TED Tech

#43 in Technology this week

From the construction of virtual realities to the internet of things to the watches on our wrists—technology's influence is everywhere. Its role in our lives is evolving fast, and we're faced with riveting questions and tough challenges that sit at the intersection of technology and humanity. Listen in every Friday, with host, journalist Sherrell Dorsey, as TED speakers explore the way tech shapes how we think about society, science, design, business, and more.

Follow Sherrell on Instagram @sherrell_dorsey and on LinkedIn @sherrelldorsey

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Today · 28 min
How Community Notes reduce viral misinformation | Jay Baxter and Keith Coleman
Community Notes on X started with a wild idea: Instead of tech companies deciding what's true, what if you let people fact-check each other? Keith Coleman and Jay Baxter, who helped build the crowdsourced system adding context to misleading posts, discuss how the program reduces viral misinformation — and why people across the political spectrum trust it. In conversation with TED guest curator Audrey Tang, they discuss how their "surprising agreement" algorithm could reveal the common ground that quietly exists across a polarized internet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October 30 · 29 min
How to make the internet fun again with Steve Huffman and Michael Sun
From Hotmail to Yahoo! to AOL instant messenger, online chat space has transformed throughout the years. Now, there’s Chat GPT, Claude, Gemini, and more AI agents vying for your attention. In today’s episode, Sherrell shares two talks, first featuring Steve Huffman, the co-founder of Reddit, on the platform’s model for a better internet. Then a talk from internet culture writer Michael Sun on how you can recapture the joy of the early internet. Talks featured Reddit's model for a better internet | Steve Huffman How to recapture the joy of the early internet | Michael Sun Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October 26 · 23 min
Democracy in the Age of AI (1/5): 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October 26 · 15 min
Democracy in the Age of AI (2/5): When AI can fake reality, who can you trust? | Sam Gregory
We're fast approaching a world where widespread, hyper-realistic deepfakes lead us to dismiss reality, says technologist and human rights advocate Sam Gregory. What happens to democracy when we can't trust what we see? Learn three key steps to protecting our ability to distinguish human from synthetic — and why fortifying our perception of truth is crucial to our AI-infused future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October 26 · 12 min
Democracy in the Age of AI (3/5): Your creative superpowers can help protect democracy | Sofia Ongele
"Democracy is more fun and inviting when you take it into your own hands," says creator and activist Sofia Ongele. Sharing how she's using coding and social media to defend democracy, Ongele invites us to identify our own creative superpowers — whether it's community organizing, making music or telling stories — and use them to cause a ruckus and bring movements to life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October 26 · 16 min
Democracy in the Age of AI (4/5): How to govern AI — even if it's hard to predict | Helen Toner
No one truly understands AI, not even experts, says Helen Toner, an AI policy researcher and former board member of OpenAI. But that doesn't mean we can't govern it. She shows how we can make smart policies to regulate this technology even as we struggle to predict where it's headed — and why the right actions, right now, can shape the future we want. After the talk, Sherrell expands on what’s needed to ensure that AI aligns with the best interests of humanity, without stifling innovation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October 26 · 12 min
Democracy in the Age of AI (5/5): How AI and democracy can fix each other | Divya Siddarth
We don't have to sacrifice our freedom for the sake of technological progress, says social technologist Divya Siddarth. She shares how a group of people helped retrain one of the world's most powerful AI models on a constitution they wrote — and offers a vision of technology that aligns with the principles of democracy, rather than conflicting with them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October 23 · 51 min
The unexpected wonders of my son's short life | James G. Robinson | Your Body on Tech
When James G. Robinson's son Nadav was born with a rare heart defect, he feared the worst. What he didn't anticipate were the moments of unexpected wonder. In this profound talk, Robinson traces five years of impossible medical odds, a genetic discovery so strange it felt like fate ... and how grateful he is to have experienced it all. His story is a vivid reminder of what it means to be human — an inexplicable gift, however fleeting. And stick around after his talk for a deep dive conversation with our guest host for the week, author and podcaster Manoush Zomorodi, into the ideas he shared on stage and beyond. This is the last episode in a seven-part series airing this week on TED Talks Daily, where Manoush — and the seven speakers she curated for TED2026 — explore how you can live a healthier life in our high-tech era. To hear more from Manoush, listen to TED Radio Hour wherever you get your podcasts. Check out her new book, Body Electric, to learn more about the hidden health costs of the digital age. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October 16 · 43 min
