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À partir d’avant-hierTED Blog

TED Countdown announces membership of its Vision Council and new corporate members of the TED Future Forum

Par : TED Staff

Lindsay Levin (right), Head of TED Countdown, speaks with Morten Bo Christiansen, SVP at A.P. Moller – Maersk and a member of the TED Future Forum, at the TED Countdown Summit 2023 on July 12, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Nick Hagen / TED)

TED Countdown, a global initiative to champion and accelerate solutions to the climate crisis, is delighted to welcome Joshua Amponsem, Olivia Lazard, Omnia el Omrani, Rayne Sullivan and Riddhima Yadav to its Vision Council. They join Jim Hagemann Snabe, Gonzalo Munoz, Habiba Ahut Daggash, Manish Bhardwaj and Nigel Topping as advisors to Countdown. Learn more about the Vision Council and our other strategic partners.

Since the launch of TED Countdown in 2020, the initiative has:

  • Generated more than 270 million views across 230 original pieces of content focused on climate solutions
  • Raised $1.3bn in philanthropic giving for climate solutions in collaboration with TED’s Audacious Project
  • Convened more than 3,000 attendees in person at major global summits and smaller focused events
  • Hosted more than 1,000 TEDx events across the globe
  • Produced multiple original films, including one airing on PBS stations around the US 

In 2024, TED Countdown will continue this work with new events and media projects focused on topics like the future of food and the role of AI in solutions for climate and nature. We will continue to focus on advancing business-led climate solutions through the TED Future Forum, a community of companies committed to sector-leading action to transform the global economy. We are thrilled to welcome new member companies to this year’s cohort. The full group for 2024 includes: CEMEX, Circ, COFRA, Danone, Ford, W.L. Gore, Interface, Maersk, Mars, Northvolt, Ørsted, RHR and Siemens.

These companies come from diverse industries and are all committed to the green transition for the long haul. In 2024, Forum members will come together for peer-to-peer learning and curated events focused on the role of business in driving sustainable transformation. 

“TED Countdown is founded on a spirit of radical collaboration. We will only crack climate change by working together — across business, social activism, policy and science. We are thrilled to have accomplished new advisors join our Council and, through the TED Future Forum, to partner with companies who are committed to the difficult journey of transitioning their companies to a cleaner, fairer future.”

— Lindsay Levin, Head of TED Countdown and Founder and Chair of Leaders’ Quest

Resources

About TED Countdown 

TED Countdown is a collaboration powered by TED and Leaders’ Quest. Countdown was launched in 2020 as TED’s first issue-specific initiative in order to champion and accelerate the bold ideas and underinvested solutions that can bring us closer to achieving a zero-carbon world — one that is cleaner, healthier and fairer for all. TED Countdown and its activities are philanthropically funded.

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Scam alert related to “TED India,” “TED Studios India,” “TEDIND,” “TED Bharat” and “TED Coaches”

Par : TED Staff

TED has been alerted to a fraudulent marketing scam referred to as “TED India,” “TED Studios India,” “TEDIND,” “TED Studios,” “TED Bharat” and/or “TED Coaches” that have misrepresented that they are affiliated with the TED organization. These entities claim to produce TED events in India, most recently in Delhi in September 2023, and seek payment from individuals to speak at events or for TED coaching and TED franchise opportunities. These entities have no affiliation with TED, and are not authorized to speak or use TED branding in any way. Please do not engage with these organizations. The brands that we have found to be fake include: As a reminder, TED and TEDx never charge speakers to give talks. Any event that requires payment in exchange for the opportunity to speak is not an official TED event. TED also does not offer franchises or charge individuals to become TED coaches. Please be wary of any solicitations you receive claiming otherwise as such communications are not affiliated with TED and are likely a scam. If you have been contacted or involved with these organizations, please fill out this form so that we can track the fraudulent activities.

The Way We Work: Practical wisdom for your career

How can you best communicate your work experience, succeed at your current job and secure the future of your career? The Way We Work, a TED original video series, helps business leaders and innovative thinkers answer those questions and more.

Whether you’re starting a new job, freelancing or want to future-proof your career, season six of The Way We Work offers practical wisdom on how you can best pitch your ideas and connect with your coworkers. It also delves into how other facets of your life tie into your job, like caregiving and resting

Here’s how to make a great first impression at your new job:

Have great ideas? Here’s how to pitch them:

What skills are you building for future work?

5 tips on finding fulfillment and stability while freelancing:

Connecting with your coworkers is an important part of any fulfilling work-life — here’s how:

When it comes to productivity and creativity, rest matters just as much as work:

How can your job help support your caregiving responsibilities — and why they should:

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Imagining our common future: The talks of TED Democracy

TED’s senior director of impact Logan McClure Davda (left) and TED curator Cloe Shasha Brooks host TED Democracy: Imagining our common future on November 15, 2023, at the TED World Theater in New York, NY. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

The question of our democratic future is more urgent, complex and exciting than ever. As the world stands at a crossroads, more than 140 world leaders and experts convened in New York City for the launch of the TED Democracy initiative, a project that aims to shift the narrative on democracy, accelerate solutions to support a robust civic culture and contribute to a more collaborative pro-democracy community globally. This landmark event spotlighted more than 20 influential speakers from seven countries, charting a course for a democratic future fueled by innovative tactics and transformative visions.

The event: The launch of the TED Democracy initiative, hosted by TED’s senior director of impact Logan McClure Davda, TED curator Cloe Shasha Brooks

When and where: November 14-15, 2023 at the TED World Theater in New York City

Speakers: Ian Bassin, Tessza Udvarhelyi, Yordanos Eyoel, Bret Stephens, Fatma Karume, Olesya Khromeychuk, Divya Siddarth, Samar Ali, Clint Brewer, Sarah Longwell, Gabriel Marmentini, Jordan Klepper, Saket Soni, Katie Fahey, Sam Gregory, Lindiwe Mazibuko, Daniella Ballou-Aares, adrienne maree brown, Baratunde Thurston, Sofia Ongele

Musicians Sarah Elizabeth Charles and Jordan Peters perform at TED Democracy: Imagining our common future on November 15, 2023, at the TED World Theater in New York, NY. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Music: Vocalist, composer and teacher Sarah Elizabeth Charles brings her signature, soulful jazz vocals to the TED stage, performing “Blank Canvas” and “One World.”

The talks in brief:

Lawyer and writer Ian Bassin speaks at TED Democracy: Imagining our common future on November 15, 2023, at the TED World Theater in New York, NY. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Ian Bassin, lawyer and writer

The authoritarian playbook has seven steps – all of which have already been attempted in the US, says lawyer Ian Bassin. He explains that we can all make choices that will protect and strengthen democracy, inviting everyone to reconsider their role in the everyday fight for freedom.

Movement builder Tessa Udvarhelyi speaks at TED Democracy: Imagining our common future on November 15, 2023, at the TED World Theater in New York, NY. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Tessza Udvarhelyi, movement builder

A democracy requires more than a constitution and elections, says activist Tessza Udvarhelyi. She shares how the people of Budapest, Hungary are overcoming authoritarian norms to rebuild a local democratic government, offering a daunting lesson: “Enjoy your democracy when you have it, but don’t ever get too comfortable with it,” she says.

Democracy entrepreneur Yordanos Eyoel (left) and journalist and editor Bret Stephens speak at TED Democracy: Imagining our common future on November 15, 2023, at the TED World Theater in New York, NY. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Bret Stephens, journalist and editor

Democracy’s strength doesn’t rely on citizens always agreeing with one another, but rather in navigating and managing their disagreements. In conversation with democracy entrepreneur Yordanos Eyoel, columnist Bret Stephens shares simple ways that we can disagree more effectively, challenge our own views and strengthen democracy in the process.

Lawyer and human rights advocate Fatma Karume speaks at TED Democracy: Imagining our common future on November 15, 2023, at the TED World Theater in New York, NY. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Fatma Karume, lawyer and human rights advocate

Democracy may be an abstract concept, but it holds the very essence of our autonomy and humanity, says lawyer and human rights advocate Fatma Karume. She tells the harrowing story of Tanzania’s slide into autocracy in 2017, how she found the will to keep speaking out under personal attack and the importance of community in the fight for democracy.

Historian and writer Olesya Khromeychuk speaks at TED Democracy: Imagining our common future on November 15, 2023, at the TED World Theater in New York, NY. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Olesya Khromeychuk, historian and writer

“A flourishing democracy next door is a scary thing for an autocrat,” says Ukrainian historian Olesya Khromeychuk. She details the history of Ukraine’s long struggle for democracy — against Russian tsars, communist dictators and now the Kremlin’s army — and shares three lessons for anybody facing their own fight for democracy.

Social technologist and political economist Divya Siddarth speaks at TED Democracy: Imagining our common future on November 15, 2023, at the TED World Theater in New York, NY. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Divya Siddarth, social technologist and political economist

We don’t have to sacrifice our freedom for the sake of technological progress, says social technologist Divya Siddarth. She shares the story of an AI built by and for the people, offering a vision of a world where technology doesn’t destroy democracy — but expands it.

Public affairs strategist Clint Brewer (left) and law professor and peacemaker Samar Ali speak at TED Democracy: Imagining our common future on November 15, 2023, at the TED World Theater in New York, NY. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Samar Ali, law professor and peacemaker, and Clint Brewer, public affairs strategist

Professor Samar Ali (a Democrat) and journalist Clint Brewer (a Republican) seem very different on the surface, but their friendship illustrates the value in discarding the “scare script” — the process by which we demonize others. Together, they share simple ways to fight polarization in everyday life.

Strategist Sarah Longwell speaks at TED Democracy: Imagining our common future on November 15, 2023, at the TED World Theater in New York, NY. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Sarah Longwell, strategist

In 2020, political strategist Sarah Longwell initiated a campaign to convince her fellow centrist Republicans to vote against Donald Trump. Sharing what the experience taught her about tribalism and voting in the US, she explores why asking people to choose democracy over their political party doesn’t work — and what does.

Civic educator Gabriel Marmentini speaks at TED Democracy: Imagining our common future on November 15, 2023, at the TED World Theater in New York, NY. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Gabriel Marmentini, civic educator

For civic educator Gabriel Marmentini, citizenship is about more than voting and paying taxes. It means recognizing that the state cannot solve all our problems alone, moving from being a policy-taker to a policy-maker — and promoting democratic values locally.

Writer and comedian Jordan Klepper speaks at TED Democracy: Imagining our common future on November 15, 2023, at the TED World Theater in New York, NY. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Jordan Klepper, writer and comedian

Democracy depends on compromise and discourse. So how do we get better at talking to each other? Comedian Jordan Klepper offers three steps to become more open-minded when talking to someone you disagree with — starting with a willingness to say “I don’t know.”

Labor organizer Saket Soni speaks at TED Democracy: Imagining our common future on November 14 – 15, 2023, TED World Theater, New York. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Saket Soni, labor organizer

Drawing from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and personal experience, labor organizer Saket Soni details the transformative and vital work of immigrants, mostly undocumented, in rebuilding disaster zones, reflecting on where renewed, resilient hope for US democracy really comes from.

Activist Katie Fahey speaks at TED Democracy: Imagining our common future on November 15, 2023, at the TED World Theater in New York, NY. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Katie Fahey, activist

One person can spark the changes democracy needs. Activist Katie Fahey shares how she went from writing a social media post to leading a successful grassroots campaign to ban partisan gerrymandering in Michigan, proving you don’t need power to make a difference. 

Technologist and human rights advocate Sam Gregory speaks at TED Democracy: Imagining our common future on November 15, 2023, at the TED World Theater in New York, NY. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Sam Gregory, technologist and human rights advocate

Deceptive and manipulative audiovisual AI is not the cause of societal problems, says technologist Sam Gregory, but it can make them worse. As the line between real and fabricated blurs, he lays out a three-step plan to retain transparency, accountability and liability — and promote AI-infused media literacy against disinformation and deepfakes. 

