Tim Urban
TED speaker and Wait But Why creator Tim Urban helps audiences understand humanity, technology, and the future through research-driven storytelling and insight.
Tim Urban Booking & Availability
Speaking fees, availability and booking details for corporate events, keynotes and private appearances.
How do I book Tim Urban for a corporate event?
Use the Check Availability form above to send your proposed event date, location, audience size, event format and program goals. The Mollie Plotkin Group will follow up with availability and next steps.
What is Tim Urban’s speaking fee?
Tim Urban’s current speaking fee starts at $55,000. Final pricing can vary by date, location, event format and scope of the appearance.
Is Tim Urban available for my event date?
Submit your proposed date and event details and the Mollie Plotkin Group will confirm current availability.
Who is Tim Urban’s booking agent?
Contact the Mollie Plotkin Group to inquire about booking Tim Urban.
What types of events can Tim Urban be booked for?
Corporate events, conferences, leadership meetings, keynote speeches, workshops, fireside chats, private events and virtual programs may be available depending on the engagement.
Tim Urban Keynote Topics & Programs
Tim Urban speaks on artificial intelligence, business, change management, disruption, growth and technology through keynote presentations and related programs.
Tim Urban helps audiences make sense of the biggest questions shaping modern life. Known for breaking down complex topics with clarity, humor, and insight, he explores everything from political polarization and artificial intelligence to procrastination and human behavior. Through deep research, engaging storytelling, and practical frameworks, Tim gives audiences new ways to think about the challenges and opportunities defining our future.
Common keynote themes include: critical thinking, artificial intelligence, societal change, decision-making, political discourse, productivity, procrastination, human behavior, technology, and future trends.
In 2016, Tim Urban looked out at American society and knew something was off. Political tribalism was on the rise, anger was overflowing on social media, and productive discussions seemed impossible. Tim spent the next six years taking a deep-dive journey to explore the most pressing issues facing society. In What’s Our Problem?, his bestselling book published in February 2023, Tim shares the many answers he discovered.
In this talk, Tim zooms out on the American landscape, explaining how rapid changes in technology, geography, government, and media have had unforeseen consequences. Tim believes that our political thinking and conversations are constrained by the lens we use: the “horizontal” left-center-right political axis. He introduces the audience to a new way to visualize politics, using the core tool in his bestselling book: a vertical axis that can add a critical element of nuance into the picture. Tim trades the polarizing political “left” and “right” for two new, incredibly useful terms: “high-rung politics” and “low-rung politics.” As we move from high to low, nuanced spectrums simplify to rigid binaries; rich discussion gives way to conformity and groupthink; common-humanity activism becomes common-enemy activism. In short, our problem is that low-rung politics is spreading and high-rung politics is fading.
The solution: We need to be more aware of the vertical story—the high rungs and the low rungs—and we need to be more courageous about speaking out for what we value and what we believe. The audience can use this lens to sharpen their own thinking, have better conversations, and ultimately, help set society on a better trajectory.
Key Takeaways from What’s Our Problem? Understanding Polarization and the Future of Productive Conversation
- Understand the difference between high-rung and low-rung political thinking
- Recognize how modern systems influence public discourse and behavior
- Apply a more nuanced framework for navigating disagreement and complexity
Back in 2014, long before Artificial Intelligence became the subject that everyone is talking about, Tim Urban began some serious research. It hit him pretty quickly that what was happening in the world of AI is not just an important topic, but, by far THE most important topic for our future. After three years of diving deeply into the subject and all its future implications, Tim published “The AI Revolution and the Road to Superintelligence,” taking readers on a deep exploration of what AI is, how it works, and why it will dramatically change our lives. Vox dubbed this Tim’s “epic series on artificial intelligence”
Instantly, Tim established himself as the ultimate explainer of AI to a wide range of audiences—including Silicon Valley thought leaders. Elon Musk shared “The AI Revolution” twice on Twitter, commenting, “Excellent and funny intro article about Artificial Superintelligence! Highly recommend reading.” Tim soon turned his fascinating exploration of AI into a gripping talk—one in which the head of Sweden’s Øredev conference called it “the best keynote in years.” After experiencing the same talk at Social Media Week in New York, conference founder Toby Daniels wrote that Urban “was brilliant, inspiring and terrifying at the same time, and left most of us speechless, breathless and in a mixed emotional state of wonder and awe at what the future holds.”
