TED Tech
TED Tech
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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
4 snips
Mar 27, 2026 • 40min
How to stop doomscrolling — and what to do instead? (w/ Katherine Cross) | from How to Be a Better Human
Katherine Cross, researcher of online harassment and author of Log Off, studies how social media shapes political behavior. She discusses why social platforms often feel political but cannot replace collective civic work. Short-form virality, design affordances, and different kinds of online harassment get examined. Practical fixes like platform friction and moving conversations to durable spaces are explored.
17 snips
Mar 20, 2026 • 21min
Is the AI bubble about to burst? | Henrik Zeberg
Henrik Zeyberg, a Danish economist and financial analyst who studies crowd psychology and market bubbles, discusses why AI and crypto may be the largest bubble in history. He examines FOMO, classic crowd experiments, and historical manias. He also contrasts real technological progress with speculative overvaluation and warns of potential severe corrections.
9 snips
Mar 13, 2026 • 16min
Meet NEO, your robot butler in training | Bernt Børnich
Bernt Børnich, roboticist and founder of 1X building humanoid home assistants. He introduces NEO, a household robot that vacuums, waters plants and keeps company. He explains why real homes, not factories, are essential for robot learning. He shares demos, safety-focused soft hardware, and a vision of robots making labor abundant and speeding scientific progress.
19 snips
Mar 6, 2026 • 23min
Everything you need to know about AI agents | Swami Sivasubramanian
Swami Sivasubramanian, VP of Agentic AI at AWS and builder of services like DynamoDB and SageMaker, explains autonomous AI systems. He defines what agents are, contrasts them with chatbots, and outlines milestones for trust and accessibility. He describes how agents can reshape software development, automate workflows like video recaps, and become invisible collaborators that boost creativity and productivity.
13 snips
Feb 27, 2026 • 17min
AI's next frontier isn't where you might expect | Hardy Pemhiwa
Hardy Pemhiwa, CEO of Cassava Technologies helping build local internet, data centers and AI in Africa. He recounts how young, mobile-first populations are reshaping AI. He discusses AI teaching classes, triaging patients and boosting farm yields. He explains building local compute, data and language-aware systems to scale developers, startups and inclusive economic impact.
Feb 20, 2026 • 11min
How we built Watch Duty, the lifesaving wildfire alert app | John Mills
John Mills, founder of Watch Duty and wildfire survivor who organized volunteers after his own near-miss. He tells how ham radio operators relayed frontline firefighter info, how an 80-day nonprofit sprint built a lifesaving alert app, and how the system beat official warnings and scaled across the West. He also discusses expanding beyond wildfires and the civic urgency to act quickly.
Feb 13, 2026 • 13min
How satellites are supporting farmers across Africa | Catherine Nakalembe
Catherine Nakalembe, a University of Maryland research professor and NASA Harvest Africa director who uses satellite data to aid smallholder farmers. She discusses translating satellite predictions into real-world action. Stories include a 2015 drought response and 'Mary's' struggle to access help. She outlines practical shifts needed to turn data into income and resilience for farmers.
Feb 6, 2026 • 16min
The best thing that could happen to the energy industry | Matt Tilleard
Matt Tilleard, a renewables entrepreneur who builds distributed energy utilities in Africa. He discusses the shift from fuel-driven to technology-driven power. He explores who will control clean energy and why technology’s circularity and fungibility undercut resource-based power. He highlights microgrids, recycling, material substitution, and how manufacturing and innovation can spread the benefits.
Jan 30, 2026 • 16min
How to pull the emergency brake on global warming | Mohamed A. Sultan
Mohamed A. Sultan, a sustainable strategist focused on climate and development in Africa. He discusses why landfill methane is a hidden crisis, community composting projects that divert waste and create jobs, and practical fixes for oil, gas, and rice farming to cut methane quickly. He also covers the governance and financing needed to scale these solutions.
Jan 23, 2026 • 12min
Inside India's astonishing solar revolution | Kanika Chawla
In this discussion, energy expert Kanika Chawla shares insights into India's remarkable solar journey, starting with their ambitious 2014 pledge to ramp up solar capacity. She explains how achieving this goal unlocked $90 billion in investments and created 300,000 jobs. Kanika emphasizes the economic reasons behind India's solar choice and highlights challenges like financing and utility payment delays. She also discusses innovative models in Ghana and Kenya that could guide other developing nations in their clean energy transitions.
