Ideas worth spreading

Robots

As machines grow ever more intelligent, they're emerging not just as powerful tools, but close companions. These TED Talks offer both whizzy demos and serious ideas on our evolving relationship with robots.

Video playlists about Robots

What happens when the robots take our jobs?

To lose our jobs to our future supreme AI overlords ... or to not? That's the question (and we have some surprising answers).

Wacky, weird art made by AI

Welcome to the new frontier in art and creativity -- and it's not human.

What can robots teach us about being human?

Robots reflect their creators: Us. Counterintuitive and insightful, these robots show us glimmers into what it means to be human.

Dude, where's my driverless car?

Let's be honest, flying cars are still a ways into the future. Until then, learn about the extraordinary lengths we've come with cars that drive themselves.

See all playlists on Robots

Talks about Robots

Jennifer Heldmann

SpaceX's supersized Starship rocket -- and the future of galactic exploration

Self-assembling robots and the potential of artificial evolution

Why we're more honest with machines than people

The electrical blueprints that orchestrate life

Meditations on the intersection of humanity and technology

A friendly, autonomous robot that delivers your food

Lucy Farey-Jones

A fascinating time capsule of human feelings toward AI

Paul McEuen and Marc Miskin

Tiny robots with giant potential

A swarm of mini drones makes ... magic!

Why I draw with robots

The Greek myth of Talos, the first robot

The Resistance | Think Like A Coder, Ep 2

Origami robots that reshape and transform themselves

Why we need to build robots we can trust

Christoph Keplinger

The artificial muscles that will power robots of the future

How do we learn to work with intelligent machines?

See all talks on Robots

Exclusive articles about Robots

This amazing robot swims like an eel AND detects pollution

Inspired by one of nature’s most efficient swimmers, bio-roboticist Auke Ijspeert and his team are building a sinuous robot that can venture into toxic waters.

Posted Feb 2018

Are you ready for the impending age of robots?

Economist Robin Hanson thinks the era of ems -- robots with artificial copies of human brains -- could occur in the next century. Read his astonishing predictions … and prepare for your jaw to drop.

Posted Apr 2017

How the gains we make in AI could ultimately destroy us

Neuroscientist and philosopher Sam Harris describes a scenario that is both terrifying and likely to occur. It’s not, he says, a good combination.

Posted Oct 2016

See all articles on Robots