Public leader Lindiwe Mazibuko speaks at TED Democracy: Imagining our common future on November 15, 2023, at the TED World Theater in New York, NY. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Lindiwe Mazibuko, public leader

In South Africa, a country with some of the world’s highest levels of inequality, many struggle to meet their basic needs. Public leader Lindiwe Mazibuko makes the case that democratic institutions like the country’s constitution aren’t the problem — poor leadership is. Through her nonprofit Futurelect, she’s working to elect a new generation of civic leaders ready to deliver on democracy’s promise.

Business and social impact leader Daniella Ballou-Aares speaks at TED Democracy: Imagining our common future on November 15, 2023, at the TED World Theater in New York, NY. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Daniella Ballou-Aares, business and social impact leader

For too long, businesses in the US have remained on the sidelines while democratic institutions falter. But societal instability has begun to threaten their bottom line. Social impact leader Daniella Ballou-Aares shows us how businesses possess both the ability and the responsibility to help preserve democratic societies.

Writer and comedian Baratunde Thurston (left) and author and doula adrienne maree brown speak at TED Democracy: Imagining our common future on November 15, 2023, at the TED World Theater in New York, NY. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

adrienne maree brown, author and doula, and Baratunde Thurston, writer and comedian

Democracy is dying, and new democratic norms and practices are being born, says writer and activist Baratunde Thurston in conversation with author and doula adrienne maree brown. The two discuss why democracy as we know it is failing — and how we can create more just futures through imagination, replacing leaders with facilitators, and generous acts of care and repair.

Coder and activist Sofia Ongele speaks at TED Democracy: Imagining our common future on November 15, 2023, at the TED World Theater in New York, NY. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Sofia Ongele, coder and activist

Anyone living in some semblance of democracy has the tools to influence government, says Gen-Z coder and activist Sofia Ongele. It’s just a matter of getting creative, embracing your unique powers and having some mischievous fun along the way.

Attendees speak at the Town Hall at TED Democracy: Imagining our common future on November 15, 2023, at the TED World Theater in New York, NY. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

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The most popular TED Talks of 2023 — and inspiration for 2024

Par : TED Staff

As 2023 draws to a close, join us in reflecting on a year brimming with inspiring ideas and transformative insights from the TED stage. Our end-of-year playlists feature talks that capture the essence of the year’s challenges and triumphs — and offer glimpses of hope for 2024.

From AI and the future of learning to a mysterious, millennia-old pattern and a radical way to repair your relationships, these TED Talks took off the quickest in 2023:

Dive into one of the most buzzed-about topics of the year with these must-watch TED Talks on AI, showcasing groundbreaking advancements and thought-provoking perspectives on the future of this world-changing innovation:

From the science behind stretching muscles and crooked teeth to the everyday mysteries of food expiration dates and airplane mode, these TED-Ed animations captured our attention in 2023:

Uncover the unexpected and enlightening with this selection of TED Talks from 2023 that you didn’t know you needed. From the value of thinking about your mortality to the quirky world of Wikipedia and beyond, these talks offer an intellectual adventure and a captivating blend of education, inspiration and wonder:

As we look with hope toward a new year, these TED Talks offer inspiration from speakers addressing some of the world’s most pressing issues — from sustainable living and justice reform to breakthrough technology and the power of grassroots movements.

Embark on a journey of self-improvement with this selection of TED Talks on personal growth. From innovative parenting strategies and mental health support to fostering self-confidence and sustainable habits, these ideas offer practical advice and fresh perspectives for a transformative year ahead:

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Head of TED Chris Anderson publishes new book, “Infectious Generosity”

Par : TED Staff

In the face of the world’s daunting problems, our kindness can seem pretty inadequate. But what if there were a way to turbocharge it? We live in the connected age. What would it take for kindness to go viral? This is the question Head of TED Chris Anderson explores in his new book, Infectious Generosity, on sale January 23, 2024. Under the radar, countless heroic individuals have discovered how to give in a way that inspires others. This book is filled with their stories, creating a playbook that can help usher in a more hopeful view of human possibility in the 21st century.

As the curator of TED for more than 20 years, Anderson has seen first-hand how ideas can spread. Through the power of the internet, he has helped the world’s boldest thinkers share their most uplifting and world-changing concepts. With Infectious Generosity, he encourages all of us to harness the internet as a force that brings people together instead of driving them apart. Through a combination of inspiring stories, cutting-edge psychological research and practical guidance, Infectious Generosity serves as both a manifesto and a playbook for embarking on a journey of generosity.

Learn more and preorder your copy of Infectious Generosity here.

As part of the publication and its larger mission, Anderson will donate his proceeds from Infectious Generosity to TED, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation dedicated to discovering and spreading ideas that spark conversation, deepen understanding and drive meaningful change. For every copy purchased in the US, the Crown Publishing Group will also donate a portion of its proceeds to TED-Ed in support of its missions to spark and celebrate the ideas of teachers and students around the world. Finally, Aevitas Creative Management will be donating a portion of its proceeds to The Peace Studio, an organization that gives artists and journalists the tools to transform conflict in the US.

As Anderson shows, each of us as individuals can be a catalyst for the amplification of human kindness — in sometimes surprising ways. Through acts of generosity great and small, we have within us the power to create a ripple effect that could truly transform the world. Learn more at InfectiousGenerosity.org.

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Flipside futures: The talks of TED@BCG 2023

Helen Walters and Francois Candelon speak at TED@BCG: Flipside Futures at the BCG office in Paris, France, on November 16, 2023. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Today is good, but tomorrow can always be better. There are new possibilities for our future if we use our uniquely human creativity. In a day of talks and performances, 16 leading minds gathered to flip expected thinking on its head and map out how we might build a brighter future.

The event: TED@BCG: Flipside Futures is the fourteenth event TED and Boston Consulting Group (BCG) have co-hosted to uplift forward-thinking speakers from around the globe. Hosted by TED’s head of media and curation Helen Walters.

When and where: Thursday, November 16, 2023 at the BCG office in Paris, France

Speakers: Catalina Lotero, Adam Whybrew, Jessica Apotheker, Diarra Bousso, Hanjo Seibert, David Kwong, Sylvester Chauke, Annalee Newitz, Adriann Negreros, Shruthi Baskaran-Makanju, Slava Balbek, Paul Hudson, Beth Viner, Philipp Carlsson-Szlezak, Sagar Goel, Bonnie Hancock

Opening and closing remarks: Francois Candelon, the global director of the BCG Henderson Institute and TED@BCG 2018 speaker, welcomes the audience while Olivier Scalabre, the head of BCG France and TED@BCG 2016 speaker, closes out the day.

The talks in brief:

Catalina Lotero speaks at TED@BCG: Flipside Futures at the BCG office in Paris, France, on November 16, 2023. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Catalina Lotero, purposeful designer

What might Latin America look like if colonization hadn’t broken the evolution of its ancient iconography? Catalina Lotero presents stunning images of “Pre-Columbian futurism” that infuse Latin American design with Indigenous symbolism — a testament to the power of aesthetics to rewrite historical narratives and envision new futures.

Adam Whybrew speaks at TED@BCG: Flipside Futures at the BCG office in Paris, France, on November 16, 2023. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Adam Whybrew, depression truth-teller

We can’t get rid of anxiety and depression, so we might as well talk about it, says Adam Whybrew. He shares how talking about his own debilitating mental health struggles with his coworkers created unexpectedly positive outcomes, offering a comforting message of hope for those in need of support. 

Jessica Apotheker speaks at TED@BCG: Flipside Futures at the BCG office in Paris, France, on November 16, 2023. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Jessica Apotheker, marketing expert

Research shows AI is poised to explode marketers’ performance — but there’s a problem, says Jessica Apotheker. AI may make marketers more productive but, if not harnessed correctly, it might also homogenize and clog the marketing landscape.

Diarra Bousso speaks at TED@BCG: Flipside Futures at the BCG office in Paris, France, on November 16, 2023. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Diarra Bousso, designer, mathematician

Growing up in Senegal, getting a new outfit for Diarra Bousso was never an impulse purchase; her clothes were made to order by local artisans and designed to last. Through her brand, Diarrablu, she’s working to bring this sustainable fashion model to modern e-retail, using digital tools to crowdsource designs, limit excess inventory and reduce overconsumption and waste.

Hanjo Seibert speaks at TED@BCG: Flipside Futures at the BCG office in Paris, France, on November 16, 2023. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Hanjo Seibert, economic crime fighter

Hanjo Seibert spends his time fighting economic crime, a wide field ranging from drug trafficking and human trafficking to fraud, cybercrimes, tax evasion and more. He explains how gangsters, criminals and terrorists launder their money through this shady underground economy — and how all of us can take small steps to make it harder for them to do so.

David Kwong (left) recruits an audience member for his talk and performance at TED@BCG: Flipside Futures at the BCG office in Paris, France, on November 16, 2023. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

David Kwong, magician 

“We live in a time that’s more wondrous than our ancestors ever could have imagined, and technology isn’t the barrier to unlocking that wonder: it’s the key,” says David Kwong. He explores how tech elevates our capacity for bewilderment — and invites an audience member to the stage for some ChatGPT-powered magic.

Sylvester Chauke speaks at TED@BCG: Flipside Futures at the BCG office in Paris, France, on November 16, 2023. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Sylvester Chauke, branding disruptor

After years of brand building, marketing veteran Sylvester Chauke realized that his industry had sold the world on overconsumption, with devastating consequences. He shares how marketers could instead promote sustainability and responsible consumerism with “honest ads.”

Annalee Newitz speaks at TED@BCG: Flipside Futures at the BCG office in Paris, France, on November 16, 2023. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Annalee Newitz, journalist, sci-fi author

“Escapist stories allow us to reimagine our relationship with the places we live,” says Annalee Newitz. Inviting you to the whimsical world of sci-fi, cosplay (short for “costume play”) and goblincore (an internet-born aesthetic that celebrates the “ugly” side of nature), Newitz shares why, sometimes, the best way to solve our problems is to escape them.

Adriann Negreros speaks at TED@BCG: Flipside Futures at the BCG office in Paris, France, on November 16, 2023. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Adriann Negreros, change management expert

Nearly three billion people have frontline jobs: work that requires them to be in person, whether it’s as baristas, Uber drivers, factory floor workers or anything else. Adriann Negreros is on a mission to make these jobs more rewarding by getting employees what they need but often lack – like respect, better pay, more flexibility and safety gear that actually fits.

Shruthi Baskaran-Makanju speaks at TED@BCG: Flipside Futures at the BCG office in Paris, France, on November 16, 2023. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Shruthi Baskaran-Makanju, food systems advocate

Sub-Saharan Africa needs more meat consumption to solve its nutrition challenges, says Shruthi Baskaran-Makanju. Instead of building feedlots, she makes a case for scaling meat and milk production in the region by supporting its millions of nomadic livestock herders. 

Slava Balbek speaks at TED@BCG: Flipside Futures at the BCG office in Paris, France, on November 16, 2023. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Slava Balbek, architect, humanitarian

The Russian invasion of Ukraine forced architect Slava Balbek to rethink the nature of his craft. From a tool that develops localized blueprints to rebuild your home to the construction of comfortable, stylish temporary housing, Balbek and his team are exploring the healing power of architecture with a simple motto: “Dignity no matter what.”

Paul Hudson sits down with Lindsay Levin for an interview at TED@BCG: Flipside Futures at the BCG office in Paris, France, on November 16, 2023. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Paul Hudson, healthcare innovator, in conversation with Lindsay Levin, the head of TED Countdown

Rather than resisting AI, Paul Hudson has welcomed the opportunity to let it completely disrupt Sanofi, the healthcare and pharmaceutical company he leads. In conversation with Lindsay Levin, he discusses how AI can propel daily decision-making, its impact on data transparency and the role it might play in decarbonizing the pharmaceutical industry.

Beth Viner speaks at TED@BCG: Flipside Futures at the BCG office in Paris, France, on November 16, 2023. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Beth Viner, culture strategist

We often venerate dreamers: the innovators who smash through barriers. But for every dreamer, says Beth Viner, a team of doers works hard to transform that vision into reality. The best companies succeed by harnessing this synergy.

Philipp Carlsson-Szelzak speaks at TED@BCG: Flipside Futures at the BCG office in Paris, France, on November 16, 2023. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Philipp Carlsson-Szlezak, economist 

Economic models always seem to predict disaster, creating financial losses that could have been avoided if shoppers and business owners were more rationally optimistic, says economist Philipp Carlsson-Szlezak. He calls for everyone to be their own judge, evaluate the doomsday narratives with a careful eye and embrace the inevitable uncertainty.

