The TED AI Show

It’s impossible to separate the way people engage with AI with the way they engage with the  internet as a whole. This is an episode of ReThinking, another podcast from the TED Audio Collective, featuring a compelling discussion of why the internet can feel so unfriendly–and where we can go from there. You’ll hear from Jay Van Bavel, an award-winning professor of psychology and neural science at NYU, on the science of virality, why bad news commands our attention, and how we can find common ground around more uplifting content. If you liked this episode, you can find more ReThinking wherever you get your podcasts.

Ever since generative AI tools like Midjourney became available to the public in 2022, curious users and AI fanatics alike have been experimenting with the technology. But for tech aficionados and AI enthusiasts like Justin Maier and Maxfield Hulker, Midjourney’s closed-source model wasn’t enough — they wanted to go deeper. That’s why Justin and Max created Citivai, an open-source generative AI tool and social platform where users can create, share, and experiment with new image generation models. They sit down with Bilawal to discuss why community is so important to open-source development, the future of algorithmic personalization, and the famous so-called “dead internet theory.” They also unpack the risks of open-source development, and emphasize the importance of setting boundaries to keep users safe — while acknowledging the important role that “not-safe-for-work” content has played in the evolution of these powerful tools.For transcripts for The TED AI Show, visit go.ted.com/TTAIS-transcripts   

When it comes to preparing for an interview or making an important life decision, more and more people are turning to AI for advice. ChatGPT’s new voice interface, Advanced Voice Mode, allows users to speak out loud and converse with a chatbot as they would with another human — but is it really as seamless as a chat with a friend? Bilawal runs a series of experiments with Advanced Voice Mode to test the limits of this new technology and its potential uses, from weighing the pros and cons of a cross-country move to coaching an intense personal workout. He and producer Dominic Girard discuss the potential benefits and dangers of this new advancement, and ask perhaps the most important question of all: can ChatGPT pronounce Bilawal’s name?  For transcripts for The TED AI Show, visit go.ted.com/TTAIS-transcripts   

We’ve had conversations about AI’s online influence on politics, from deepfakes to misinformation. But AI can also have profound effects on hardware – especially when it comes to national security and military capabilities like weapons and stealth technologies. Kathleen Fisher is an office director at DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency tasked with the research and development of emerging technologies for use by the U.S. military. Despite its bureaucratic name, DARPA is anything but conventional – and they’re solving problems that are thrillingly complex. Kathleen shares how her team employs nimble thinking to understand the state of AI across the globe. Then, she and Bilawal discuss the strategies needed to embrace the possibilities –and challenges– of AI now, and what we need to do to build a sustainable future.For transcripts for The TED AI Show, visit go.ted.com/TTAIS-transcripts