TED Tech

AI is transforming the way we work — could it also reshape what makes us human? In this quick and insightful talk, evolutionary anthropologist Sarah Blaffer Hrdy explores how the human brain was shaped by millions of years of shared childcare and mutually supportive communities, asking a provocative question: If robots help raise the next generation, will we lose the empathy that defines us? Want to help shape TED’s shows going forward? Fill out our survey! Learn more about TED Next at ted.com/futureyou For the Idea Search application, go to ted.com/ideasearch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AI companions could either be the cure to our loneliness epidemic … or humanity’s final downfall, says Eugenia Kuyda, creator of Replika — an app that allows you to create AI friends. She explores the potential of this technology to either exacerbate isolation or encourage connection, advocating for an AI whose success is driven not by clicks and screen time but by human happiness and flourishing. Want to help shape TED’s shows going forward? Fill out our survey! Learn more about TED Next at ted.com/futureyou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The world is heading toward a massive copper shortage that could derail the clean energy transition, says mining expert Jeff More. He shows how advanced sensing technology could get us back on the right track, drastically cutting down on the wasted materials from traditional mining and helping meet the growing demand for essential metals. Want to help shape TED’s shows going forward? Fill out our survey! Become a TED Member today at ted.com/join Learn more about TED Next at ted.com/futureyou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ethan Lindenberger never got vaccinated as a kid. So one day, he went on Reddit and asked a simple question: "Where do I go to get vaccinated?" The post went viral, landing Lindenberger in the middle of a heated debate about vaccination and, ultimately, in front of a US Senate committee. Less than a year later, the high school senior reports back on his unexpected time in the spotlight and a new movement he's leading to fight misinformation and advocate for scientific truth. After the talk, Shoshana interviews Dr. Jennifer Reich, a sociologist, and asks the question, “Where has vaccine mistrust come from?” -- and how transparency in clinical trials and federal advisory boards are key in gaining community trust. Want to help shape TED’s shows going forward? Fill out our survey! Become a TED Member today at ted.com/join Learn more about TED Next at ted.com/futureyou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Everybody likes nature, even though we’re watching it slowly degrade away. And that’s the big challenge of our time,” says linguist software engineer Jeffrey T. Reed, a research affiliate with the Cry Wolf Project. Following his talk at TED2025, Reed sits down for a conversation with host Sherrell Dorsey on how listening to sounds like bird chirps and a wolf’s howl connects us with the world around us — and how AI technology can help us further understand these natural phenomena. To watch Jeffrey's 2025 TED Talk, click here! Want to help shape TED’s shows going forward? Fill out our survey! Become a TED Member today at ted.com/join Learn more about TED Next at ted.com/futureyou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Industrial manufacturers spend a huge amount of energy generating heat to make everyday materials and objects, like cement, steel, and paper. And since most companies use fossil fuels to reach these high temperatures, industrial heat accounts for 20% of our annual global carbon pollution. Thankfully, this is where a century-old technology comes in. Rachel Yang explores how heat batteries work. [Directed by Sofia Pashaei, narrated by Pen-Pen Chen, music by Cem Misirlioglu, WORKPLAYWORK]. Want to help shape TED’s shows going forward? Fill out our survey! Become a TED Member today at https://ted.com/join Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Generative AI is built on three key resources: people, compute and data. While companies invest heavily in the first two, they often use unlicensed creative work as training data without permission or payment — a practice that pits AI against the very creators it relies on. AI expert Ed Newton-Rex has a solution: licensing. He unpacks the dark side of today's AI models and outlines a plan to ensure that both AI companies and creators can thrive together. After the talk, Sherrell reflects on the issue of copyright and how to ensure creators are fairly compensated. Want to help shape TED’s shows going forward? Fill out our survey! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“The whole Substack ecosystem is about more power because it’s based on those relationships between the publisher and their subscribers, or the video maker and their viewers,” says journalist and Substack co-founder Hamish McKenzie. Following his talk at TED2025, McKenzie is in conversation with Sherrell Dorsey to discuss how the media landscape has changed, and how new platforms like Substack allows independent creators to challenge traditional broadcast media – and build trust with their following. To listen to McKenzie's TED2025 talk, click here: Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, Castbox. Want to help shape TED’s shows going forward? Fill out our survey! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is part of a feed swap with our friend podcast There Are No Girls On The Internet, hosted by Bridget Todd. She is an expert on tech culture, and on her show she has fun, thought provoking conversations about the ways technology shapes our lives. If you enjoy this episode, you can listen to There Are No Girls On The Internet wherever you get your podcasts. A hologram of the late Whitney Houston is doing a residency in Las Vegas. Host Bridget Todd talks with spirituality writer Brooke Obie asks what this means about celebrity, grief, and technology. Read Brooke's piece The Zombification of Whitney Houston: https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2021/11/10725817/whitney-houston-hologram-tour Read The Face's Deepfakes, dead relatives and digital resurrection: https://theface.com/society/deepfakes-dead-relatives-deep-nostalgia-ai-digital-resurrection-kim-kardashian-rob-kardashian-grief-privacy See Al Sharpton's boycott flyer: https://preview.redd.it/a8fqafdn1yw31.jpg?auto=webp&s=372160136dda8598d3d621dbee936e5b3d31602c Drop Bridget and team a line at hello@tangoti.com Want to help shape TED’s shows going forward? Fill out our survey! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could the key to a sustainable food system already be growing in the world’s farms? Plant scientist Giles E.D. Oldroyd explores how a special quirk of soybean plants allows them to naturally partner with networks of fungi and bacteria to access essential nutrients in the air and soil — eliminating the need for synthetic fertilizers. He shows how harnessing these microscopic powerhouses could help scientists rewire crops to make their own fertilizer, reducing pollution, increasing yields and improving livelihoods for smallholder farmers. After the talk, Sherrell discuss the ways three companies are developing alternatives to synthetic fertilizers and how their efforts contribute to sustainable agriculture. Learn more about TED Membership here! Want to help shape TED’s shows going forward? Fill out our survey! Learn more about TED Membership here! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As AI chatbots become more personal and proactive, the line between tool and companion is beginning to blur, with some users even professing love for their digital aides, says business consultant Amaryllis Liampoti. She presents three foundational principles for how brands can harness AI to build deeper emotional connections with consumers while prioritizing well-being, transparency and autonomy — ensuring AI enhances lives without undermining human agency. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Technology is changing our world — and how we communicate — at an astonishing rate. So much so that entrepreneur Victor Riparbelli predicts that artificial intelligence will drive audio and video to replace text as our primary form of communication by the end of this decade. He imagines a world where anyone can create a Hollywood film, receive personalized education or communicate via hyper-realistic avatars — all in the time it takes to read a book. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“The AI revolution is here. Can we build a Good Robot?” asks Vox’s newest miniseries, Good Robot. Join host Julia Longoria in conversation with Sherrell to discuss the ideological divide within the AI community. Sherrell and Julia talk about how Julia leverages her background as a Supreme Court reporter to condense complex topics into accessible and exciting explainers, AI’s encroachment on the media industry by “pilfering” works of authors and journalists, and why algorithms could be implemented to ensure ethical consumption – and higher quality information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is part of a feed swap from our friend at Vox’s Unexplainable podcast. Good Robot is a miniseries hosted by Julia Longoria. Today’s episode, “The magic intelligence in the sky” examines how before AI became a mainstream obsession, one thinker sounded the alarm about its catastrophic potential. So why are so many billionaires and tech leaders worried about… paper clips? Good Robot was made in partnership with Vox’s Unexplainable team. Episodes will be released on Wednesdays and Saturdays. For more, go to vox.com/goodrobot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Moore’s Law states that every 1 to 2 years the number of transistors that can fit on a given size computer chip will double. Thanks to this law, chips have gotten smaller, faster, more efficient, and cheaper. But today, there are four key problems that trip up this trend, potentially ending Moore’s Law and fundamentally changing how computing progresses. Sajan Saini and George Zaidan investigate. [Directed by Jeff Le Bars, JetPropulsion, narrated by Adrian Dannatt, music by Stephen LaRosa]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Software engineer Adam Munder is on a mission to break down communication barriers between the Deaf and hearing worlds. In a live demo, he introduces OmniBridge — an AI platform that translates American Sign Language into English text in real time — and demonstrates how this tech could ensure every conversation can be fully understood, regardless of the participants' hearing abilities. Munder is joined onstage by ASL interpreter Christan Hansen and TED’s Hasiba Haq. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why are we using tech from 100 years ago to deliver the world's electricity? Materials scientist Jason Huang shows how we could massively upgrade the global power grid by replacing the wires in existing transmission lines with new, advanced conductors, helping us affordably meet rising energy demands while unlocking a cleaner, more climate-resilient future. After the talk, Sherell talks about efforts to improve grid modernization and meet rising energy demands. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke discusses Europe's readiness to lead the next era of AI innovation, examining how the continent's tech ecosystems stack up against those in the US. In conversation with TEDAI Vienna co-curator Vlad Gozman, Dohmke explains the three key shifts that will help Europe thrive in the age of AI — and shows how GitHub's initiatives can empower anyone to build new ideas around the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can AI compress the years long research time of a PhD into seconds? Research scientist Max Jaderberg explores how “AI analogs” simulate real-world lab work with staggering speed and scale, unlocking new insights on protein folding and drug discovery. Drawing on his experience working on Isomorphic Labs' and Google DeepMind's AlphaFold 3 — an AI model for predicting the structure of molecules — Jaderberg explains how this new technology frees up researchers' time and resources to better understand the real, messy world and tackle the next frontiers of science, medicine and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Will progress in artificial intelligence continue to accelerate, or have we already hit a plateau? Computer scientist Jennifer Golbeck interrogates some of the most high-profile claims about the promises and pitfalls of AI, cutting through the hype to clarify what's worth getting excited about — and what isn't. After the talk, Modupe reminds us that AI is a tool and it's our responsibility to use it wisely. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.