Part 2 of the TED Radio Hour episode How predictions took over our lives

AI is built on prediction, but what happens when those predictions start shaping the world they’re foretelling? Philosopher Carissa Véliz shares the risks of using algorithms to forecast human lives.

About Carissa Véliz

Support for GBH is provided by:

Carissa Véliz is an associate professor of philosophy at the Institute for Ethics in AI at the University of Oxford. She is the author of Prophecy: Prediction, Power, and the Fight for the Future, from Ancient Oracles to AI.

Web Resources

Related TED Talk: 3 possible futures for AI — which will we choose?

Related TED Talk: How to stop AI from killing your critical thinking

Related NPR Links

TED Radio Hour: Using ancient philosophy to cope with your modern problems

Support for GBH is provided by:

TED Radio Hour: Could AI help us, not replace us?

Copyright 2026 NPR