Tristan Harris helps the technology industry more consciously and ethically shape the human spirit and human potential.

Why you should listen

Tristan Harris has been called "the closest thing Silicon Valley has to a conscience" by The Atlantic magazine. Prior to founding the new Center for Humane Technology, he was Google's Design Ethicist, developing a framework for how technology should "ethically" steer the thoughts and actions of billions of people from screens.  

Harris has spent a decade understanding the invisible influences that hijack human thinking and action. Drawing on literature from addiction, performative magic, social engineering, persuasive design and behavioral economics, he is currently developing a framework for ethical persuasion, especially as it relates to the moral responsibility of technology companies.

Rolling Stone magazine named Harris one of "25 People Shaping the World" in 2017. His work has been featured on TED, "60 Minutes," HBO's "RealTime with Bill Maher," "PBS NewsHour," Recode, The Atlantic, WIRED, the New York Times, Der Spiegel, The Economist and many more. Harris has briefed heads of state, technology company CEOs and members of the US Congress about the attention economy.

More news and ideas from Tristan Harris

Live from TED2017

The future us: The talks of Session 11 of TED2017

April 28, 2017

In the final session of TED2017, we look ahead to the future we’ll build together. Below, recaps of the talks from Session 11, in chronological order. A design renaissance for our apps. “There’s a hidden goal driving all of our technology, and that goal is the race for our attention.” says Tristan Harris. He would know; he […]

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