What happens when AI meets the timeless art of illusion?
This question has been with me for years — and it was the starting point for my show “Artistic Intelligence” back in 2016.
Now, I had the opportunity to bring this topic to one of the most prestigious stages there is: an official TED conference.
TEDAI is TED’s AI-focused format within the TED Insight Series.
TEDAI Vienna is Europe’s official TED conference dedicated to AI. This three-day event is curated by a local team in collaboration with TED, with a clear focus on the technological, scientific, and societal questions surrounding artificial intelligence.
My talk was recorded in September 2025 at Vienna’s Hofburg Palace. Over the course of more than six months, I developed it together with my magician friend Dr. Will Houstoun (UK). We refined the core questions, evolved the content, and carefully shaped the TED Talk’s tone and language.
In the talk, I explore how every new technology shifts our sense of what’s possible—and why we still need wonder as a spark for creativity and progress.
From a magician’s perspective, it comes down to one central question:
How do we preserve a sense of wonder in a world where yesterday’s miracles have long become everyday life?
Because even as technology keeps pushing the boundaries of the possible, it’s up to us not to lose wonder—but to keep creating it, again and again.
Can I book this keynote for my event?
I’m glad you asked — absolutely.
I also deliver this talk as a Keynote and tailor it to your audience and context: more technical, more philosophical, or with a stronger focus on creativity, innovation, and change.
What’s the difference between TEDx and TEDAI?
TEDx and TEDAI serve different purposes.
TEDx is a local, independently organized format designed to bring TED ideas to cities and communities.
TEDAI, by contrast, is a topic-focused TED conference format dedicated to artificial intelligence. It is part of TED’s Insight Series (thematic deep-dive events) and is curated in collaboration with TED.
As a result, TEDAI is less of an open local format like TEDx and more of an internationally oriented specialist conference with a clear focus on AI, its applications, and its societal impact.