The case for making art in a crisis | Yiyun Kang | Your Body on Tech
We have more data than any generation in history, yet reality has never felt harder to grasp. Artist Yiyun Kang is on a mission to translate the invisible crises of our time — from vanishing fresh water and collapsing ecosystems to the black box of AI — into physical experiences that people can feel. Art isn’t a luxury, she says. It’s essential to understanding and acting on our biggest problems. And stick around after her talk for a deep dive conversation with our guest host for the week, author and podcaster Manoush Zomorodi, into the ideas she shared on stage and beyond. This is episode six of a seven-part series airing this week on TED Talks Daily, where Manoush — and the seven speakers she curated for TED2026 — explore how you can live a healthier life in our high-tech era. To hear more from Manoush, listen to TED Radio Hour wherever you get your podcasts. Check out her new book, Body Electric, to learn more about the hidden health costs of the digital age Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October 9 · 47 min
Can Ozempic end addiction? | Dhruv Khullar | Your Body on Tech
What if GLP-1s like Ozempic could do more than just tip the scales? Physician Dhruv Khullar traces the winding path of the "moderation molecule" — from a discovery in Gila monster saliva to a potential diabetes medication and addiction treatment — and how they could quiet the relentless noise of craving. The most surprising effects of GLP-1s may not be in the gut, but in the brain. And stick around after his talk for a deep dive conversation with our guest host for the week, author and podcaster Manoush Zomorodi, into the ideas he shared on stage and beyond. This is episode five of a seven-part series airing this week on TED Talks Daily, where Manoush — and the seven speakers she curated for TED2026 — explore how you can live a healthier life in our high-tech era. To hear more from Manoush, listen to TED Radio Hour wherever you get your podcasts. Check out her new book, Body Electric, to learn more about the hidden health costs of the digital age. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
October 2 · 49 min
Why I’m obsessed with health wearables (and you should be too) | Michael Snyder | Your Body on Tech
Genome researcher Michael Snyder believes health wearables, such as smart watches and glucose monitors, can transform medicine, shifting from reactive to predictive. (In fact, he's such a big fan of these devices that he wears eight of them every single day.) From spotting an illness days before symptoms appear to helping prevent the onset of diabetes, learn why the future of health care may be on your wrist. And stick around after his talk for a deep dive conversation with our guest host for the week, author and podcaster Manoush Zomorodi, into the ideas he shared on stage and beyond. This is episode four of a seven-part series airing this week on TED Talks Daily, where Manoush — and the seven speakers she curated for TED2026 — explore how you can live a healthier life in our high-tech era. To hear more from Manoush, listen to TED Radio Hour wherever you get your podcasts. Check out her new book, Body Electric, to learn more about the hidden health costs of the digital age. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 28 · 15 min
Robots! (1/5): Meet NEO, your robot butler in training | Bernt Børnich
What if doing your chores were as easy as flipping a switch? In this talk and live demo, roboticist and founder of 1X Bernt Børnich introduces NEO, a humanoid robot designed to help you out around the house. Watch as NEO shows off its ability to vacuum, water plants and keep you company, while Børnich tells the story of its development — and shares a vision for robot helpers that could free up your time to focus on what truly matters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 28 · 12 min
Robots! (2/5): How you could see inside your body — with a micro-robot | Alex Luebke and Vivek Kumbhari
Would you swallow a micro-robot? In a gutsy demo, physician Vivek Kumbhari navigates Pillbot, a wireless, disposable robot swallowed onstage by engineer Alex Luebke, modeling how this technology can swiftly provide direct visualization of internal organs. Learn more about how micro-robots could move us past the age of invasive endoscopies and open up doors to more comfortable, affordable medical imaging. After the talk, Sherrell reflects on how these kinds of innovations could impact the future of diagnostics for everyone. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 28 · 11 min
Robots! (3/5): Next up for AI? Dancing robots | Catie Cuan
Would you tango with a robot? Inviting us into the fascinating world of dancing machines, robot choreographer Catie Cuan highlights why teaching robots to move with grace, intention and emotion is essential to creating AI-powered machines we will want to welcome into our daily lives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 28 · 17 min
Robots! (4/5): 7 new species of robot that jump, dance — and walk on water | Dennis Hong