Sagar Goel speaks at TED@BCG: Flipside Futures at the BCG office in Paris, France, on November 16, 2023. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Sagar Goel, skill-building strategist

People are worried that AI will replace them at work — but upgrading skills and lifelong learning can help. Sagar Goel shares insights from a partnership with the Singaporean government on a digital reskilling program that helped people gain experience for jobs for which they previously wouldn’t have qualified.

Bonnie Hancock speaks at TED@BCG: Flipside Futures at the BCG office in Paris, France, on November 16, 2023. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Bonnie Hancock, Ironwoman, paddler, record breaker

In 2020, Bonnie Hancock began paddling her sea kayak in a clockwise loop around Australia. It took her 254 days to circumnavigate the continent, breaking the previous world record by more than two months. She shares the ups and downs of her 12,700-kilometer journey — including brushes with crocodiles, sharks and hypothermia — and how she learned to find resilience and beauty in the toughest moments.

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Powerful perspectives: The intimate and beautiful interstitials of TEDWomen 2023

Par : TED Staff

As part of the world-class curation for TEDWomen 2023, a small but moving selection of shorts offered a reflection of the collective power of movement, art and community. Among dozens of nominations from across the web, these shorts were presented for their electrifying creativity and unique view of the moment. Watch the selections below.

The short: “SCAD Fashion 2022’” (excerpt)

The creator: Squire Fox

In brief: SCAD School of Fashion senior and graduate students debut their collections in a sublime cinematic experience, a runway crossover featuring exquisite, high-concept looks.

Shown during: Session 2: Not always a straight path

 

The short: “They say Atlanta Influences Everything”

The creator: Atlanta United FC and Atlanta Influences Everything

In brief: A short showcasing the 404 Kit for Atlanta United FC, inspired by Atlanta’s cultural and global impact from the 90s to now.

Shown during: Session 2: Not always a straight path

 

The short: “Kylie” (excerpt)

The creator: Sterling Hampton IV

In brief: A Black ballerina speaks her truth about being a dancer in the ballet community while she performs in the city streets of Los Angeles.

Shown during: Session 3: In love and life

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Moving on up: Talks from day 3 of TEDWomen 2023

Activist, filmmaker and entrepreneur Maya Penn, TEDWomen editorial director Pat Mitchell and TED’s head of curation Helen Walters host Session 5 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 13, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

For the final day of TEDWomen 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia, a multidisciplinary group of experts took on the challenges and opportunities of navigating change — from reimagining migration for political power and addressing the real threats of AI to championing inclusivity, celebrating nature’s wildness and pondering life’s myriad complexities through art.

The event: Sessions 4 and 5 of TEDWomen 2023, hosted by TEDWomen editorial director Pat Mitchell, TED’s head of curation Helen Walters and activist, filmmaker and entrepreneur Maya Penn

When and where: Friday, October 13, 2023, at the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia

Speakers: Charles M. Blow, Sasha Luccioni, Ruha Benjamin, Melonie D. Parker, Sherrell Dorsey, Mary Ann Sieghart, Dyhia Belhabib, Rebecca McMackin, Lucy McBath, Valerie Montgomery Rice, Maira Kalman, Freada Kapor Klein, Sheila Ngozi Oparaocha, Chantale Zuzi Leader

Darkwave artist Abra performs at Session 5 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 13, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Music: Darkwave artist Abra captivated the TEDWomen audience with her signature blend of gothic, R&B and electronic music.

Writer Charles M. Blow speaks at Session 4 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 13, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Erin Lubin / TED)

Societal progress often feels like two steps forward, one step back — how do we change that? New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow calls for a peaceful, reverse migration of Black Americans to southern US states, to write over legacies of oppression and wield political power to change history.

AI ethics researcher Sasha Luccioni speaks at Session 4 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 13, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

We’ve all heard it recently: “AI could kill us all.” Instead of catastrophizing, AI ethics researcher Sasha Luccioni wants to address AI’s more pressing risks — like carbon emissions, copyright infringement and biased data — by creating tools and legislation that promote transparency.

Innovation and equity researcher Ruha Benjamin speaks at Session 4 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 13, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Erin Lubin / TED)

In the era of superintelligent AI, are health care and housing for all really beyond reach? From the outcry against Atlanta’s “Cop City” to tech-driven democracy in Barcelona, researcher Ruha Benjamin imagines a future where tech and people-power work in tandem, not in opposition.

Google’s chief diversity officer Melonie D. Parker and TED Tech podcast Sherrell Dorsey speak at Session 4 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 13, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

How can we create safe and inclusive work cultures for all? Google’s chief diversity officer Melonie D. Parker joins journalist and host of the TED Tech podcast Sherrell Dorsey in a nuanced conversation about creating a sustainably inclusive company where every employee can thrive.

Author, journalist and broadcaster Mary Ann Sieghart speaks at Session 4 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 13, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

We still take women less seriously than men, says author, journalist and broadcaster Mary Ann Sieghart. She explains how we can tackle what she calls the “authority gap” by questioning our biases against women’s intelligence (like judging a woman by the pitch of her voice) and actively promoting female experts.

Maritime crime fighter Dyhia Belhabib speaks at Session 4 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 13, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Erin Lubin / TED)

Criminal groups use sophisticated technology to perpetrate crimes on the ocean: drug smugglers pilot autonomous submarines; pirates use satellites to detect ships they plan to capture and ransom. Maritime crime fighter Dyhia Belhabib introduces Heva, a tool that uses AI to aggregate international criminal records with the goal of detecting and stopping maritime crime.

Ecologically obsessed horticulturist Rebecca McMackin speaks at Session 4 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 13, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Ecological horticulturist Rebecca McMackin explores the beauty of letting your garden run wild, surveying the success she’s had increasing biodiversity on the piers of Brooklyn Bridge Park and offering tips for creating wildlife-friendly habitats at home.

US Congresswoman Lucy McBath speaks at Session 5 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 13, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Following the death of her only son, US Congresswoman Lucy McBath was elected to office with one major goal: pass comprehensive gun safety legislation. She shares the power of a personal story to bridge divides and make real, impactful change.

President and CEO of Morehouse School of Medicine Valerie Montgomery Rice speaks at Session 5 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 13, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

“There are challenges and fears that catapult us to become the greatest versions of ourselves, to become great leaders,” says health equity advocate and president and CEO of Morehouse School of Medicine Valerie Montgomery Rice. She shares three lessons in leadership and shows how they can guide anyone hoping to break through fear, stand up for what’s right and build opportunity for all.

Multidisciplinary artist Maira Kalman speaks at Session 5 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 13, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Erin Lubin / TED)

Multidisciplinary artist Maira Kalman delivers a delightfully wry, sneakily profound reflection on time, death, work, art, family, dreams and more. Backed by her wise, witty illustrations, her talk seems to embody the entirety of life itself, in all its absurd glory.

Impact investor Freada Kapor Klein speaks at Session 5 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 13, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Impact investor Freada Kapor Klein is building fairness into the core of tech companies. Her VC fund, Kapor Capital, only invests in businesses that commit to hiring diverse teams, fostering inclusive workplaces and creating products and services that close opportunity gaps.

Energy equity expert Sheila Ngozi Oparaocha speaks at Session 5 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 13, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Erin Lubin / TED)

The dominant narrative of energy transition has a problem, says energy equity expert Sheila Oparaocha: it ignores the billions of people without energy access. For just and inclusive climate solutions, Oparaocha says we must empower women and prioritize universal access to sustainable energy.

Refugee advocate Chantale Zuzi Leader speaks at Session 5 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 13, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

After surviving devastating violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Chantale Zuzi Leader found safety in the US. She urges everyone to consider the problem of displacement with curiosity and compassion — and offers refugees like her a powerful message of hope: “It is possible to break through.”

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Life, love and finding a path: Talks from day 2 of TEDWomen 2023

Activist, filmmaker and entrepreneur Maya Penn hosts Session 3 at TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 12, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

Day 2 of TEDWomen 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia featured an interdisciplinary array of ideas from speakers who are disrupting poverty, creating bold art, restoring Indigenous rights, exploring bioluminescence in nature and much more.

The event: Sessions 2 and 3 of TEDWomen 2023, hosted by TEDWomen editorial director Pat Mitchell and activist, filmmaker and entrepreneur Maya Penn

When and where: Thursday, October 12, 2023, at the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia

Speakers: Tracie Revis, Diana Greene Foster, Aisha Nyandoro, Andre Dickens, Rosita Najmi, Esha Chhabra, Paige Alexander, Jay Bailey, Karinna Grant, Laetitia Ky, Glenn Close, Laurel Braitman, Wan Faridah Akmal Jusoh, Gary Barker, Lindsay Morris, Reed J. Williams, Maria E. Sophocles

A warm welcome: From Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, who shared how the city has partnered with the Carter Center on a campaign called Inform Women, Transform Lives, which is aimed at raising awareness about women’s right to information.

Buzz performs at Session 3 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 12, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Erin Lubin / TED)

Music: An enchanting, genre-bending performance of her songs “Universe,” “Statues” and “Liberation” by singer-songwriter and producer Buzz.

Cultural preservation advocate Tracie Revis speaks at Session 2 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 12, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

Tracie Revis’s ancestors were forcibly removed from their homeland in what is currently known as Georgia. Now, she’s working to reclaim part of that land, the Ocmulgee Mounds, and turn it into Georgia’s first national park and preserve, which would be co-managed by the Muscogee Creek tribe — tapping into the immense power of their ancestral homeland to heal generational trauma.

Demographer Diana Greene Foster speaks at Session 2 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 12, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Does having an abortion negatively impact a woman’s life? Demographer Diana Greene Foster’s research, known as The Turnaway Study, shows that women who want abortions and get them experience better mental and physical health and socioeconomic well-being than those who are denied.

Poverty disruptor Aisha Nyandoro speaks at Session 2 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 12, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

For Black mothers receiving guaranteed income through the Magnolia Mother’s Trust, a first-of-its-kind guaranteed income program in the US, a steady check meant having the power to uplift those around them. Inspired by their example, poverty disruptor Aisha Nyandoro wants people to redefine wealth in terms of the good it can create.

Global development economist Rosita Najmi speaks at Session 2 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 12, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

Don’t fret about your leadership style, says global development economist Rosita Najmi — focus instead on your leadership languages. She explains why the best leaders are “multilingual,” fluent in the languages of business, philanthropy and public policy.

Environmental business journalist Esha Chhabra speaks at Session 2 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 12, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

“Sustainability” has become a business buzzword, but environmental business journalist Esha Chhabra thinks it’s time to dig deeper. She outlines the growing wave of regenerative companies — which take a far more holistic approach to operations, with every aspect of business driving towards solving a social problem — and shows how many of them are already making big changes in fashion, energy, food, agriculture and beyond.

Carter Center CEO Paige Alexander speaks at Session 2 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 12, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Access to information is the key to unlocking human rights for all, says equality champion Paige Alexander. Leading The Carter Center, she and her team are connecting women to vital resources to get educated, start businesses and transform lives around the world.

Entrepreneur whisperer Jay Bailey speaks at Session 2 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 12, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

When creating an incubator for Black entrepreneurs, Jay Bailey drew inspiration from Motown and HBCUs — two great models for economic mobility. What do they have in common? Bailey says both cultivate belonging and give people the freedom to believe.

Digital fashion entrepreneur Karinna Grant Session 3 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 12, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

What if you could buy the latest fashions without crowding your closet or growing your carbon footprint? Digital fashion entrepreneur Karinna Grant says that future is already emerging: NFTs and augmented reality are expanding possibilities for creative consumption while decreasing waste.

Hair sculptor Laetitia Ky speaks at Session 3 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 12, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

Artist Laetitia Ky creates incredible sculptures using the hair on her head (and a bit of wire), transforming it into surprising forms — an umbrella, a sunflower, wings, a raised fist — that promote bodily autonomy and self-acceptance.

