The future on screen · BBC Two and BBC iPlayer
AI Confidential with Hannah Fry: what the evidence says about the human impact of AI
What the series covers, where its subjects stand on the 311 Starburst and what leaders should take from it.
What it covers
About the series
A three-part BBC Two documentary series in which Hannah Fry investigates extraordinary human stories from the world of AI: a chatbot companion that encouraged a crime, a pedestrian killed by a self-driving car and the use of algorithms in health insurance. It began on BBC Two and iPlayer on 23 February 2026 and was made by Curious Films with The Open University.
- Broadcaster
- BBC Two and BBC iPlayer
- Made by
- Curious Films for the BBC, in partnership with The Open University
- First shown
- 23 February 2026 (BBC Two)
- Episodes
- 3
What the evidence says
Where the human impact of AI stands in 2026
The 311 Starburst maps when each emerging technology and trend is expected to reach wide use. These are the entries that match this subject, with their status today.
- Technology · IntelligenceLarge Language Models
Large language models are AI programs trained on huge amounts of text. They can write, answer questions and translate, and they power chatbots such as Claude.
- Expected wide use
- 2024
- Status in 2026
- Act now
- Readiness
- TRL 9 of 9
- Technology · User InterfacesDigital Humans
Digital humans are life-like computer-made people that can talk and show feelings. They can be given their own personalities and used as helpers or guides.
- Expected wide use
- 2035
- Status in 2026
- Explore
- Readiness
- TRL 8 of 9
- Trend · TechnologicalArtificial Intelligence
- Expected wide use
- 2024
- Status in 2026
- Act now
- Trend · Operating Model TrendsAlgorithmic Decision Making
- Expected wide use
- 2029
- Status in 2026
- Prepare
- Trend · TechnologyAI Companion Safety Rules
- Expected wide use
- 2028
- Status in 2026
- Prepare
- Trend · TransportationAutonomous Vehicles
- Expected wide use
- 2032
- Status in 2026
- Explore
Source: the 311 Starburst, researched by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit (data built 2026-10-28). Status rings: Act now means wide use by 2027, Prepare 2028 to 2030, Explore 2031 to 2035, Watch 2036 or later. Explore the Starburst Centre.
311 analysis
What leaders should take from it
- The risks in this series come from AI that is already deployed, not from future systems; govern what you run today.
- Every case turns on accountability: decide in advance who answers when an AI system causes harm.
- Rules are catching up fast, so build safety, audit and human override in now rather than retrofitting them.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
Next steps
Take this subject to your leadership team
A private briefing turns what is on screen into decisions for your organisation, in person first, anywhere in the world.
Answers
Common questions
How many episodes of AI Confidential are there?
Three, listed on the BBC programme page: The Boy Who Tried to Kill the Queen, Death by Driverless Car and The Assassin and the Algorithm.
Who made AI Confidential with Hannah Fry?
Curious Films made it for the BBC in partnership with The Open University.