Lorraine Hariton
Former President and CEO of Catalyst; Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Leader
Tim Urban
Creator of Wait But Why | Bestselling Author of What's Our Problem | TED Speaker, 75M+ Views | AI, Procrastination & Civilizational Thinking
Tim Urban built one of the internet's most beloved intellectual franchises — Wait But Why — and delivered a TED Talk seen by 75 million people. His 2023 book What's Our Problem? reframes why societies and institutions break down. Audiences leave his talks with new mental models on procrastination, AI, and polarization that actually change how they lead.
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Tim Urban biography
Tim Urban is one of the most original thinkers of the digital age — a writer, illustrator, and public intellectual whose long-form essays on human nature, technology, and civilizational risk have built a global audience of millions. He is the creator of Wait But Why, the wildly popular blog known for making the most complex and consequential ideas of our time — from artificial intelligence and the Fermi Paradox to procrastination and tribal psychology — accessible, entertaining, and unforgettable. Bill Gates has called Urban one of his favorite writers, and Elon Musk commissioned him to write the definitive long-form introduction to SpaceX and Neuralink, bringing Urban’s work to tens of millions of new readers.
As a TED speaker, Tim Urban delivered one of the platform’s most-watched talks of all time — “Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator” — which has accumulated over 75 million views and transformed the public conversation around focus, motivation, and self-sabotage. The talk is consistently cited by executives, educators, and coaches as a breakthrough framing that resonates long after the event.
His 2023 book What’s Our Problem? A Self-Help Book for Societies is a sweeping diagnosis of why modern democratic societies are becoming increasingly dysfunctional — and what that means for leadership, institutions, and collective decision-making. Drawing on years of research and Urban’s signature hand-drawn storytelling style, the book offers a framework for understanding political and organizational polarization that has been embraced by leaders across sectors.
From Viral Blogger to Civilizational Thinker
Urban’s scope has expanded steadily from the personal and behavioral to the political and existential. He has written extensively on artificial intelligence — including a landmark multi-part series on superintelligence and its implications — placing him among the most widely read popular voices on AI risk well before the topic entered mainstream corporate discourse. His work sits at the intersection of behavioral science, philosophy, political theory, and futurism, making him unusually valuable to audiences grappling with any of those domains.
As a speaker, Tim Urban is unlike most on the circuit. His talks combine hand-drawn visuals, deep intellectual rigor, and a disarming humor that makes even the most challenging ideas feel approachable and energizing. Audiences leave not just entertained but genuinely reoriented — with new mental models for thinking about procrastination, technology, polarization, and the long-term future. For senior leadership events, innovation summits, and corporate off-sites where the goal is to spark real thinking, Urban delivers an experience that lingers far beyond the conference room.
Tim Urban Speaking Videos
Tim Urban talks AI, human history and the future
Tim Urban - Inside the mind of a master procrastinator
Tim Urban Keynote Topics
Tim Urban's legendary TED Talk — now reimagined as a live keynote with deeper content and audience interaction. Urban dissects the neuroscience and psychology of procrastination through his signature hand-drawn storytelling, revealing the internal forces that derail focus and the practical frameworks for overcoming them. Funny, surprisingly moving, and immediately actionable. A standout opening or closing keynote for any leadership or innovation event.
Drawing on his 2023 bestseller, Urban presents a rigorously original framework for understanding why modern organizations and democracies are becoming less rational and more polarized. He distinguishes between "higher-mind" thinking — curious, nuanced, evidence-driven — and the tribal, primitive-mind patterns that social media and institutional incentives increasingly reward. Audience members leave with a vocabulary and a lens for navigating polarization, improving organizational culture, and making better collective decisions.
Long before AI entered the corporate mainstream, Tim Urban was writing landmark deep-dives on machine intelligence, superintelligence, and the long-term implications for humanity. In this keynote, he translates that years-long research into a lucid, high-stakes narrative designed for senior leaders who need to move beyond hype and build a genuine strategic relationship with artificial intelligence. Urban addresses both the near-term organizational opportunities and the longer civilizational questions that the most consequential technology in history is raising.
One of the most debilitating failure modes for leaders, organizations, and governments is the inability to think beyond the immediate quarter, news cycle, or election. Urban explores the psychological and institutional reasons why short-termism dominates, and offers a practical framework — grounded in his research on AI, space exploration, and civilizational risk — for building the habits and structures that allow individuals and organizations to take the long view. A thought-provoking keynote for boards, executive teams, and strategy offsites.
