Tamiko Thiel: part 1 - sculpting the electronic brain

Spotlight On

Today, the Spotlight shines On digital media artist Tamiko Thiel.

To mark our special milestone of 250 episodes, we are kicking off a two-part conversation with media artist Tamiko Thiel.

Tamiko has lived at the crossroads of art and technology for over 40 years. She designed the Connection Machine, the first commercial AI supercomputer that now sits in New York’s Museum of Modern Art. She's worked with everyone from Steven Spielberg to Richard Feynman, and pioneered virtual reality art before most people had heard of VR. Her Connection Machine even inspired Steve Jobs when he built his post-Apple computer, the NeXTcube.

In part one, Tamiko shares her journey from Stanford engineer to acclaimed artist, and how her Japanese-American roots shape her work exploring identity, place, and space. Part two drops next week.

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Dig Deeper

• Visit Tamiko Thiel at tamikothiel.com
• Follow Tamiko Thiel on Bluesky, Instagram, and LinkedIn
• Danny Hillis, Richard Feynman, Tamiko Thiel & Colleagues Design the Connection Machine
• The Female Supercomputer Designer Who Inspired Steve Jobs
• CM-1/CM-2 "Feynman" T-shirts
• Dig into this episode's complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com

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