Actor Glenn Close and TEDWomen editorial director Pat Mitchell speak at Session 3 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 12, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Erin Lubin / TED)

In 2009, Jessie Close confessed to her sister, actor Glenn Close, that her son’s struggle with schizophrenia had filled her with thoughts of suicide. She recounts how this revelation inspired their mental health advocacy organization, Bring Change To Mind, which is seeking to transform society’s negative perceptions of mental illness.

Writer and secular chaplain-in-training Laurel Braitman speaks at Session 3 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 12, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Erin Lubin / TED)

“Life is just one endless sushi conveyor belt of things that are going to test you and teach you at the same time,” says writer Laurel Braitman. Sharing the story of growing up as her dad battled cancer, she shares wisdom on why you can’t have joy without sorrow, bravery without fear.

Firefly scientist Wan Faridah Akmal Jusoh speaks at Session 3 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 12, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Erin Lubin / TED)

There are more than 2,000 firefly species that we know of, and they’re found on every continent except for Antarctica. Wan Faridah Akmal Jusoh explores the mysteries of these luminous beetles — which are an essential part of a healthy ecosystem — and details her quest to discover new firefly species and safeguard them as their habitats disappear.

Global troublemaker Gary Barker speaks at Session 3 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 12, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Erin Lubin / TED)

From childhood, boys have violent impulses imbued in them by a society that emphasizes independence at any cost. Unsurprisingly, most violent crimes are committed by men. Gary Barker shares ways to overcome violence by cultivating male empathy.

Trans youth advocate Reed J. Williams and photographer Lindsay Morris speak at Session 3 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 12, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Erin Lubin / TED)

After bringing her son to a summer camp for gender-nonconforming children, photographer Lindsay Morris launched a project to share the kids’ stories with the world. One of them, Reed J. Williams, is now a powerful advocate for transgender youth. Together, Morris and Williams reveal two sides to the LGBTQ+ experience — one as a mother, one as a trans woman — and offer poignant insight into the power of community.

Menopause emissary Maria E. Sophocles speaks at Session 3 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 12, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Erin Lubin / TED)

Gynecologist Maria E. Sophocles explains the science behind menopause — and its unsexy impacts in the bedroom. From estrogen to advocacy, she offers some solutions for women to bridge “the bedroom gap” and get back to comfortable, pleasurable sex.

TED’s head of conferences Monique Ruff Bell speaks at Session 2 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 12, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: TED)

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A world view: Talks from day 1 of TEDWomen 2023

TEDWomen editorial director Pat Mitchell, activist, filmmaker and entrepreneur Maya Penn and TED’s head of curation Helen Walters host Session 1 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 11, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

TEDWomen 2023 kicked off in its new home of Atlanta, Georgia with a moving and wide-ranging session of talks and performances about the future of global democracy, the pursuit of freedom in Russia and Ukraine, the path to recovery for survivors and more.

The event: Session 1 of TEDWomen 2023, hosted by TEDWomen editorial director Pat Mitchell, TED’s head of curation Helen Walters and activist, filmmaker and entrepreneur Maya Penn

When and where: Wednesday, October 11, 2023, at the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia

Speakers: Yordanos Eyoel, Irina Karamanos Adrian, Oleksandra Matviichuk, Jane Ferguson, Dasha Navalnaya, Ava DuVernay, Christine Schuler Deschryver, Chris Anderson

The Merian Ensemble performs at Session 1 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 11, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

Music: Introduced by Atlanta Symphony Orchestra music director Nathalie Stutzmann, chamber music group The Merian Ensemble open the week with an evocative and transporting performance of Nicole Chamberlain’s “Atalanta” for flute, oboe, bass clarinet, harp and viola.

Democracy entrepreneur Yordanos Eyoel speaks at Session 1 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 11, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

It’s not news that democracy is under attack globally. In order to encourage new democracies (and protect established ones), we need more than robust institutions — we need grassroots action, says democracy entrepreneur Yordanos Eyoel, who explores innovative ways to nurture nascent pro-democracy groups wherever they’re threatened.

Former First Lady of Chile Irina Karamanos Adrian speaks at Session 1 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 11, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

As a feminist, Irina Karamanos Adrian was not thrilled to become Chile’s First Lady. She shares how she overturned the position’s institutionalized responsibilities in an effort to make them more transparent, asserting that it’s undemocratic for an unelected position to have such power.

Human rights defender Oleksandra Matviichuk speaks at SESSION 1 at TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward. October 11-13, 2023, Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

How do we defend people’s freedom and dignity against authoritarianism, asks human rights lawyer Oleksandra Matviichuk. In the face of Russian troops occupying Ukraine, she emphasizes the extraordinary capabilities of ordinary people — and urges us all to stand together.

War reporter Jane Ferguson speaks at Session 1 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 11, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Women journalists shape the way the world sees wars, says war reporter Jane Ferguson. Illuminating the historic impact of female-led reporting, she highlights the perspective-broadening power of humanizing stories from war zones.

Corruption fighter Dasha Navalnaya speaks at Session 1 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 11, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Dasha Navalnaya is the daughter of an important man: Alexey Navalny, the leader of the Russian opposition and one of Vladimir Putin’s top critics. She shares the story of her father’s poisoning and imprisonment — and why Russians need your help to bring down Putin’s authoritarian regime.

TEDWomen editorial director Pat Mitchell and writer, producer and filmmaker Ava DuVernay speak at Session 1 of TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 11, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

In conversation with TEDWomen editorial director Pat Mitchell, writer, producer and filmmaker Ava DuVernay discusses how she turned Caste — Isabel Wilkerson’s Pulitzer-Prize winning nonfiction analysis of race in the US — into Origin, a gripping narrative film exploring both the book’s thesis and the author’s life story.

Human rights activist Christine Schuler Deschryver speaks at SESSION 1 at TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward. October 11-13, 2023, Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Human rights activist Christine Schuler Deschryver shares how her organization, City of Hope, is modeling a new recovery program for women survivors of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, one that allows women to reclaim their bodies while developing skills to become future community leaders.

Head of TED Chris Anderson speaks at Session 1 at TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 11, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

We’re well aware of how quickly hate and misinformation go viral. But in a one-of-a-kind preview of his upcoming book, head of TED Chris Anderson argues generosity can be infectious as well — creating powerful ripple effects that help us thrive.

Dance group Mahogany-N-Motion performs at Session 1 at TEDWomen 2023: Two Steps Forward on October 11, 2023, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

Closing performance: Mahogany-N-Motion, a student-run women’s dance group from Spelman College — a historically Black liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia — close out the session with an energetic, drumline-infused performance that brought the TEDWomen crowd to its feet.

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Transforming business for a sustainable future: Insights from the 2023 TED Countdown Summit

Par : TED Staff

TED Countdown Summit. July 11-14, 2023. Detroit, MI. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED)

In July 2023, over 750 global innovators, business leaders, scientists, policymakers, artists, activists and more came together in Detroit, Michigan, to explore the solutions, tools and partnerships that will bring us closer to achieving an equitable, zero-carbon world.

The TED Countdown Summit also hosted the inaugural gathering of the TED Future Forum, an initiative of TED Countdown focused on the role of business in accelerating solutions to the climate crisis and transforming the global economy.

“I know from experience that transforming a company requires a combination of dreams and details,” said Jim Hagemman Snabe, TED Future Forum Vision Council chair, chairman of Siemens AG and vice chairman of Allianz SE. “We need to dream big, before we have the answers, and then to work really hard on the details to figure it out. TED Future Forum is about helping companies to find the courage and know-how to speed up their green transition because it makes good business sense — and it’s the right thing to do.”

So how can business leaders level up their climate ambition? We’ve created this resource to synthesize and share insights from four days of TED Talks, workshops, experiential visits in Detroit and serendipitous conversations sparked by gathering together. We hope you’ll find wisdom and inspiration in the following stories, case studies and reflection prompts – and that you share it widely.

Download the report here.

TED Countdown Summit. July 11-14, 2023. Detroit, MI. Photo: Jason Redmond / TED

Remembering Karen Bakker

Par : TED Staff

Karen Bakker speaks at TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

It is with immense sadness that we commemorate the legacy of Dr. Karen Bakker, who died on August 14. Karen’s talk at TED2023, Could an orca give a TED Talk?, demonstrated the beautiful promise afforded by technologies such as AI to help us understand the natural world more deeply.

A Guggenheim Fellow and professor at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Karen was known for her work on digital transformation, environmental governance and sustainability. Her 2022 book, The Sounds of Life: How Digital Technology Is Bringing Us Closer to the Worlds of Animals and Plants, was a literary tour de force that won numerous awards, as of course did Karen herself. She earned her PhD from Oxford University, where she studied as a Rhodes Scholar.

Everyone at TED sends their deepest condolences to Karen’s family and friends.

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Are men welcome at TEDWomen?

Jimmie Briggs speaks at TEDWomen 2021. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Many people hear TEDWomen and wonder: Are men welcome? The answer is an unequivocal “yes!” TEDWomen is a platform for progress, where we amplify ideas that build a better, more equitable future for all. It’s a space for all people — including men — to actively contribute to the global pursuit of equity.

Let’s explore the ways men are welcome at TEDWomen and break down the barriers that might prevent them from joining.

Attendees arrive at the welcome dinner at TEDWomen 2021. (Photo: Marla Aufmuth / TED)

Why men should come to TEDWomen

TEDWomen fosters an environment of learning, collaboration and collective action that transcends gender barriers and empowers everyone to be part of the solutions. After all, we’re all in this together. Men actively contribute to our mission by leading and participating in workshop sessions, and of course, giving TED Talks. This year we’ll be hearing from Jay Bailey, Gary Barker, Charles M. Blow and more!

Seize opportunities to learn, grow and elevate your work 

TEDWomen is a unique environment for cross-collaboration and learning, where individuals from diverse backgrounds come together to share luminous new thinking, stories and ideas in ways that will enchant, uplift and inspire us all. Participants elevate their understanding of equity issues, so we can all break down barriers and practice dismantling unconscious biases. Our programming fosters a profound appreciation of the contributions of women, non-binary and trans individuals AND men who are building a more inclusive society.

Diversify your network 

TEDWomen helps you grow one of your most valuable assets: your professional network. By participating in our Discovery Sessions, networking receptions, dinners and exhibits, you’ll build deep connections with like-minded leaders, trail-blazers and catalysts across all industries. This is your opportunity to form new partnerships and collectively imagine different ways forward.  

Access a rich talent pool of visionaries 

Looking for your next board member, cofounder or c-suite executive? TEDWomen attendees have remarkable resumes and an impressive commitment to making a positive impact on the world. Half of all attendees hold senior executive positions such as CEO, CTO, CMO, president, founder, partner, chairperson and more. 

Strategize around your role in the fight for equity 

TEDWomen is all about building a better, more equitable future for all. As a result, the conference attracts individuals with a deep commitment to social impact and equity. Men who choose to align with this mission elevate their influence in the world by gaining insights from diverse perspectives and experiences. They can walk away as effective advocates for change.

Have a kickass time 

Prepare for way more than just mind-blowing TED Talks! You’re in for a dazzling celebration of the complicated, messy, rich reality of humanity. From dynamic networking breaks to captivating musical performances and unexpected surprises, we’re packing every moment with excitement. Join us for an unforgettable experience filled with inspiration, deep connection, transcendent joy and delight. 

Audience members chat between sessions at TEDWomen 2019. (Photo: Stacie McChesney / TED)

So, are men welcome at TEDWomen? 

YES! The notion that TEDWomen is exclusively for women is a common misconception — one you can help to change. 

Men have a critical role to play in the quest for a more equitable future. If you’re a man who sees himself at the TEDWomen conference, ready to work toward new models of equity and help build a brighter future for all, apply now

TEDWomen will take place in Atlanta, GA on October 11-13, 2023 at the Woodruff Arts Center. Join a welcoming community dedicated to fostering an inclusive and collaborative environment to inspire positive action and drive meaningful change for all.

Apply for TEDWomen today!

Attendees enjoy the welcome dinner at TEDWomen 2019. (Photo: Marla Aufmuth / TED)

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Momentum: Notes from Session 7 of TED Countdown Summit 2023

Journalist Orlando P. Bailey hosts Session 7 of TED Countdown Summit on July 14, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

TED Countdown Summit 2023 concluded with a wide-ranging session featuring eight inspiring takes from around the world on how to ensure a fast, fair transition to a clean energy future.

