Ilā is a British artist, producer and vocalist. When you are approached by an agent stating, "Would you like to speak with an artist who operates at the intersection of quantum computer music, AI and the human voice, well, you kind of say yes straight away!

I spend a lot of time researching my guests. If someone is good enough to give up their time to be a guest on the podcast, then the very least I can do as the host is spend some time getting to know them a little before we actually meet. I have to admit to being intrigued by Ilā's background. The education that could so easily have led to an academic career has instead led to a career in which creativity takes precedence, barriers are explored, and walls are knocked down.

There is no doubt that music is the major influence in their professional life. But in talking with Ilā, it became clear that there are no categories, sectors, or topics that are off-limits; curiosity feeds their professional development, and there is definitely an element of, say, "yes" and work out the details later.

In this podcast, we cover education, music, and creativity, their importance in a technologically driven world, and the importance of helping instruct young people on how to use AI responsibly as an assistant to learning.

Towards the end, we discuss Ilā's contribution to the BBC Bitesize guide to AI for young people, which is both timely and comprehensive. At a time when education's response to AI and its use by students ranges from "You won't be using that here" to "We welcome students to use AI so long as they reference where and how it has been used, this feels like a very timely conversation.

I loved our hour in conversation, and I believe you will too. So get those ear buds in and enjoy Designed for Life, in conversation with Ilā Kamalagharan.

BBC Bitesize guides to AI can be found here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/groups/cgk3rj0kl55t

Thanks to Arachne.digital for their continued sponsorship of the podcast, which allows us to bring these conversations to you. Contact Arachne https://www.arachne.digital/ or us for a free evaluation of your school’s cybersecurity.