideon Long

With the cost of government debt reaching its highest for several decades, we're giving you another chance to hear our exploration of how the world became so dependent on bonds, those IOUs from governments and firms that helped build the modern economy. Bonds are often dismissed as a dull corner of finance, but behind the scenes they have played a central role in major economic dramas around the world. We hear about their history, how they have shaped companies and countries, and why some fear the bond market could trigger the next global meltdown. If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Rob Young Producer: Gideon Long [This episode was first broadcast on 12 Jan 2026] (Photo: A bond issued in 1648 by a Dutch water board to finance improvements to a local dike system. The bond, written on vellum, is held at Yale University Beinecke Library and is believed to be one of the oldest in the world that still pays interest. Credit: Yale University)

Protests in Spain about 87-year-old Mariacarmen Abascal's eviction from social housing reignited the housing affordability debate globally, as inflation ticks up and career prospects for the young have been impacted by the rise in AI. We head to Nigeria, India and the UK to take stock on the issue. Elsewhere, what can sliding sales at the world's largest automaker tell us about how drivers feel about big purchases? We get the view from Jennifer Pak China and Professor Justin Wolfers in the US, where former MAGA fans are up in arms about the rising cost of diesel amid the war in Iran. (Photo: Demonstrators protest demanding political action to stop evictions and address the housing crisis, following the eviction of an 87-year-old woman from her home, in Madrid, Spain, 30 September, 2026. Credit: Violeta Santos Moura/Reuters) Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Josh Martin

The AI race is speeding up: and so are the warnings about where it could lead. After President Trump met AI leaders to discuss how to make the technology safer without slowing America's progress, Michelle, Will and Rahul ask: can the AI industry really regulate itself? Producer: Rebecca Smyllie You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Photo: US President Donald Trump speaks with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the White House driveway following a luncheon for tech leaders in the East Room, in Washington, D.C., US, September 29, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

Who studies law but then forgets to apply for any graduate jobs because they've started blogging about web design and JavaScript? Cameron Adams, the billionaire co-founder of design app Canva. He did eventually land a coveted job at Google (thanks to that blogging), but failure on its Google Wave project ’ led to an introduction to Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht, whose vision for making design accessible to everyone became Canva. In this interview, Cameron Adams reflects on the twists, setbacks and connections that shaped his entrepreneurial journey, and why he doesn't fear AI in the design process. Presented by Leanna Byrne. Produced by Victoriya Holland and Huma Shah.

A litre of beer at Munich’s Oktoberfest costs nearly €16; almost four times what a litre cost in 1991 after adjusting for inflation. We follow the money behind the famous Maß, from the Munich brewery that supplies it, through the tent and the servers who sell it, to the City of Munich that runs the festival. Who gets the biggest share, who carries the financial risk, and how much does Oktoberfest really make for the city? Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: David Cann (Picture: Visitors pose for a photograph in traditional Bavarian clothing during the world’s largest beer festival Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, September 26, 2026. Credit: Reuters)

We're heading west along America's famed Route 66. As the road celebrates its 100th birthday, Victoria Craig finds out whether the pull of neon-drenched nostalgia is still attracting visitors and whether new investment can secure the future of the towns that depend on it. Presenter/producer: Victoria Craig You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Photo: A sign celebrating 100 years of Route 66: Credit: Victoria Craig)

What is next for trade, tariffs and AI after Presidents Trump and Xi met at the White House? We examine what was agreed, whether tensions between the world's two biggest economies are easing, and what it could mean for technology, business and global trade. Vishala Sri-Pathma is joined by Henry Wang from the Center for China and Globalization and the AI researcher and author Stephanie Hare. You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Producer: Josh Martin (Picture: US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping before a state dinner at the White House in Washington, D.C., US, September 24, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein TPX)

The presidents of the world's two biggest economies are meeting in Washington. Donald Trump and Xi Jinping meet at the White House amid tensions over Iran, Taiwan, artificial intelligence and international trade. Our North American business correspondent Samira Hussain and senior China correspondent Laura Bicker assess what both sides want from the visit and how the relationship between the two leaders could shape the outcome. Presenter: Vishala Sri-Pathma Producer: Gideon Long You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: U.S. President Donald Trump with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, May 2026. Credit: Kenny Holston/Pool via REUTERS)

Jacob Rothman moved from California to China and helped build a manufacturing business supplying some of the world's biggest retailers. We meet the co-founder of Velong Enterprises to hear how he built the company across Asia and how an unlikely career path took him to the heart of global manufacturing. He also reflects on entrepreneurship, manufacturing in China and how global trade is changing. Producer: Bisi Adebayo You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: Jacob Rothman)

Most toys sold in America are made in China. But cheap labour is no longer the main reason manufacturers stay there. As the US toy industry presses for tariffs on toys to be removed, we follow the journey of a $30 toy from a factory in Guangdong, through shipping and the US border, to the shelves of American retailers. Along the way, we find out how much the factory gets, what shipping costs add to the price, how much of the final price stays in America, and the impact of President Trump's tariffs on Chinese imports. Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: David Cann (Picture: Employees of Shaoguan Guanghua Plastic and Hardware Products Co Ltd work to assemble toy parts in the factory in Shaoguan, Guangdong province, China, 9 May, 2025. Credit: Go Nakamura/Reuters)

With Presidents Xi and Trump expected to meet in the United States this week, Will Bain looks back on the history of trade between the two great nations. It's always been fraught with controversy but there's also been a need or desire to get along. President Nixon was the first to visit China in 1972 and spoke with passion about the possibilities for the future between them. Trade then grew quickly but it became very one sided as China developed as an industrial nation. There have been several attempts to curb its dominance but cheaper production also meant cheaper goods for consumers. Chad Bown, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute joins Will to assess how they have attempted to strike the right balance Thanks to the Presidential Libraries of President Nixon and President Reagan for archive material. (Photo: A staff member wearing a face mask walks past US and Chinese flags set up before a meeting between US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng at the Diaoyutai State…