The event: Talks from Session 6 of TED Countdown Summit 2023, hosted by TED’s David Biello and Lindsay Levin with journalist Orlando P. Bailey.

When and where: Friday, July 14, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan

Speakers: Kala Constantino, Rebecca Collyer, Rich Powell, Zainab Usman, Amir Nizar Zuabi, Sims Witherspoon, Ramón Méndez Galain, Mike Posner

Clean energy advocate Kala Constantino speaks at Session 7 of TED Countdown Summit on July 14, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

There’s a green energy wave swelling in the Philippines. Kala Constantino, director of the ecology advocacy group Tara Climate Foundation introduces us to a cross-section of the actors working to build a grid for cheap and clean renewable power throughout Asia. Electricity consumers in the Philippines pay one of the highest bills in Southeast Asia due to imported fossil fuels. Yet, as an island nation, the country also loses hundreds of millions of dollars every year to the impacts of climate disasters aggravated by carbon emissions. Activists have already encouraged the government to set aside funds for renewables and slow down the construction of coal-fired plants. With their help, Constantino hopes to see the Philippines become energy independent through solar and wind power, which will not only reduce electricity costs but also create jobs in a new, profitable sector.

Renewable energy strategist Rebecca Collyer and TED’s David Biello speak at Session 7 of TED Countdown Summit on July 14, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Rebecca Collyer is the executive director of 2023 Audacious Project grantee ReNew2030, a global coalition to scale the use of wind and solar energy. In conversation with TED science curator David Biello, Collyer explores how to ensure the transition to renewable energy is fast and fair — a crucial task, as the power sector produces more carbon emissions than any other sector in the world. She shows how, by mobilizing governments, businesses and local communities around the world, ReNew2030 aims to scale wind and solar power capacity by 2030 and set the world up for a climate-secure future — all while creating local jobs and clean air.

Climate innovation leader Rich Powell speaks at Session 7 of TED Countdown Summit on July 14, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

We’ve all heard of the dangers of NIMBY-ism (“not in my backyard”). Climate innovation leader Rich Powell takes it a step further, saying that the true barrier to immediate implementation of clean energy projects is BANANA-ism: “build absolutely nothing anywhere near anything.” This means that critical infrastructure like windmills, nuclear plants and flexible power grids can get bogged down for years in the permitting process — or killed by wealthy lobbyists seeking to keep wind farms or solar panels away from their property. Powell believes that the quickest way to solve our clean energy crisis is to remove these barriers, while keeping environmental protections like the Clean Water Act. If voters and regulators can find common ground, then he says we’ll be well on our way toward replacing our existing power grid with one focused on renewables.

Political economist Zainab Usman speaks at Session 7 of TED Countdown Summit on July 14, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Solving the climate crisis requires collective action on a global scale, but today’s economy is becoming fractured between four regions: the US, China, Europe and the rest of the world. Political economist Zainab Usman says the solution lies with policymakers, business leaders and activists. Working together worldwide, they can distribute low-carbon technology globally; prioritize consumer welfare to make green tech more accessible; and set global standards to govern the sourcing of strategic, nonrenewable materials (such as the minerals in solar panels and other green products). With these goals, Usman says, we don’t have to live out the divided, dystopian future predicted by George Orwell and other such writers long before.

Theater writer and director Amir Nizar Zuabi speaks at Session 7 of TED Countdown Summit on July 14, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

Tapping into the power of theater and its ability to turn pressing issues into human stories that spark hope, theater director and playwright Amir Nizar Zuabi shares the journey of Little Amal — a 10-year-old refugee girl (who is actually a 13-foot puppet) that went on an epic, 5,000-mile migration across eight countries in a globe-trotting art piece called “The Walk.” She embodied the broken global refugee system that has left so many people vulnerable and displaced. Inspired by the impact Little Amal had on the communities she passed through, Zuabi unveils for the first time his next piece: “The Herds,” a massive migration of animal puppets that will start in West Africa and end in Norway, set to begin their travels in 2025. Evolving as they move, the herds will take on new species native to each country they encounter, raising awareness about climate change and the threat it poses to animals and humans alike in a devastating, powerful and beautiful way.

Applied AI climate scientist Sims Witherspoon speaks at Session 7 of TED Countdown Summit on July 14, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Sims Witherspoon wants to use artificial intelligence to tackle climate change. When building a sustainable future, she believes AI can help us better understand the impact of climate change on Earth’s ecosystems, accelerate the breakthrough science we need to create a carbon-free energy supply and speed up the transition to renewable energy sources. Witherspoon explains how she and her team recently partnered with Google to develop an AI that accurately predicts wind availability on one of Google’s wind farms. They trained a neural net on weather forecasts and Google’s historical turbine data and then deployed it on the wind farm to test its accuracy. Their AI ultimately performed 20 percent better than Google’s existing system, and Google has since decided to scale the technology — a win for the company and the planet.

Just energy transition leader Ramón Méndez Galain speaks at Session 7 of TED Countdown Summit on July 14, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

Fifteen years ago, Uruguay was experiencing an energy crisis; today, the tiny nation produces 98 percent of its electricity from renewable sources — and even exports extra energy to countries like Argentina and Brazil. Former particle physicist Ramón Méndez Galain charted the country’s transition to renewables as head of the country’s National Energy Agency. He shares how they achieved energy stability with widespread political support by shifting away from fossil fuels toward clean energy sources like wind, solar and sustainable biomass made from rice hulls, bagasse and pulp. Uruguay also developed technologies to predict the availability of intermittent sources, like wind and solar, to determine which energy sources to rely on and when. Although the transition required massive effort, coordination and innovation, the country can now depend on a stable, sustainable and, yes, profitable energy sector.

Singer/songwriter and producer Mike Posner performs at Session 7 of TED Countdown Summit on July 14, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Singer-songwriter Mike Posner performs two hit songs, “I Took a Pill in Ibiza” and “Could You Do the Same,” and delivers an inspiring talk about how he walked nearly 3,000 miles across the United States. A lot happened along the way, he says — including a life-threatening rattlesnake bite — but the journey left him with five crucial life lessons and a sense of deep, true happiness.

The TED control room during  Session 7 of TED Countdown Summit on July 14, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

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Community: Notes from Session 6 of TED Countdown Summit 2023

TED’s Logan McClure Davda and Lindsay Levin host Session 6 of TED Countdown Summit on July 14, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

From innovative technologies upgrading our buildings to age-old Aboriginal wisdom on fire management and more, the five speakers of Session 6 of TED Countdown Summit 2023 offered transformative insights on how we can redefine our relationships to both our stuff and the world, with a focus on sustainability and resilience.

The event: Talks from Session 6 of TED Countdown Summit 2023, hosted by TED’s Logan McClure Davda and Lindsay Levin

When and where: Friday, July 14, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan

Speakers: Josephine Philips, Aruna Rangachar Pohl, Oral McGuire, Donnel Baird, Gopal D. Patel

Sustainable fashion entrepreneur Josephine Philips speaks at Session 6 of TED Countdown Summit on July 14, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

The fashion industry emits more carbon than travel from all airlines worldwide, combined. And all those clothes we toss in the charity box to make room for new ones? Many end up in landfills in Ghana or buried in a pile in the Atacama Desert so big astronauts can see it from space. To make fashion more sustainable, Josephine Philips says we need to buy less and value more the clothes we already own. When a shirt is torn, we should repair it, not toss it. Before giving away that old sweater, we should recall every experience we’ve had while wearing it, plus the time, labor and resources that went into making it — from the field that grew its cotton to the hands that stitched it together. When we value things correctly, she reminds us, we’re less wasteful, which reduces our negative impact on the planet.

Sustainable development leader Aruna Rangachar Pohl speaks at Session 6 of TED Countdown Summit on July 14, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

Sustainable development leader Aruna Rangachar Pohl takes us on the long journey of one of India’s most beloved snacks: biscuits — revealing how the production of these treats and other highly processed goods that rely on industrial farming are hurting the planet and our health. Armed with a vision to rejuvenate productive landscapes in India equitably and sustainably, Rangachar Pohl established the India Foundation for Humanistic Development, and she shares stories of small-scale farmers in their incubator who are joining forces, acting as shareholders and purchasing resources in bulk together. Training farmers to adopt natural practices and calculate their carbon sequestration with a focus on revenue, Rangachar Pohl shows how green production really pays off. By creating a climate-resilient agricultural sector where people’s rights are protected, farming can mean a greener, tastier and healthier future for everyone.

Fire practitioner Oral McGuire speaks at Session 6 of TED Countdown Summit on July 14, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

“I acknowledge fire as a friend, as a part of my being and my spirit,” says Oral McGuire, a fire practitioner and member of the Mangarda Balladong Nyungar First Nations in southwestern Australia. A professional firefighter for 18 years, McGuire acknowledges the threat uncontrolled fire can pose to our natural environment. Connecting Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities and practices, he shares the importance of applying the right kind of fire in a sacred practice known as “kaarl-ngariny,” to maintain the health and balance of the land. By protecting and preserving nature through proper fire management, McGuire says can heal the spirit of the land and promote biodiversity at the same time.

Energy upgrader Donnel Baird speaks at Session 6 of TED Countdown Summit on July 14, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

Powering the United States’s 125 million buildings accounts for 30 percent of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions. To make matters worse, older ovens, furnaces and hot water heaters have been found to leak benzene, methane and nitrogen dioxide into homes, threatening the health of those inside. Energy upgrader Donnel Baird aims to solve this problem by moving buildings off of fossil fuels and onto renewably sourced electric power. His company BlocPower has trained thousands of people to install tech like solar panels, electric induction ovens and heat pumps. The company also works with financing to plan electrification costs into a home’s mortgage in an effort to make it more affordable, and with data accessibility so homeowners can understand the electrification plan they need.

Environmental activist and campaigner Gopal D. Patel speaks at Session 6 of TED Countdown Summit on July 14, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

To tackle the climate crisis, we’ll need to keep building resiliency and momentum. Gopal D. Patel is here with some good news: there’s already a time-tested, millennia-old framework to do just that. As cochair of the United Nations Multi-faith Advisory Council, Patel mobilizes faith communities for environmental advocacy and action around the world. He explains how the ideas and wisdom of faith traditions can apply to the climate movement, namely in three areas: nourishing and uplifting community; finding rituals and tradition that give a sense of belonging; and working with purposeful action. You don’t have to be religious to take advantage of these learnings, Patel says: they’re guides for anyone looking to advance climate action with a sense of renewed purpose and intention.

The attendee town hall during Session 6 of TED Countdown Summit on July 14, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

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Renewal: Notes from Session 5 of TED Countdown Summit 2023

TED’s Logan McClure Davda and journalist Orlando P. Bailey host Session 5 of TED Countdown Summit on July 13, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

For Session 5 of TED Countdown Summit 2023, seven speakers underscored the urgency for collective action, highlighting the growing frequency and severity of extreme weather events; insights on the electric vehicle revolution; the interconnectedness of deforestation, pandemics and climate change; the crucial role of leadership in climate justice and more.

The event: Talks from Session 5 of TED Countdown Summit 2023, hosted by TED’s Logan McClure Davda and journalist Orlando P. Bailey

When and where: Thursday, July 13, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan

Speakers: Al Roker, Cynthia Williams, Neil Vora, Ludmila Rattis, Louise Mabulo, David Lammy, Justin J. Pearson

Performing artist Tunde Olaniran performs at Session 5 of TED Countdown Summit on July 13, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Nick Hagen / TED)

Music: Multidisciplinary artist, musician, creative producer and Flint, Michigan native Tunde Olaniran explores themes of identity, injustice and empowerment across the worlds of music, dance, film, literature and performance art. Joined on the TED Countdown stage by four incredible dancers, Olaniran smolders through a set of songs powered by experimental electronic beats.