In a world where the focus is often on what we think, The Thinking Ladder shifts the perspective to how we think. At the top rungs of the Ladder, thinking is open-minded and truth-oriented. As we descend to the lower rungs, thinking becomes more rigid, with individuals identifying closely with their ideas, leading to resistance to change and stagnation in learning. The Thinking Ladder serves as an intuitive tool that encourages innovation, creativity, and powerful insights, making it highly relevant to corporate culture, team management, motivation, and even addressing societal issues.
In this transformative talk, Tim Urban explores the dynamics of individual and group thinking and how these processes are interconnected. Through his signature illustrations, Tim breaks down the Thinking Ladder into four types of thinking: “The Scientist” and “The Sports Fan,” who operate on the high rungs, maintaining open and flexible thinking; and “The Attorney” and “The Zealot,” who occupy the lower rungs, where dogmatic and outdated ideas persist. Tim explains why “high-rung thinking” is more conducive to innovation and effective teamwork.
Tim also applies the Thinking Ladder to group dynamics, introducing two types of intellectual and workplace cultures: The Idea Lab, a “high-rung” environment where disagreement is welcomed and ideas are rigorously tested, fostering a collective “superbrain” within the company; and The Echo Chamber, a “low-rung” culture that discourages dissent and promotes conformity, limiting the intellectual potential of the team to that of the CEO.
This keynote is designed to immediately influence how you perceive, respond to, and strategize about nearly every aspect of your work and life. Tim’s guidance encourages individuals to stay on the highest rungs of their own Thinking Ladder, leading to profound shifts in how they approach problem-solving and collaboration. His frameworks are not only catchy and memorable but also deeply impactful, ensuring that audiences will continue to apply these concepts long after the talk ends.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Tim Urban
Why Tim Urban?
Booking Tim Urban for your event is a decision that will set your conference apart. Urban is one of the most intellectually adventurous communicators working today — a thinker who takes the ideas that matter most (AI, polarization, procrastination, civilizational risk) and renders them with a clarity and wit that elite audiences find both challenging and deeply enjoyable. His viral TED Talk has been seen by over 75 million people, his writing is recommended by Bill Gates and Elon Musk, and his 2023 book What's Our Problem? has established him as a serious voice on why institutions fail and how they can be rebuilt. He is not a conventional motivational speaker — he is a genuine public intellectual who makes your audience think in new ways. Aurum Speakers Bureau can advise on which of his talks best fits your event's theme and audience profile.
What is Wait But Why?
Wait But Why is Tim Urban's long-form blog, launched in 2013, which covers an unusually wide range of topics — from the science of procrastination and the philosophy of artificial intelligence to the Fermi Paradox, human relationships, and political psychology. What distinguishes it is Urban's method: exhaustive research combined with playful hand-drawn stick-figure illustrations and a conversational tone that makes dense, technical, or existential material feel accessible and even fun. The blog has been called one of the best on the internet, attracting millions of regular readers and the attention of figures like Elon Musk, who invited Urban to write deep-dive explainers on SpaceX and Neuralink.
What is Tim Urban's book What's Our Problem about?
Published in 2023, What's Our Problem? A Self-Help Book for Societies applies behavioral psychology and evolutionary thinking to understand why modern democracies are becoming increasingly polarized, irrational, and dysfunctional. Urban builds a framework distinguishing "higher-mind" thinking from "primitive-mind" tribal behavior, and uses it to diagnose the forces — social media, ideological capture, institutional decay — that are driving societal fragmentation. The book has been praised by scientists, politicians, and business leaders as one of the clearest and most original diagnoses of our political moment.
What topics does TED speaker Tim Urban cover?
Speaker Tim Urban addresses themes that sit at the heart of today's most pressing leadership challenges: the psychology and neuroscience of procrastination and focus; the future of artificial intelligence and its implications for society and organizations; political and organizational polarization and how to think more clearly in tribal environments; and long-term thinking about civilizational risk and opportunity. His talks are equally at home at innovation summits, leadership offsites, technology conferences, and events where the goal is to provoke genuine intellectual engagement. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to explore the right format for your event.
How to book Tim Urban as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Tim Urban as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Tim Urban's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Tim Urban or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Tim Urban speaking fee?
Tim Urban speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Tim Urban to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Tim Urban.
How can I contact Tim Urban?
We only work with Tim Urban on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Tim Urban and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Tim Urban speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Tim Urban for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Tim Urban for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Tim Urban is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Tim Urban for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
