What will the dream car of the future be like? | Alex Koster

From a boy setting off small explosions in his living room to the creator of world-famous pyrotechnic events, multidisciplinary artist Cai Guo-Qiang has always been drawn to gunpowder. He gives a stunning tour of his work — including his fireworks spectacle at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, his "sky ladder" of fire reaching to the clouds and new work created with AI — and shows how his art probes the line between destruction and construction, control and freedom, violence and beauty. (This talk was delivered in Mandarin and translated live into English. The translation was put through a custom AI model of Cai Guo-Qiang's voice, powered by technology from Metaphysic. You'll hear how Cai would sound if he were speaking English.) This episode originally aired July 30, 2024. 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.

Imagine this: you walk into a room, and your dog is on a video call with their fellow canine friends. Computer scientist Ilyena Hirskyj-Douglas thinks the notion of a social internet for animals is not far off. She explores what happens when animals control their own technology — from parrots making friends online to monkeys choosing their favorite audio tracks — and shows how this technology transforms our understanding of animal consciousness. 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.

“ How do you trust anything anymore? Who do you trust? Where do you trust?” asks technologist and digital forensic expert Hany Farid. Following his talk at TED2025, Farid sat down for a special conversation with Elise Hu, host of TED Talks Daily, to discuss the erosion of trust in American society. From TikTok algorithms to AI deepfakes, Farid argues that critical thinking education is more important than ever and why it’s therapeutic to unplug from social media and connect with nature. 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.

How do you know if that shocking photo in your feed is real, or just another AI fake? Digital forensics expert Hany Farid explains how he helps journalists, courts and governments find structural errors in AI-generated images, offering four practical tips everyday individuals can use when facing the internet’s war on reality. 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.

How does a city change when its art doesn’t hang on museum walls but instead roams the streets? Artist Frédette Lampre of the production company La Machine shares how their towering, handcrafted mechanical creations transform urban spaces into living theaters, creating unforgettable experiences that reconnect people with their cities and each other. 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.