Environmentalist and weatherman Al Roker speaks at Session 5 of TED Countdown Summit on July 13, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

Al Roker is known as “America’s weatherman,” and he’s been in the weather business for a long time, reporting live from some of recent history’s worst storms and natural disasters. All this has made one thing abundantly clear to him: extreme weather is increasing in frequency and severity, and the consequences will be devastating. Offering a comprehensive overview of the knock-on effects of extreme weather, Roker encourages all of us to take small collective actions and unite in our efforts to address climate change in order to create a more sustainable, hopeful future for all.

Sustainability executive Cynthia Williams speaks at Session 5 of TED Countdown Summit on July 13, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

Cynthia Williams‘s family has long worked in the auto industry — her grandfather started with General Motors during the 1940s boom, followed by her father a generation later along with nearly all her uncles. They witnessed a total transformation in the era of transportation, and today, as a sustainability executive for Ford, Williams is seeing another: the electric vehicle revolution. She explains how the car industry is already advancing towards a sustainable future by building new carbon-neutral manufacturing plants and training hundreds of thousands of workers. They’re also investing in supportive infrastructure (making sure EV charging stations are as plentiful and convenient as gas stations) and developing products that consumers want. Electric vehicles are sustainable, says Williams; they should be desirable, too.

Disease detective and conservationist Neil Vora speaks at Session 5 of TED Countdown Summit on July 13, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

The first rule of physicians is to do no harm — and that extends to trees, says actor and activist Rainn Wilson as he introduces Neil Vora, who leads pandemic prevention at Conservation International. Having worked at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for more than a decade previously, Vora shares his unique journey of transitioning from treating patients to protecting forests and the species in them. Highlighting the importance of preventing pandemics (not just reacting to them), Vora exposes three crucial ways deforestation impacts human health: (1) Animals living alongside humans are more likely to carry germs that can infect us; (2) When people move into deforested areas, there is more exposure to new viruses; (3) And animals are more likely to spread illness when their homes are threatened. “We have solutions to address deforestation. And if we implement them wisely, we can prevent outbreaks and mitigate climate change,” Vora says.

Ecologist Ludmila Rattis speaks at Session 5 of TED Countdown Summit on July 13, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Nick Hagen / TED)

Ecologist Ludmila Rattis reveals the surprisingly fruitful benefits of letting nature take care of business, sharing how the digestive habits of tapirs in Amazonia spread seeds throughout the region, regenerating the forest. As tapirs walk, they eat fruit, slowly digest them and then poop, transporting the fruit seeds to new land. In a single tapir dropping, Rattis’s lab found an average of 733 seeds belonging to up to 24 different species. Creatures like dung beetles help reduce the competition in this concentrated pile of life — spreading the seeds as they roll, tunnel and bury the poop — and show how the somewhat undignified parts of nature are intertwined with our planet’s future more than we realize.

Farmer, chef and entrepreneur Ludmila Rattis speaks at Session 5 of TED Countdown Summit on July 13, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

Louise Mabulo grew up on seemingly strange advice from her parents and grandparents about planting toward a full moon or burying a rock under root crops for a better yield. While others tended to regard her family’s beliefs as superstitious, Mabulo has since discovered the profound wisdom in them. She works in restorative agroforestry, and through her initiative, The Cacao Project, which works to build sustainable and climate-resilient livelihoods for farmers, she’s seen even the most bizarre stories proven true. Crops planted during a full moon do bear more fruit; root crops do thrive when planted with rocks because rocks keep the soil loose enough for air pockets to form and encourage growth. Invisible knowledge, Mabulo says, might hold the key to helping us adapt our ecosystems to a changing climate. It also affirms our spiritual and cultural connection with nature and our place in it.

Tennessee state representative Justin J. Pearson and Member of Parliament in the UK David Lammy speak at Session 5 of TED Countdown Summit on July 13, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

In a wide-ranging and inspirational interview, Tennessee state representative Justin J. Pearson and British MP David Lammy discuss the pressing issue of climate justice and the nuances of leadership within the movement. Pearson shares his journey in the movement that began with a fight against a pipeline project in Memphis, Tennessee, emphasizing the significance of empowering the most affected communities and acknowledging the interconnectedness of different social issues. Lammy explains the need for a collective focus on large-scale issues and the role of climate justice as a unifying objective that transcends identity politics. They collectively emphasize the necessity for unifying and authentic leadership — and the need to hold powerful nations accountable for environmental action.

Session 5 of TED Countdown Summit on July 13, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

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Magnitude: Notes from Session 4 of TED Countdown Summit 2023

TED’s Lindsay Levin and systems innovator Ryan Panchadsaram host Session 4 of TED Countdown Summit on July 13, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Nick Hagen / TED)

To rise to the challenge of climate change, we need big, bold, gigaton-scale solutions. Session 4 of TED Countdown Summit 2023 focused on the clean technologies that need to scale fast — and made space for ideas on radical climate leadership, the use of art for environmental activism and the push for climate-friendly alternatives to the world’s most-consumed foods.

The event: Talks from Session 4 of TED Countdown Summit 2023, hosted by TED’s Lindsay Levin and systems innovator Ryan Panchadsaram

When and where: Thursday, July 13, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan

Speakers: Olivia Breese, Jim Snabe, John O’Donnell, Isabella Kirkland, Marcelo Mena, Jim Whitaker, Jessica Whitaker Allen, Tao Zhang

Energy innovator Olivia Breese speaks at Session 4 of TED Countdown Summit on July 13, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Nick Hagen / TED)

Energy innovator Olivia Breese imagines a “love story” between green electrons and water molecules, the result of which is a molecule that can store and release energy without emitting carbon dioxide — a flexible and vastly more sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. Similar to how wind energy has scaled up to become affordable and efficient, Breese calls for global investment in green molecule production. “A world which runs entirely on green energy, it’s not a luxury. It’s a necessity,” she says.

Jim Snabe, chairman of Siemens and Northvolt, speaks at Session 4 of TED Countdown Summit on July 13, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Nick Hagen / TED)

Throughout his career, Jim Snabe has helped lead companies working to accelerate decarbonization. Now, he’s also serving as Vision Council chair for the TED Future Forum (TFF), a new initiative focused on the role of business in advancing solutions to the climate crisis. He outlines TFF’s plans to be a catalyst and community for companies committed to stepping up with greater climate ambition, issuing an invitation for anyone interested in joining the massive, collaborative effort to transform the global economy. “If we want to avoid a climate disaster, we need much more radical leadership,” he says.

Energy entrepreneur John O’Donnell speaks at Session 4 of TED Countdown Summit on July 13, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Nick Hagen / TED)

Electrified industrial heat is the next trillion-dollar market, but manufacturing needs constant heat, requiring a way to store energy when the wind doesn’t blow and the sun doesn’t shine. Engineer John O’Donnell offers a solution: his company, Rondo, produces heat batteries consisting of thousands of bricks stacked in a grid, heated with renewable energy. When heated, a brick can store as much energy as a lithium battery per pound, but costs less and lasts longer. O’Donnell proposes that this “boring” (his word) but effective system could scale fast, helping to green industrial processes worldwide.

Artist Isabella Kirkland speaks at Session 4 of TED Countdown Summit on July 13, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Investigating humanity’s relationship to nature, artist Isabella Kirkland paints species that once lived along the Hudson River in her work “Palisades,” showcasing the profound beauty and rarity of the diverse life that once inhabited our planet — and advocating for the conservation of that which is still here. “I think of my paintings as alarm clocks,” she says. “They’re reminders of what’s at stake; the only problem is we keep pushing the snooze button.” Using art as both a poignant record of loss (like her painting “Gone,” which depicts extinct flowers, fish and snails) and discovery (like her painting “Canopy,” which shows mosses, insects and tiny orchids all new to Western science), Kirkland highlights the danger that wildlife trade poses to nature. Creation is her form of activism, and she uses it to celebrate and advocate for all living creatures that were, are and will be, inviting us all to do the same.

Biochemical engineer Marcelo Mena speaks at Session 4 of TED Countdown Summit on July 13, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Nick Hagen / TED)

Deadly and polluting methane that forms in massive landfills in places like Ghazipur, India, or Santiago, Chile, often causes fires — and heatwaves are only making the issue worse. Reducing these emissions is the most efficient way to lower Earth’s temperature within our lifetime, says biochemical engineer Marcelo Mena. But time is running out and this harmful gas needs to be cut in half by 2050 in order to effectively combat global warming. Working in more than 10 cities, Mena’s team created the Waste MAP (Methane Assessment Platform), which uses satellite information to pinpoint pollution sources ranging from organic waste, food production and enteric fermentation (a fancy way to say cow farts). Mena also introduces the enteric fermentation R&D accelerator: an ambitious, 200-million-dollar research effort to reign in livestock emissions and point the way toward a cleaner, safer future for everyone.

Conservation coordinator Jessica Whitaker Allen and sustainability advocate Jim Whitaker speak at Session 4 of TED Countdown Summit on July 13, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Rice is the world’s most consumed food source — and it accounts for 10 percent of the world’s methane emissions. Jim Whitaker (a fifth-generation rice farmer) and his daughter Jessica Whitaker Allen (a builder of conservation solutions) are seeking to grow sustainability awareness within the agricultural communities where they live in southeast Arkansas. Together, they’ve defined farming protocols that could slash rice’s environmental impacts, cutting water use, methane production and the need for fertilizer. While her dad works literally on the ground to refine irrigation methods, Jessica (a waterfowl conservationist by day) pursues funding to spread green practices — and SmartRice, a sustainable grain hybrid — first to their neighbors and, eventually, to the rest of the world. While it’s not easy to convince struggling farmers to invest in new methods, Jim and Jessica make strong arguments that the best way to preserve a farm’s bottom line is to preserve its land for future generations.

Impact investor Tao Zhang speaks at Session 4 of TED Countdown Summit on July 13, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

A Chinese saying goes: “There is no pleasure in eating without meat.” Every year, China consumes 26 percent of the world’s meat, 43 percent of its pork and 45 percent of its seafood. But unlike other major meat-eating countries like the United States, China has yet to embrace more climate-friendly alternative proteins because, as Tao Zhang explains, consumers there regard mock meat as a cheap, unhealthy and flavorless substitute. Since the world can’t solve climate change without China, Zhang sees swaying Chinese eaters towards these new proteins as a climate-positive business opportunity. He discusses the potential impact of investing in food innovation in China, emphasizing why more research and development are needed to create, market and distribute tasty, affordable, regionally appropriate and meat-free proteins.

The attendee town hall at Session 4 of the TED Countdown Summit on July 13, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

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Dilemmas: Notes from Session 3 of TED Countdown Summit 2023

TED’s David Biello and Lindsay Levin host Session 3 of TED Countdown Summit on July 12, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

Session 3 of TED Countdown Summit 2023 tackled some of the knottier issues related to climate change — from the massive amount of money needed to finance the global green transition, to the struggle for energy access in developing nations and the ecosystem effects of fast fashion — and offered glimpses of the world-changing solutions already underway to lead us into a clean, prosperous future for all.

The event: Talks from Session 3 of TED Countdown Summit 2023, hosted by TED’s Lindsay Levin and David Biello

When and where: Wednesday, July 12, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan

Speakers: Nili Gilbert, David Blood, Avinash Persaud, Tombo Banda, Steve Presley, Amy Powney, Payton M. Wilkins, Xiaojun “Tom” Wang

Sustainable investing leader David Blood and investment decarbonization expert Nili Gilbert speak at Session 3 of TED Countdown Summit on July 12, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

How much money is required to decarbonize the world? Sustainable investment experts Nili Gilbert and David Blood provide both macro and on-the-ground perspectives on the kinds of finance flowing to climate solutions. While some progress has been made, hard-to-abate sectors and the Global South are still being left out of solutions. The good news? There’s certainly enough capital; there are no legal barriers to allocating capital to sustainable solutions; there are amazing entrepreneurs and business people doing the work; and public policy is on the move (like the Inflation Reduction Act in the US). The key is to get money moving to the right places and, as Gilbert says, to see this moment for what it is: a massive, multigenerational opportunity for sustainable growth — greater in scale than the Industrial Revolution and on pace to transform the world in less than 30 years.

