W. Kamau Bell on AI, creativity and resisting the pull of automation
At a UC Berkeley event in August, the comedian and filmmaker questioned who is shaping artificial intelligence — and to what end.
Podcast: Berkeley Talks
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Leaping robots, AI companies and a NASA mission: Stories of Berkeley student innovation
UC Berkeley Professor Pieter Abbeel reflects on the determination and curiosity that has propelled former students from his robotics labs to extraordinary achievements.
How we’ve long misread gun violence (and ways to prevent it)
Jens Ludwig, director of the University of Chicago Crime Lab, explains that contrary to a common narrative, most gun violence is impulsive — and details the low-cost behavioral tools that deliver immediate public safety results.
The making of a pioneering Black feminist
UC Berkeley Professor Ula Taylor reads excerpts from her book project on activist Frances M. Beal, whose life and politics helped forge modern social justice movements.
When we talk to AI, what are we talking to?
NYU philosopher David Chalmers explores how modern large language models challenge our traditional views of identity and ethics by generating short-lived, conversational "selves" rather than operating as a single, permanent mind.
Philosopher Mark Johnston asks, ‘Is this our only life?’
The Princeton University philosopher argues that our identity is shaped by our conscious will, not just our current body — and that it may be possible for us to exist in another form.
Why kids need awe — and how puppets can help
Creators of the new Jim Henson Company puppet special “Wowsabout” join researchers from UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center to discuss the complex psychology of wonder as a powerful tool for early childhood resilience.
What punk subcultures can teach us about resisting hate
A filmmaker and activists explore how the tactics of 1980s West Coast movements offer a vital blueprint for countering modern political polarization.
Musician Lara Downes celebrates the sound of America
The acclaimed pianist reflects on music’s power to unite across division and express the nation’s most complicated emotions over the past 250 years.
How the American university’s success led to its modern challenges
Princeton President Christopher Eisgruber explains how the shift of American universities to the center of society made them a high-stakes target for public frustration.
Alison Gopnik on why AI is no match for a 4-year-old
AI may be advancing rapidly, but as the UC Berkeley developmental psychologist explains, the next leap in technology depends on replicating the unique forms of human intelligence cultivated during childhood.
The erosion of shared reality in the age of deepfakes
UC Berkeley digital forensics expert Hany Farid explores how generative AI and real-time deepfakes are undermining public trust and reshaping our ability to discern truth online.
How 17th-century moveable scenery shaped modern theater
UC Berkeley Professor Julia Fawcett discusses how Restoration-era stagecraft and London’s post-fire rebuilding mirrored each other, together redefining performance and urban life.
Nobel laureate Omar Yaghi on turning air into water for all
The UC Berkeley chemist recounts his journey as a young immigrant from Amman, Jordan, and the productive "failures" that led to the development of a technology that harvests clean water from the driest air on Earth.
The rule of law depends on the courage of judges
A panel of legal experts at a UC Berkeley Law event discuss how American democracy relies on an engaged public and on judges willing to uphold the rule of law with integrity.
An evolutionary biologist makes the case for pausing AI
Holly Elmore, the director of PauseAI US, warns that we are repeating the mistakes of the past by playing with a high-stakes technology we don't fully understand.