AI: Existential threat or billion-dollar opportunity? The increasingly loud and often stark warnings from inside the tech industry - about the dangers AI might already be posing. Plus we dig into the interest rate rises facing US and European consumers. And ask whether an ABBA singalong of Mamma Mia was enough to swing the Swedish election. Taking Stock looks back at the week in business, economic and geopolitical news with a panel that stretches across timezones. This week Rema Rahman the White House and Politics Editor from Bloomberg Government joins us from Washington DC and Katrine Kielos, author and columnist for Swedish financial broadcaster EFN, is with us in London. Presenter: Will Bain Producer: Josh Martin

Xbox is 25 years old and faces some of its biggest challenges yet. As cloud gaming grows and the AI boom reshapes the technology industry, even Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has acknowledged that the business "hasn't been healthy" in recent years. So does Xbox have a future? Will Bain speaks to former Xbox executive Peter Moore and BBC technology reporter Laura Cress about whether Microsoft's gaming brand can reinvent itself. Producer: Gideon Long You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: Visitors play Stalker 2 in front of monitors at the Microsoft Xbox boot during the Gamescom gaming convention in Cologne, Germany, 23 August 2023. Credit: FRIEDEMANN VOGEL/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Artificial intelligence is developing faster than many experts predicted, bringing extraordinary opportunities as well as growing concerns. Some of the industry's leading figures are even calling for the pace of development to slow while governments and technology companies grapple with how best to manage the risks. So can humanity remain in control of AI, and how should we govern a technology that is advancing so rapidly? Presenter/producer: Ed Butler You can email us: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: A Jio humanoid robot named Elixis at the AI Impact Summit, in New Delhi, India, February 17, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Bhawika Chhabra)

The Ebola outbreak in the DRC has claimed more than 3,400 lives and infected thousands more. Despite the scale of the outbreak, there is still no approved vaccine for the latest strain. Leanna Byrne examines what it takes and who pays to develop a vaccine. We look at what is slowing vaccine development and whether the limited commercial market for Ebola vaccines means governments, charities and international donors must step in to fund research. (Photo: Sanitation measures underway at Bunia market to contain Ebola outbreak, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 23 May, 2026. Credit: EPA) You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Producer: Matt Lines (Correction, 16 September 2026: In this episode, first published on 15 September 2026, we incorrectly stated the size of Gavi's First Response Financing Fund. The correct figure is $500 million. We apologise for the error, which has been corrected.)

Economic unease is growing among Russian workers as fuel shortages and Ukrainian drone strikes disrupt key sectors of the economy. Ed Butler examines the pressures facing businesses, workers and consumers, from damaged refineries to attacks on Wildberries warehouses. As concerns grow over prices, jobs and supply chains, what do these disruptions reveal about the resilience of Russia's wartime economy? Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Victoriya Holland (Picture: A queue at a petrol station due to fuel shortage following a spate of Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries, amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, in the Russian Black Sea resort of Anapa, Russia, July 8, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Sergey Pivovarov)

Across Asia, a growing number of young people are becoming hikikomori, a term used to describe individuals experiencing severe social withdrawal. They shut themselves away at home, retreating from work, school and even family life for months, sometimes years.Some countries, including South Korea, are trying an unexpected approach: government-backed AI chatbots designed to help socially isolated young people reconnect with society. But can artificial companions help tackle loneliness, or could they deepen it? This bonus episode comes from Asia Specific, another BBC World Service podcast hosted by Mariko Oi. It discusses issues including social isolation and mental wellbeing. Listeners who identify with these experiences are encouraged to seek local support.

Mark Carney and Donald Trump go tit-for-tat as the list of goods subject to tariffs between the US and Canada continues to grow. But will higher import taxes on products crossing the border make cost-of-living pressures even worse for Canadians and Americans? Takara Small in Toronto and Andy Uhler in Austin join Will Bain to discuss the highlights and lowlights of the week's business news, including the much-hyped launch of Apple's first foldable smartphone and the return, at least in cinemas, of convicted fraudster Elizabeth Holmes. Presenter: Will Bain Producer: Josh Martin (Photo: US President Donald Trump speaks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at a working lunch with leaders of G7 and the Middle East, in Evian-les-Bains, France, 16 June, 2026. Credit: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

This week on Power Players, Will Bain is joined by BBC Business Editor Simon Jack to explore the future of energy giant BP. The past six years have seen significant boardroom churn, while the company has sent mixed messages to investors after scaling back plans to become a greener energy business. We examine whether the company's new leaders can restore confidence and set a clearer strategy. Producer: Rebecca Smyllie You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: A British Petroleum gas station with the BP oil refinery in background in Whiting, Indiana, U.S., July 23, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Nicole Jao)

Many entrepreneurs would be happy to sell one great idea to a larger business, cash out and put their feet up. Not Marcia Kilgore. The Canadian swapped small-town Saskatchewan for the wealthy clients of Manhattan, New York and sold her first venture, Bliss Spa to luxury giant LVMH. She then went on to found another three multimiilion-dollar enterprises. What did she learn along the way, how does she back herself when imposter syndrome strikes and what is next on her list. (Photo: Marcia Kilgore stands in a London street, wearing blue jeans and a pink shrt, she has cropped short hair and is smiling. Credit: Marcia Kilgore) Presenter: Hannah Mullane Producer: Victoriya Holland