Economist and professor Avinash Persaud speak at Session 3 of TED Countdown Summit on July 12, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

After Hurricane Maria decimated Dominica in 2017, the country declared its intention to become the first climate-resilient nation in the world. But as they sought to organize their response to future climate disasters, economist Avinash Persaud says, they quickly realized that the only real solution was to halt climate change entirely. For the developing world, the path to a greener, more sustainable future looks different than for wealthier countries. Developing nations can’t ban emissions, tax carbon or shift to renewables without hurting their growing economies and leaving large portions of their workforce unemployed. Persaud introduces the Bridgetown Initiative, a proposal to finance the green transformation of global systems, as a solution. Beginning with reducing barriers to private investment in green technologies in developing nations, the initiative also calls for more generous lending policies for resilience investments and a revenue stream created by taxing emissions from the shipping industry.

Energy access innovator Tombo Banda speak at Session 3 of TED Countdown Summit on July 12, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

When electricity arrived in Zomba, Malawi in 1994, energy access innovator Tombo Banda says it brought her village significant changes to the health, comfort and happiness of its residents. But the reality is that 500 million people still lack access to electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa, relying on highly polluting materials like diesel and firewood. How do we get more people access to clean electrification quickly? Enter mini-grids, or localized renewable energy systems. By making the mini-grid business model more profitable, these systems can become more scalable — and enticing for private investors. Innovative approaches like using less expensive batteries and appliance financing to increase revenues can also accelerate electrification, Banda says, ultimately making electricity more accessible — and creating better lives for millions of people.

Nestlé North America CEO Steve Presley speaks at Session 3 of TED Countdown Summit on July 12, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

In conversation with TED’s Lindsay Levin, Nestlé North America CEO Steve Presley discusses how one of the world’s largest food companies aims to reach net zero by 2050. Their efforts include sourcing ingredients from regenerative farming, improving packaging to contain less plastic, powering manufacturing with renewable energy and offering financial incentives to local farmers who use sustainable practices. Presley shares where Nestlé has made progress and where it’s still investing for change, encouraging transformation at every step of the food production process.

Fashion designer Amy Powney speaks at Session 3 of TED Countdown Summit on July 12, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

Fashion designer Amy Powney designs for sustainability first, ensuring all aspects of the clothing made by Mother of Pearl, where she is creative director, are environmentally friendly and ethically produced. That ethos stands in contrast to the fast fashion garments that are often produced by underpaid workers with materials sourced from fossil fuels, endangered forests or plastics. She delves into the problems surrounding our pursuit of cheap clothing, from health and pollution to landfills that are visible from space, calling for everyone to reconsider the value of each item of clothing they own, its connection to the Earth and the lives touched by its creation.

Environmental justice advocate Payton M. Wilkins speaks at Session 3 of TED Countdown Summit on July 12, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Shutting down the fossil fuel industry means cleaner air and healthier citizens in the long term. But in the short term, it also means fewer jobs and shrinking livelihoods. While green jobs could, in time, supply a needed paycheck, the immediate impacts of closing a mine or refinery are devastating. We can protect both workers and the environment with an age-old solution: unions. As union leader and environmental justice advocate Payton Wilkins tells it, the multi-generational, multi-ethnic and multi-gender trade union movement could become a formidable force in the fight against climate change — and in places like Denmark, where unions spearhead the ascendance of clean energy, they already are. By showing workers that environmental justice and workplace equity are not mutually exclusive, Wilkins hopes to lead US unions to the front lines of the fight against climate change.

Hiker, biker and storyteller Xiaojun “Tom” Wang speaks at Session 3 of TED Countdown Summit on July 12, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

Xiaojun “Tom” Wang grew up in the Chinese province of Shanxi, the world’s largest coal producer. Each year, more than a billion tons of coal are dug out from underneath Shanxi’s mountains, helping heat and power at least 24 other provinces in China. Wang narrates the devastating impacts of coal mining — accidents in coal mines, massive landslides, damage to cultural sites — and calls for Beijing to ease the pressure on Shanxi’s coal industry. Shanxi needs support in breaking free from its coal addiction, he says, not only to transition to a clean economy, but also to protect its rich cultural heritage.

Attendees applaud at Session 3 of TED Countdown Summit on July 12, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Nick Hagen / TED)

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Lessons: Notes from Session 2 of TED Countdown Summit 2023

TED’s Lindsay Levin and MP David Lammy host Session 2 of TED Countdown Summit on July 12, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Nick Hagen / TED)

What lessons are already available to us as we tackle climate change? For Session 2 of TED Countdown Summit 2023, science, solutions and the role of industry in stemming the threat of the climate emergency took center stage.

The event: Talks from Session 2 of TED Countdown Summit 2023, hosted by TED’s Lindsay Levin and David Lammy, Member of Parliament for Tottenham, England and Shadow Foreign Secretary

When and where: Wednesday, July 12, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan

Speakers: Jonathan Foley, Emma Nehrenheim, Cedrik Neike, Susan Lozier, Morten Bo Christiansen, Bo Cerup-Simonsen, Mike Duggan, Laprisha Berry Daniels

Climate solutions scientist Jonathan Foley speaks at Session 2 of TED Countdown Summit on July 12, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

To solve climate change, the International Monetary Fund estimates that the global community needs to invest between three and six trillion dollars annually in climate solutions. Where should that money go and which projects should we fund? Jonathan Foley, executive director of Project Drawdown, uses a science-based framework to outline a plan for investing with maximum impact. First, we need to prioritize immediate actions with cumulative benefits, like stopping deforestation and cutting methane leaks. Next, we should focus our spending on cutting carbon emissions now over investing in distant high-tech solutions. Third, we must prioritize geographical hotspots with an outsized effect on climate change, like the Amazon rainforest or high-emission factories. And finally, we should invest in solutions that benefit people’s well-being, promote food security and increase access to clean water and sanitation.

Battery recycler Emma Nehrenheim speaks at Session 2 of TED Countdown Summit on July 12, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Batteries will be fundamental to powering a sustainable world — but only if we don’t repeat the same mistakes of past industrialization, says battery recycler Emma Nehrenheim. She outlines the environmentally intensive impact of battery production — particularly from the extraction of minerals for lithium-ion batteries, which provide energy for electric vehicles and other key aspects of life — and proposes a shift towards a circular battery economy that uses and reuses already existing materials, vastly reducing the industry’s carbon footprint and need for mineral extraction.

Sustainable business leader Cedrik Neike speaks at Session 2 of TED Countdown Summit on July 12, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

We are running out of time to save our planet from climate change — and the metaverse can help. Using virtual tools like AI to cheat time in the real world, Cedrik Neike explains how “digital twin technology” (think simulated giga factories that are one-for-one digital copies of real ones) can help solve real-world problems more efficiently by providing a digital space to test solutions, without pollution. Using the example of virtually ideating the production of safer and faster-charging batteries and then bringing those learnings to the physical world, Neike points to the potential of industrial metaverses to revolutionize industries and redesign entire cities — from transportation, agriculture and housing — addressing massive challenges and avoiding the creation of excess waste at the same time.

Oceanographer Susan Lozier speaks at Session 2 of TED Countdown Summit on July 12, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Oceanographer Susan Lozier dives into the importance of the ocean’s natural circulation, which overturns water in a way that naturally captures carbon and regulates global temperatures. She shares the incredible research being done internationally to track changes in this overturn, as warming global temperatures could slow the circulation, lessen carbon uptake and increase the rate of climate-related disasters. While a collapse in this age-old system isn’t likely until 2100, Lozier warns of the dangers faced by future generations if we don’t change course now, calling for climate action to lower temperatures within the next 10 years.

SVP of A.P. Moller – Maersk Morten Bo Christiansen and TED’s Lindsay Levin speak at Session 2 of TED Countdown Summit on July 12, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Nick Hagen / TED)

As leader of the decarbonization team for A.P. Moller – Maersk, Morten Bo Christiansen is drawing an organizational roadmap to net zero that could help transform the global shipping industry. In conversation with TED’s Lindsay Levin, Christiansen shares his company’s ambitious goal to decarbonize their heavy-emitting business by 2040, highlighting how they’ve started implementing solutions like using green methanol as fuel in their container ships and deploying electric trucks in the US. He also points out the challenges in scaling green fuel production, price issues due to the high cost of green fuels and the need for collaborations across the value chain to manage these obstacles. Despite these challenges, Christiansen remains optimistic, making the case that the added cost to consumers for using green shipping methods is far outweighed by the urgently needed environmental benefits.

Shipping decarbonizer Bo Cerup-Simonsen speaks at Session 2 of TED Countdown Summit on July 12, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

In conversation with TED’s Lindsay Levin, Bo Cerup-Simonsen, CEO of the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, discusses the essential role of their center in orchestrating systemic, global collaboration to tackle large-scale environmental challenges. Discussing the center’s origins, purpose and the strides it’s made in technological, commercial and regulatory spaces, Cerup-Simonsen highlights the push towards green alternatives, like green methanol and ammonia, in global shipping. Through tangible initiatives like “green corridors,” which enable end-to-end zero-carbon shipping between selected ports, they’re fostering cross-industry collaboration to accelerate the green transition and sharing lessons learned in combating the uncertainty hindering decisive action from companies and nations.

Mayor of Detroit Mike Duggan speaks at Session 2 of TED Countdown Summit on July 12, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Nick Hagen / TED)

Mike Duggan is serving his third term as mayor of Detroit, and he’s dead set on building the city’s climate responsiveness. His proposal is a unique one: to transform blighted, vacant lots into solar farms throughout the city. He describes how, with the buy-in of Detroiters themselves, he plans to start building these farms in different neighborhoods with the aim of powering all of Detroit’s municipal buildings and cleaning up dilapidated, vacant land from the city’s manufacturing past.

Public health social worker Laprisha Berry Daniels speaks at Session 2 of TED Countdown Summit on July 12, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Nick Hagen / TED)

Like many cities, Detroit is already feeling the effects of climate change. In the past 10 years, two major floods have cost the city more than a billion dollars in damages. The challenge of climate change may be daunting, but human beings have moved from place to place and adapted to changes in climate (both environmental and social) throughout history. For inspiration, public health social worker Laprisha Berry Daniels mines the survival strategies her grandparents learned after leaving the Jim Crow South to settle in Detroit. The climate crisis may be unprecedented, but Daniels says we can still prepare for it by embracing the lessons of the past. First, we must accept the reality of climate change and prepare for it. Second, we should embrace the power of mutual aid. Lastly, we should empower communities to adapt through community-led planning.

SVP of A.P. Moller – Maersk Morten Bo Christiansen and TED’s Lindsay Levin speak at Session 2 of TED Countdown Summit on July 12, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED )

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Compass: Notes from Session 1 of TED Countdown Summit 2023

Journalist Orlando P. Bailey and TED’s Lindsay Levin and David Biello speak at Session 1 of TED Countdown Summit on July 11, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

TED Countdown Summit 2023 kicked off in Detroit, Michigan, with a wide-ranging, solution-filled session of TED Talks and performances meant to inspire action on the world’s toughest challenge: climate change. Over the course of four days, the Summit seeks to change the conversation on climate change and tell a new, true story about how a bright, clean, just, environmentally bountiful world isn’t just possible — it’s already here.

The event: Talks from Session 1 of TED Countdown Summit 2023, hosted by TED’s Lindsay Levin and David Biello with journalist Orlando P. Bailey

When and where: Tuesday, July 11, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan

Speakers: Simon Stiell, Julio Friedmann, Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, Changhua Wu, Paul Hawken, Anika Goss, Al Gore, Maxim Timchenko

The Detroit Youth Choir performs at Session 1 of TED Countdown Summit on July 11, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Music: Detroit Youth Choir rocked the house with an energetic performance of “Hey Look Ma, I Made It” by Panic! At The Disco and “Believer” by Imagine Dragons, putting their creative skills and talents on full display.

Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Simon Stiell speaks at Session 1 of TED Countdown Summit on July 11, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Transformational climate action is closer than we think, says Simon Stiell, who leads the UNFCCC — the UN’s entity supporting the global response to climate change. Drawing a parallel to the meteoric growth of text messaging in the 1990s and 2000s, Stiell outlines why climate action is set up to transition from a linear to exponential pace — so long as each of us applies our particular skill sets to push the world towards its “green tipping points.” “If you act, the exponential change that is needed will happen,” he says.

