Past TEDx event

TEDxIEM Salt Lake

CTRL + U: Loneliness in the era of AI

Took placeSeptember 30, 202610:00 AM - 5:00 PM (GMT+5:30)
LocationKolkata, West Bengal, India
FormatUniversity
Her, by Spike Jonze, follows Theodore Twombly as he falls in love with the witty and vivacious Samantha, an AI. Surrounded by saturated colors and constant conversation, he is still deathly alone. The environment around him bright, but sterile. Recently, I saw a person on the metro talking about what "they" should order for dinner that day. To an AI model. Nobody blinked. This is the age of connection. Everyone is always present. Nobody is always present. Social media battered us with its constant onslaught of performances. When OpenAI released ChatGPT, the common man had, at the cusp of their hands, a machine that could learn their quirks, remember whatever they said, and reply exactly the way they wanted to hear it. It arrived as relief. We are used to being misunderstood, betrayed, or sad, or feeling down even on our best days. That's what people do. Real people forget things. They get angry, disagree with you, refuse to simply agree that you're right. A chatbot doesn't. It hypes up your choices. It tells you that you can't be in the wrong. So why put away the rose-tinted glasses when nothing is forcing you to? Students go from asking AI for homework answers to telling it how hard their day was. Nobody decided that. It happened one convenient conversation at a time, until the machine started becoming our friend. In this hyperconnected world, we've started mistaking recognition for knowing. When a chatbot replies by referencing something you told it last week, it feels like being known. Eventually, people start preferring the machine over the people: it’s one less argument a day, one less moment trying to defend yourself. Slowly, normal disagreements start to feel tumultuous. We’ve been taught to take the easier way in our life, and that we do, losing a part of ourselves in the process. People only reciprocate your connection when you put in enough efforts. The day you look up from your screen, you realise how many people you have who are truly close to you and understand you instead of echoing your thoughts. That is the moment you realise: while you were chasing the path of less disagreements, isolation settled in. Theodore never chose to be alone. He simply stopped noticing the difference between being heard and being understood, until the difference was gone. Look up before the room goes quiet.

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

  • Bhakt Bhagwat

    One of the world’s youngest TEDx speakers, Bhakt Bhagwat, also known as Bhagwat Das Brahmachari, began sharing spiritual teachings at a remarkably young age. A disciple of Srila Prabhupada and associated with GIVE Gita, he brings teachings from the Bhagavad Gita to younger and contemporary audiences. At just five years old, he took the TEDx stage, speaking on discipline, purpose and applying timeless spiritual wisdom to everyday life.

  • Chaiti Ghoshal

    An accomplished actor with a career spanning theatre, television and cinema, Chaiti Ghoshal has been a prominent presence in Bengali performing arts for decades. Beginning her journey on stage, she went on to build a diverse body of work across acclaimed theatrical productions, television and films. Known for her versatility and deep connection with the performing arts, she continues to contribute to Bengal’s cultural landscape across both stage and screen.

  • Dr. Kunal Sarkar

    With over three decades of experience in cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, Dr. Kunal Sarkar is one of India’s leading cardiac surgeons, having performed over 40,000 heart surgeries, including more than 32,000 bypass procedures. A Fellow of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons of Edinburgh and Glasgow, he has also served as President of the Indian Association of Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgeons. His expertise spans complex coronary surgery, minimally invasive cardiac surgery and advanced cardiovascular care.

  • Dr. Satyajit Chakrabarti

    As the Vice Chancellor of UEM Kolkata and Director of the IEM-UEM Group, he brings decades of experience across engineering education, research, entrepreneurship and institutional leadership. A recipient of the “Edupreneur of the Year” award, he has championed academia–industry collaboration and technology-driven education, leading initiatives that bring together research, innovation and entrepreneurship to empower emerging engineers and innovators.

  • Dr. Suman Chakraborty

    A distinguished academic, researcher and innovator, Prof. Dr. Suman Chakraborty is the Director of IIT Kharagpur and a Professor of Mechanical Engineering. A recipient of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize and Infosys Prize, his pioneering work spans microfluidics, biomedical engineering and affordable healthcare technologies. An acclaimed scientist and educator, he brings together cutting-edge research, innovation and societal impact.

  • Lagnajita Chakraborty

    Acclaimed Bengali playback singer and Filmfare Award winner Lagnajita Chakraborty rose to prominence with “Basanto Eshe Geche” from Chotushkone. Spanning playback, independent music and live performance, she is one of the most recognisable voices in contemporary Bengali music.

  • Satish Reddy Eadala

    A technology and gaming leader with over 18 years of experience across IT and digital entertainment. Currently a Development Director at Electronic Arts (EA), he has worked with organisations including IBM, Tech Mahindra and Entain India. An ISB alumnus, Satish is also a Toastmaster, mentor and public speaker, bringing together technology, business, leadership and community impact.

Organizing team