Future Tense - Richard Ayoade & Warwick Davis

Written by Richard Ayoade & Warwick Davis
Read by Richard Ayoade & Warwick Davis
Format: M4B
Bitrate: 128 Kbps

Technology promises to save humanity. How’s that working out?

In this comedy-science podcast, comedy legends Richard Ayoade (determinedly pessimistic) and Warwick Davis (inexplicably cheerful) venture beneath Audible HQ to the Future Tense lab, fully equipped to interrogate the future we’re all being told to look forward to.

With help from science wrangler Helen Keen and expert guests providing actual facts (how inconvenient), they try to determine if the likes of self-driving cars, AI relationships, lab-grown meat, and digital immortality are cause for celebration—or another reason to basically just stay underground forever, actually, thanks.

Richard and Warwick bring to the party equal parts naive enthusiasm and sharp scepticism, as well as a healthy dose of sci-fi Warwick having started his career in Return of the Jedi and gone on to star in films and series as diverse as Willow, Harry Potter and Leprechaun; and Richard bringing his no-lesser experience as Ice Cream Cone in Lego Movie 2.

A funny and surprisingly informative journey into a future nobody ordered but everyone will receive…

Episode 1: Robots

Mechanical overlords or helpful household assistants? Our hosts debate whether being replaced by technology is terrifying or merely a welcome retirement plan. And will Richard’s voice being cloned lead to the dismay of both humans and machines? Featuring guests Alan Hayling, Prof. Andy Miah, and Stephen Follows.

Episode 2: Immortality

Would you want to celebrate your 150th birthday? Richard considers the brown bin option for his remains, while Warwick ponders eternal digital replicas. Our experts debate whether fighting ageing is revolutionary or just plainly undignified. Featuring guests Prof. John Tregoning and Prof. Elaine Kasket.

Episode 3: Holidays

Climate change threatens Magaluf, space could be the final frontier of annual leave, and VR promises beach vibes without the sand in uncomfortable places. Will future holidays liberate us, or just make Richard even more reluctant to leave his flat? Featuring guests Simon Calder and Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock.

Episode 4: Food

Cricket cookies, lab-grown chicken, and meals in pill form face our hosts’ scrutiny. Warwick reluctantly samples insects while Richard advocates for a future where eating becomes entirely optional. Featuring guests James Collier and Tom Cheesewright.

Episode 5: Cars

Warwick embraces a future where vehicles drive themselves, while Richard questions whether civilisation peaked with the penny-farthing. Self-driving ethics, laser headlights, and the alarming prospect of polite British AI traffic jams. Featuring guests Suze Kundu and Jon Bentley.

Episode 6: Relationships

AI companions promise perfect partners who never forget birthdays or finish the milk. Richard probes into whether a digital companion might solve (his) age-old problem of completely avoiding humans, while Warwick wonders if robots might finally appreciate his anecdotes. Featuring guests Prof. Nigel Crook and Dr. James Muldoon.