New York, USA – In a strategic move amidst the ongoing uncertainty surrounding TikTok's future in the U.S., TED, the renowned non-profit behind the influential TED Talks, has officially launched its own short-form video feature, "TED Shorts." This new offering aims to capture the growing demand for concise, engaging content and potentially offer a high-quality alternative should TikTok face a ban.
The new "TED Shorts" feature, which has been gradually rolling out since early May, is now available on both iOS and Android devices. Users can access a swipeable vertical feed of short snippets from existing TED Talks and new original content directly from the app's navigation bar. The functionality includes typical social engagement features such as liking, commenting, and sharing videos.
To power this TikTok-like experience, TED collaborated with Genuin, a no-code platform specializing in generative video experiences. Genuin confirmed that the new feed will leverage AI to personalize content, curating videos based on user interests, trending topics, and other signals to ensure relevance for each viewer.
This marks one of the most significant updates in the TED app's 15-year history. Since its launch in 2010, the app has primarily served as a mobile hub for accessing full-length TED Talks, educational animations, and a diverse range of 26 podcasts. "TED Shorts" offers a fresh way for users to discover highlights from their favorite speakers and engage with content more quickly before committing to longer videos. It also introduces the first opportunity for users to interact with each other directly within the app, fostering a much-needed sense of community.
The timing of this launch is crucial for TED, as the company seeks to boost its app's growth. Tricia Maia, Head of Product at TED, acknowledged to TechCrunch that the app had been "deprioritized for several years," which impacted its monthly active users and annual growth. According to Appfigures, the TED app saw 1 million downloads in 2024, a 17% decline from 1.2 million installs in 2023. Despite this, the app boasts over 100 million global downloads to date.
TED's existing substantial following on platforms like YouTube (26.1 million subscribers), TikTok (2.8 million followers), and Instagram (8.1 million followers) clearly indicates a pre-existing demand for its content in short video formats.
The move by TED follows a trend of companies embracing short-form video; notably, Netflix recently announced it is experimenting with a short video feed for its mobile app.
With TikTok facing a potential ban in mid-June in the U.S. (though an extension is being discussed), TED is positioning itself as a compelling alternative, aiming to offer what it believes is higher-quality content. Maia stated, "In an era of fragmented attention, people are actively seeking more thoughtful, less overwhelming ways to connect with new ideas, and with each other. [TED Shorts] is our antidote to algorithm fatigue and doom-scrolling low-quality content."
TED plans to continuously evolve "TED Shorts" to meet user needs and further explore community-building initiatives. Maia added that the company will look into expanding community-driven features to other TED platforms, including its website, envisioning a "cross-platform community engagement experience where our audience won’t just watch videos, but can participate in truly personalized, topic-driven digital communities on a global scale."
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