As AI races into nearly every industry, every company, and every part of our lives, Tim Urban remains the ultimate (and frequently entertaining) explainer of the most transformational shift in the way we live, work, and evolve as a society.
Key Takeaways from The AI Revolution and the Road to Superintelligence
- Develop a practical understanding of artificial intelligence and its evolution
- Explore the potential long-term implications of increasingly advanced AI systems
- Gain perspective on how AI may transform industries, organizations, and daily life
Procrastination is widely acknowledged as one of the top hindrances to success, growth, and confidence in oneself. Tips on how to stop procrastinating are plentiful and can be found easily, but implementing them without understanding “why” we procrastinate leads to short- term success and long-term hopelessness.
In this hilarious, mind-tugging, and optimistically practical talk, Tim Urban shares why we procrastinate and how to stop. This keynote has enchanted over 65 millions of viewers as the third most-viewed (and ranked as one of the funniest) Ted Talk ever. Urban shares three key reasons we procrastinate, identifying them as “players” that vie for our attention, focus, and time.
After establishing a “why,” he shares valuable tools that audiences can use to tackle procrastination in their own lives. The tools range from the Eisenhower Matrix to Urban’s set of six strategies for overcoming short- and long-term procrastination. This keynote is uniquely applicable to individuals and teams and catalyzes change and growth. Audiences walk away with side stitches from laughter and an inspired understanding of the greatest barrier to success.
Key Takeaways from Inside the Mind of a Procrastinator
- Identify the key forces that drive procrastination and delay
- Learn practical strategies for managing both short-term and long-term procrastination
- Build habits that support greater focus, consistency, and personal growth
Tim Urban Biography & Credentials
Tim Urban is the creator of the wildly popular blog Wait But Why, where his illustrated long-form articles earned a devoted following and helped establish him as one of the most distinctive voices exploring human behavior, technology, and the future. Known for combining deep research, intellectual curiosity, and humor, Tim helps audiences make sense of complex ideas and the forces shaping the world around them.
His TED Talk became one of the most-watched TED Talks ever, and his thought-provoking presentations have captivated audiences at organizations including Google, Facebook, Goldman Sachs, Uber, Tesla, MIT, Harvard, The Wharton School, and conferences around the world.
Tim Urban is available to be booked for corporate and private events. Contact the Mollie Plotkin Group today to inquire about Tim Urban’s fees.
Want to book Tim Urban for an event?
Contact the Mollie Plotkin Group at (215) 995-0905 to book Tim Urban for corporate or private events, keynote speeches, workshops, fireside chats, motivational speaking, or virtual appearances. Our agency will work directly with your organization and our keynote speakers to create an unforgettable event.
The Mollie Plotkin Group is the leading keynote speakers agency and entertainment bureau bringing excitement to audiences, clients, and employees. We represent subject-matter experts in every possible field. So whether we’re your partner in creating a memorable meeting or your meeting planner’s secret weapon in securing the perfect keynote speaker, we’re in this with you.
Creator of Wait But Why
Tim Urban is the creator of Wait But Why, the influential blog known for its illustrated long-form articles that explore some of humanity’s most fascinating questions. Through a combination of extensive research, humor, and clear thinking, Tim has built a reputation for making complex topics accessible and engaging.
His work examines subjects ranging from procrastination and human behavior to technological advancement and exponential change. His ability to uncover patterns, challenge assumptions, and explain difficult ideas has earned him a passionate global audience.
Exploring Humanity, Technology, and the Future
Tim’s writing has been featured by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, TIME, Business Insider, and Gizmodo. His insights and ideas have also been the subject of feature coverage in publications including Fast Company, Singularity University, The Huffington Post, and Vox, as well as conversations on podcasts hosted by Lex Fridman, Preet Bharara, Ezra Klein, Tim Ferriss, and Y Combinator.
A sought-after speaker, Tim has presented for leading companies, universities, and conferences worldwide. His TED Talk became one of the most-watched TED Talks ever, helping introduce millions of people to his unique approach to understanding the present and imagining the future.
Known for his captivating storytelling and ability to distill complex ideas into memorable insights, Tim leaves audiences thinking differently about technology, human nature, and the forces that will shape the years ahead.