Can we still trust what we see? Queen’s TEDx speakers tackle the big questions shaping our future
The TEDx team pictured outside QUB’s Lanyon Building. (L-R) Elisa Sofia Jimiez Borja, Dr David Cutting, Tom Magee, Babita Sharma (host) Bernadette Hagans, Alistair Stewart (Director of Civic Engagement, QUB), Sorcha Mac Laimhin, Professor Yvonne McDermott Rees, Harrison Wright, Vlad Nicolae-Lesutan, Joanna Denton (speaking coach), Reem Mohamed, Dr Aaron Monson.
Thursday 12 November 2026
As artificial intelligence makes it increasingly difficult to distinguish genuine images and videos from convincing fakes, a major event at Queen’s University Belfast will examine a troubling question: what happens when we can no longer trust the evidence of our own eyes?
The growing threat of deepfakes, the future of digital privacy and the opportunities and inequalities created by emerging technology will be among the issues explored at TEDxQueen’s University Belfast 2026 on Wednesday 2 December.
Under the theme “What If? What Next?”, 12 speakers from academia, business and the wider community will share ideas about the technological, social and ethical challenges likely to shape the coming decade.
The free event at Riddel Hall will also explore disability inclusion, maternal mental health, personalised healthcare and environmental regeneration, bringing together perspectives on how innovation could change everyday lives.
When seeing is no longer believing
One of the central questions will be whether advances in artificial intelligence could undermine public confidence in genuine evidence, particularly footage used to investigate crimes and human rights abuses.
Professor Yvonne McDermott Rees, from Queen’s School of Law, will examine how deepfake technology creates opportunities not only to manufacture false material but also to cast doubt on authentic recordings.
She said:
“AI, and especially deepfakes, have the potential to spread disinformation, to alter our perceptions. With the advance of technology, mobile phone footage is often used as evidence of human rights abuses in court, but with the advent of AI and deepfakes, real footage can be undermined, so how do we deal with this moving forward?”
Her talk raises an increasingly important challenge for courts, investigators and the public: how can genuine evidence retain its credibility when fabricated material becomes more convincing?
Could artificial intelligence widen inequality
While some speakers will focus on the risks of technological change, others will examine whether its benefits can be shared more fairly.
Dr David Cutting, from Queen’s School of Electronics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, will consider whether artificial intelligence could help bridge global inequalities or make existing divisions worse.
Drawing on his experience of development projects in sub-Saharan Africa, he will argue that providing access to technology is only part of the solution. How that technology is developed, controlled and used will also determine who benefits.
He said:
“AI has the potential to do enormous good and I hope that we as a society today can see that because of its potential and its power, it should not only be used responsibly, but fairly.”
Challenging perceptions of disability
A deeply personal perspective will come from Belfast entrepreneur and Queen’s graduate Bernadette Hagans, whose experience of cancer and amputation inspired her to challenge conventional attitudes towards disability.
Diagnosed with cancer while studying at Queen’s, Bernadette underwent an amputation at the age of 22. She subsequently established Wrapsthetic, an international business specialising in prosthetic customisation, while becoming an advocate for disability inclusion.
Her talk will question why disability is so frequently associated with tragedy rather than individuality, confidence and opportunity.
Recalling the reactions she encountered, Bernadette said:
“When I started to tell people, they said things about how I could `hide’ my leg, but I thought – why would I want to do that? Having a disability isn’t something to be ashamed of, it’s a part of my story and I’ll proudly show my prosthetic leg.”
Her experience will provide a powerful counterpoint to the event’s discussions about technological progress, asking whether society is equally willing to change the attitudes that shape people's lives.
From maternal mental health to environmental change
The programme will extend beyond artificial intelligence to examine other questions with implications for health, wellbeing and the environment.
Speakers will explore whether sport could help tackle post-partum depression, how personalised nutrition might transform healthcare and the privacy risks concealed within photographs shared in everyday life.
Other presentations will consider environmental regeneration, the importance of scientific collaboration and what the stars might teach us about the legacy humanity leaves behind.
Together, the talks will consider not only what might become possible through scientific and social progress, but also the choices that will determine whether those developments improve people's lives.
Ideas that could shape the next decade
TEDxQueen’s University Belfast forms part of the international TEDx programme, through which independently organised events bring speakers and audiences together to share ideas and encourage discussion.
More than 4,000 TEDx events take place annually around the world, with the Queen’s programme offering a Northern Ireland platform for conversations about global challenges.
Queen’s University Vice-President and Registrar Dr Ryan Feeney said:
“In a period of rapid technological and social change, this year's theme, 'What If? What Next?', feels particularly relevant. TEDx provides an opportunity to bring together people from different backgrounds to explore the ideas, opportunities and challenges that will shape our shared future.”
How to attend TEDxQueen’s University Belfast
The event is free to attend, with tickets available through Humanitix.
• Event: TEDxQueen’s University Belfast 2026
• Theme: What If? What Next?
• Date: Wednesday 2 December 2026
• Venue: Riddel Hall, Belfast
• Admission: Free
• Tickets: Available via Humanitix
With discussions ranging from the reliability of evidence to the dignity of people living with disabilities, the event will invite audiences to look beyond what technology can achieve and consider what kind of future society wants to create.
Further information on the event is available here.
