It's only a matter of time before your mind merges with AI, says Ray Kurzweil

Part 1 of TED Radio Hour's "Prophets of Technology: The OG influencers"

Futurist Ray Kurzweil was early to forecast AI would turbocharge human potential. At 77, he shares lessons from 60 years of working on AI, and what to expect in the coming decade.

About Ray Kurzweil

Ray Kurzweil is a computer scientist, inventor and futurist who has worked on artificial intelligence for the past six decades. His inventions span from text-to-speech synthesis to electronic keyboard instruments to advancements in AI computing. Kurzweil is famous for his accurate predictions around the rise of portable computing and the rapid advancements of AI.

Kurzweil has written several books, including his latest, The Singularity is Nearer, which explores how technology will transform humanity in the decades to come. He is a director of engineering at Google.

This segment of the TED Radio Hour was produced by Rachel Faulkner White and edited by Sanaz Meshkinpour. You can follow us on Facebook @TEDRadioHour and email us at TEDRadioHour@npr.org.

Web Resources

Related TED Bio: Ray Kurzweil

Related TED Talk: 12 predictions for the future of technology

Related TED Talk: Get ready for hybrid thinking

Related NPR Links

TED Radio Hour: How one artist used AI to preserve her grandfather's legacy

Fresh Air: How AI is reshaping life; How technology impacts having a baby

TED Radio Hour: What one founder's past says about AI's future