More than a decade ago, roboticist Dennis Hong debuted a new generation of cutting-edge robots. Now he's back to reveal how his lab at UCLA has eclipsed its own achievements with a fleet of wildly advanced and delightful humanoid robots. Part demo, part time capsule, part glance into the future, Hong brings you into the excitement and potential of the next evolution in robotics engineering. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 28 · 10 min
Robots! (5/5): Self-assembling robots and the potential of artificial evolution | Emma Hart
What if robots could build and optimize themselves -- with little to no help from humans? Computer scientist Emma Hart is working on a new technology that could make "artificial evolution" possible. She explains how the three ingredients of biological evolution can be replicated digitally to build robots that can self-assemble and adapt to any environment -- from the rocky terrain of other planets to the darkest depths of the ocean -- potentially ushering in a new generation of exploration. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 25 · 48 min
Your vaccine questions deserve real answers | Kizzmekia Corbett | Your Body on Tech
What good is a vaccine people don't trust? Immunologist and TED Fellow Kizzmekia Corbett co-developed the first COVID-19 vaccine to enter clinical trials — but she'll tell you that making the vaccine was never the hardest part. The real obstacle is the gap between scientists and the people who have honest questions about the shots they're being asked to take. She shares a refreshing approach for taking on vaccine inquisitiveness and ensuring that humanity is ready for the next pandemic. And stick around after her talk for a deep dive conversation with our guest host for the week, author and podcaster Manoush Zomorodi, into the ideas she shared on stage and beyond. This is episode three of a seven-part series airing this week on TED Talks Daily, where Manoush — and the seven speakers she curated for TED2026 — explore how you can live a healthier life in our high-tech era. To hear more from Manoush, listen to TED Radio Hour wherever you get your podcasts. Check out her new book, Body Electric, to learn more about the hidden health costs of the digital age Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 18 · 55 min
What we're getting wrong about teens and tech | Candice Odgers | Your Body on Tech
Trigger warning - this episode contains mention of suicide and severe depression. For years, the warning has been: smartphones are destroying a generation. But developmental psychologist Candice Odgers says that decades of data on teens tells a different story — violence, alcohol use and pregnancy are at historic lows, and research shows social media may not actually be the culprit for mental health problems. Hear her analysis of what’s really troubling kids these days, and why banning them from online spaces may make things worse. And stick around after her talk for a deep dive conversation with our guest host for the week, author and podcaster Manoush Zomorodi, into the ideas she shared on stage and beyond. This is episode two of a seven-part series airing this week on TED Talks Daily, where Manoush — and the seven speakers she curated for TED2026 — explore how you can live a healthier life in our high-tech era. To hear more from Manoush, listen to TED Radio Hour wherever you get your podcasts. Check out her new book, Body Electric, to learn more about the hidden health costs of the digital age. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 11 · 47 min
What sitting all day does to your brain and body | Keith Diaz | Your Body on Tech
Can a five-minute walk change how you feel all day? Exercise scientist Keith Diaz shows how your body is built for the kind of movement that modern life has quietly erased — and suggests something refreshingly doable: making time for small doses of movement sprinkled throughout the day, as a way to boost your brain and body. And stick around after his talk for a deep dive conversation with our guest host for the week, author and podcaster Manoush Zomorodi, into the ideas he shared on stage and beyond. This is episode one of a seven-part series airing this week on TED Talks Daily, where Manoush — and the seven speakers she curated for TED2026 — explore how you can live a healthier life in our high-tech era. To hear more from Manoush, listen to TED Radio Hour wherever you get your podcasts. Check out her new book, Body Electric, to learn more about the hidden health costs of the digital age. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 4 · 42 min
Why living online is leaving us exhausted — and what actually helps (with Manoush Zomorodi and Elise Hu) | from TED Talks Daily
Manoush Zomorodi, host of TED Radio Hour, takes over as guest host ofTED Talks Daily this week to answer a timely question: What does it mean to be human right now, as technology reshapes everything around us? She brings together seven thinkers — scientists, doctors, parents, an artist — to wrestle with how we stay connected to ourselves, and our bodies, in a world that keeps pulling us away. First up, Manoush is joined by Elise Hu to dig into the ideas that are going to be explored this week. They discuss her new book, Body Electric, which explores the hidden health costs of our sedentary lifestyle, and what we can all be doing to reverse the damages. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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