TED Tech

TED Tech

Host Sherrell Dorsey guides you through the latest ideas from TED Speakers, uncovering the riveting questions that sit at the intersection of technology, science, design, and innovation. Listen in every Friday.

  • 9 minutes 45 seconds
    Have we reached the limit of computer power? | Sajan Saini and George Zaidan
    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].

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    4 April 2025, 4:00 am
  • 6 minutes 44 seconds
    How AI can bridge the Deaf and hearing worlds | Adam Munder
    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.

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    28 March 2025, 4:00 am
  • 16 minutes 43 seconds
    The high-wire act of unlocking clean energy | Jason Huang
    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.

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    21 March 2025, 4:00 am
  • 21 minutes 39 seconds
    Can Europe win the age of AI? | Thomas Dohmke
    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.

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    14 March 2025, 4:00 am
  • 19 minutes 15 seconds
    How AI is saving billions of years of human research time | Max Jaderberg
    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.

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    7 March 2025, 5:00 am
  • 14 minutes 57 seconds
    Is AI progress stuck? | Jennifer Golbeck
    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.

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    28 February 2025, 5:00 am
  • 34 minutes 1 second
    How to embrace – and challenge – the idea of “beauty” in the technological age (w / Elise Hu) | How to Be a Better Human

    Humans have always been captivated by beauty, and for almost as long, we’ve been marketed products and new technologies to help us achieve certain beauty standards. Elise Hu is a journalist and the author of “Flawless: Lessons in looks and culture from the K-beauty industry.”


    In this episode of How to Be a Better Human, another podcast from the TED Audio Collective, Elise shares the fascinating insights she’s learned from years of studying the $10 billion K-beauty industry and the cutting-edge skincare, niche makeup products, and technology that promise to optimize our appearance. Elise and How to Be a Better Human host Chris Duffy talk about the real stakes of placing a premium on our looks, why a more inclusive version of “beauty” is worth pursuing, and how we can both enjoy and push back against the very human desire to feel beautiful. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts


    Get more How to Be a Better Human wherever you are listening to this.

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    21 February 2025, 4:15 pm
  • 13 minutes 40 seconds
    Can AI master the art of humor? | Bob Mankoff
    Can artificial intelligence be funny, or is comedy a uniquely human trait? In this witty and insightful talk, cartoonist Bob Mankoff explores the art of humor, the evolution of AI and what happens when the two collide.

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    14 February 2025, 5:00 am
  • 22 minutes 21 seconds
    How AI could hack democracy | Lawrence Lessig
    Does AI pose a threat to democracy? Law professor Lawrence Lessig dissects how this emerging technology could influence democratic institutions, warning that we’ve already passed a point (before superintelligence or AGI) that deserves a lot more attention. After the talk, Sherrell reflects on the importance of media literacy and the need to remain vigilant and engaged to defend our democracy.

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    7 February 2025, 5:00 am
  • 40 minutes 15 seconds
    ReThinking with Adam Grant: Sam Altman on the future of AI and humanity

    Sam Altman is the CEO and cofounder of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. He and Adam discuss AI's advances in creativity and empathy, its ethical challenges, and the role of human oversight. Sam and Adam also discuss strategies for adapting to a changing world and their hopes for technology that enhances human progress while maintaining human values.


    Available transcripts for ReThinking can be found at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts

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    31 January 2025, 5:00 am
  • 6 minutes 21 seconds
    How a worm could save humanity from bad AI | Ramin Hasani
    What if AI could think and adapt like a real brain? TED Fellow and AI scientist Ramin Hasani shares how liquid neural networks — a new, more flexible AI technology inspired by physics and living brains — could transform how we solve complex problems.

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    24 January 2025, 5:00 am
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