Scientist, writer and carbon wrangler Julio Friedmann speaks at Session 1 of TED Countdown Summit on July 11, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

How do we meet the energy needs of 10 billion people — sustainably and affordably? According to carbon removal expert Julio Friedmann, there are three key ingredients to cooking up a bright, clean future for everyone: infrastructure (think: transmission lines, roads and seaports) to make energy accessible; globally aligned (and actually affordable) innovation, like turning electricity into fuel; and more systemic, multi-tiered investment strategies on a global level. “Collective action, building together, is what makes the difficult possible and nourishes the soul through mission and purpose,” he says.

Director of the Office of Science at the US Department of Energy Asmeret Asefaw Berhe speaks at Session 1 of TED Countdown Summit on July 11, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

The Biden Administration has set the ambitious goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. But the US still gets 80 percent of its energy from fossil fuels. Inspired by President John F. Kennedy’s famous “moonshot” speech in 1962, the Biden Administration is now funding “Earthshots” to accelerate breakthroughs in abundant, affordable and reliable clean energy solutions. If the US is going to meet its climate goals, slashing emissions isn’t enough, says soil scientist and national science leader Asmeret Asefaw Berhe. That’s why her team at the Department of Energy is working to employ new technologies, inspired by organic carbon-capture, to sequester carbon from the atmosphere.

Policy analyst Changhua Wu speaks at Session 1 of TED Countdown Summit on July 11, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Policy analyst Changhua Wu says that today China is undergoing a green revolution. The country has accelerated electric vehicle adoption, increased usage of solar and other renewables (with the goal of producing one kilowatt of solar energy per capita by 2030) and is promoting a circular economy that recycles raw materials to enable sustainable growth. To avoid climate catastrophe, Wu says, the US should moderate its foreign policy and learn from China’s efforts to promote sustainability on a massive scale.

Environmentalist Hong Hoang’s TED Idea Search: Southeast Asia submission video plays at Session 1 of TED Countdown Summit on July 11, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Activists are leading the charge into a sustainable future, but their work is never easy and rarely fully appreciated. After being invited to speak at TED Countdown Summit, environmental activist Hong Hoang (a winner of TED Idea Search: Southeast Asia 2022) was detained in her native Vietnam for her efforts to call global attention to Vietnam’s environmental abuses. Before a moment of silence in her honor, TED shared Hoang’s Idea Search submission video, where she emphasized the need her create climate activism in politically challenging contexts.

Environmentalist and author Paul Hawken speaks at Session 1 of TED Countdown Summit on July 11, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

We pay plenty of attention to the role industry plays in the destruction of our ecosystems and in the emission of greenhouse gasses. But what about the role of industrial agriculture? According to environmentalist Paul Hawken, industrial agriculture (the “fossil food industry,” as he calls it) is the world’s biggest culprit in environmental degradation. Modern factory farms reduce the nutritional content of soil, encourage erosion, ooze toxic runoff and kill off microbial fungi that naturally sequester carbon. Hawken paints a picture of a transition to regenerative agriculture: farming that embraces ancient techniques to renew the soil and insure fertility for generations. He explains how it would create farms that soak up more water, nurture healthier crops and recreate habitats for indigenous species — restoring biodiversity and mitigating the worst impacts of climate change.

City visionary Anika Goss speaks at Session 1 of TED Countdown Summit on July 11, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Climate change tests the social and economic fabric of cities like Detroit with rising temperatures that stretch power grids and “500-year” floods that leave mold and destruction in their wake. City visionary Anika Goss says financial stability is critical for Detroit’s survival in the face of the mounting climate crisis, and that the city must rebuild resilience in order to protect its citizens, who are overwhelmingly people of color already facing social inequity. By fostering entrepreneurship, restoring infrastructure and reviving abandoned urban spaces, she believes Detroit can overcome the unique challenges posed by the collapse of its manufacturing sector, creating thriving neighborhoods that embrace justice, sustainability and social connectivity.

Nobel Laureate, climate advocate and TED legend Al Gore speaks at Session 1 of TED Countdown Summit on July 11, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Fossil fuel companies claim to be in favor of climate-friendly solutions, but do their efforts have any real impact? Nobel Laureate and climate advocate Al Gore returns to the TED Countdown stage to break down the data proving that the greed of fossil fuel executives has thwarted their attempts to support climate action. He reveals two obstacles to lowering global emissions — namely, how oil and gas companies deliberately slow down global efforts to move capital away from fossil fuels, and the ineffectiveness of carbon capture technology — and reminds everyone that “the will to act is itself a renewable resource.”

Ukrainian energy executive Maxim Timchenko shares how DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, has diversified the country’s power structures to survive Russian attacks, highlighting the resilience of renewable energy (such as wind turbines, which are a smaller, more difficult target for bombers). He outlines how they’ve expanded renewable energy production throughout the war with Russia, becoming a testing ground in the global fight against climate change and the future of energy independence.

Attendees at Session 1 of TED Countdown Summit on July 11, 2023, at the Fillmore Detroit in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

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Exploring possibilities at TED2023 through sustainable and creative gifts

Par : TED Staff

The Solgaard installation at TED2023 conference April 17-21, 2023 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Jason Redmond / TED)

TED2023 invited attendees to explore the edges of what’s possible and what’s on the horizon. Part of this experience included inspiring new ideas through a thoughtful and sustainable gift program.

For this year’s conference gifts, we focused on working with brands that inspire creativity and push boundaries in their respective industries while ensuring sustainable values. Each gift was carefully chosen to reflect the spirit of TED.

Here’s a look at what was offered in the TED gift bag:

  • Solgaard: Optimized for daily work, life and travel, the Circular Bag protects the planet and your belongings.
  • Larq: A water bottle for wherever you hydrate. Purchase of this bottle gives back, supporting clean water facilities worldwide and cleaning up plastic waste.
  • JLab: With JBuds Air Pro Wireless Earbuds, JLab imagines and delivers the personal technology products that consumers want.
  • agood company: The reused stone notebook is one step in the fight against the unsustainable supply chains harming our planet.
  • evolvetogether: Beautiful and high-performing daily essentials that take care of people and the planet.
  • Nécessaire: Body wash that shows less is better. The Necessary™ supports health and wellness.
  • Before Self Care: Toothpaste tubes that are plant-based, 100% recyclable and celebrate conscious design and a healthy world.
  • Food Huggers: Simple and sustainable, Food Huggers mimic peels found in nature to keep food fresh and delicious.
  • Every.org: Philanthropy is for everyone. Camp.org provided $500 gift cards to attendees to support any of the over 1.2 million nonprofits on Every.org. 

During the conference, attendees had the opportunity to explore a range of new and exciting gifts at the TED Gift Hub. A curated selection of gifts from various partners were featured, showcasing different products throughout the week. Attendees had the chance to browse and select gifts that resonated with them, ranging from sustainable products, unique experiences and cutting-edge technology. The variety of partners and products on display showcased the diversity of innovation and possibility in the world today, providing a memorable and engaging experience at the TED Gift Hub.

Explore more about our in-kind partners: Aukai Body, B612 Foundation, BRIGHT, biom, Circular Harvest, Curio, Jabra, JLab, Manta Sleep, Mt. Kearsage Indian Museum, Oakywood, Oasense, OSEA, Outway, Pela, PYM, Rishi Tea, RoseBYANDER, Scopio, Sennheiser, Slowtide, thirteen lune, VRAI, Water & Wines and Zojirushi.

The TED Gift Hub at the TED2023 conference April 17-21, 2023 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Solgaard activation

How to convince your boss to send you to TEDWomen

Par : TED Staff

TEDWomen is the ultimate platform dedicated to accelerating groundbreaking ideas that build a better, more equitable future for all. It’s a captivating journey of self-discovery and professional enrichment and an opportunity to form life-altering relationships with some of the brightest minds on the planet.

But first, the true challenge: getting the time and expense approved. Fear not! We’re here to equip you with the right pitch that will leave your boss with a strong understanding of how important it is to say “yes” to TEDWomen.

Attendees take a selfie by the stage at TEDWomen 2021. (Photo: Marla Aufmuth / TED)

Underscore the personal development benefits 

Personal development is an area most companies value greatly, and TEDWomen holds the key to unleashing your untapped potential. Engage in workshops and thought-provoking conversations with influential speakers, activists and fellow attendees; hear mind-blowing TED Talks; see captivating performances; and participate in unique, curated activities. The conference program offers a deeper understanding of radical shifts in technology, business, culture and more, helping empower you to shape your organization’s thought leadership and equity initiatives.

TEDWomen is a transformative conference experience that opens up a world of possibilities for your professional growth. Imagine being in the same room with an exceptional lineup of senior leaders, including c-suite executives, presidents, founders, EVPs, SVPs and partners. This is not your typical networking event; it’s an extraordinary gathering where distinguished leaders come to learn, share and give back. Prepare to be inspired to take the right steps forward, not just to exchange business cards.

Outline the ROI

The connections you make will not only enrich your personal and professional life, but can also help open up exciting business opportunities for your company. Need proof of the conference’s impact? Look no further than zoologist Lucy King, who presented a creative solution on how bees can foster peace between elephants and humans in Africa. Her compelling talk at TEDWomen 2019 led to critical funding, raising over one million dollars for the Elephant Coexistence Program. Imagine the possibilities when you share your own story with a community closely watched by influential donors and innovation supporters.

TEDWomen is not only a conference; it’s a joyful and inclusive space where diverse voices and perspectives shine. It’s the birthplace of careers like Maysoon Zayid‘s, whose talk at TEDWomen 2013 on living with cerebral palsy propelled her career and brought much-needed representation and diversity to the entertainment industry. You’ll get the chance to discover emerging talent and groundbreaking ideas that could benefit your company and transform your own professional path.

Here’s a bonus tip to maximize your return on investment: secure an Early Supporter membership at the lowest rate possible (expires June 15, 2023) or invite a group of five colleagues and enjoy a Group Rate. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to make the most of your TEDWomen experience personally, professionally and financially.

Audience members of TEDWomen 2016. (Photo: Marla Aufmuth / TED)

Now, let’s put it all together using this template, outlined below.

Step 1: Start with this intro

“By attending TEDWomen, I’ll have the incredible opportunity to immerse myself in industries and sectors closely related to ours. This exposure will fuel my innovation and enable me to bring fresh ideas and perspectives back to our team. It’s the perfect chance to discover new pathways and become an even more dynamic and inventive employee.”

Step 2: Emphasize the community you’ll be a part of

“When we align our brand with TED, we tap into a global network of the most influential minds on the planet. By participating in TEDWomen, we connect with renowned thinkers, change-makers and visionaries, paving the way for potential collaborations and groundbreaking business opportunities. It’s an exciting chance to enhance our brand’s visibility and make valuable connections that can propel our success.”

Bonus: Delve into the conference program and identify speakers who align with your company’s goals and objectives; by highlighting their relevance in your pitch, you’ll demonstrate the direct value attending TEDWomen will bring to your company.

Step 3: Finish with the lasting impact

“Attending a TEDWomen conference is not just an event; it’s a true growth opportunity with far-reaching impacts. By investing in my professional and personal development, I’ll become a better leader and contributor to our organization. The invaluable insights, knowledge and inspiration gained from TEDWomen will empower me to bring innovative strategies and fresh perspectives to the table, driving our collective success forward.

“By attending TEDWomen 2023, I will unlock a world of possibilities, enabling me to contribute at a higher level and fueling our company’s growth in ways we never thought possible.”

You can apply now for TEDWomen 2023, no invite needed. The conference will be held October 11-13 at the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Make this the year you attend an event that invests in yourself and your company. Get the approval you need and get started on your TEDWomen journey. 

Download TEDWomen Conference Overview.

Attendees at TEDWomen 2021. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

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Doses of possibility: The mind-blowing interstitials of TED2023

The shorts of TED2023 define the era we find ourselves in — immersed in artificial intelligence, playing with possibility and defiantly full of infinite depth and discovery. Watch below for AI-infused resets and perspective shifts embodying the spirit of TED2023.

The short: “Baraye”
In brief: Coldplay performs Iranian protest song “Baraye” (originally by Shervin Hajipour) — and invites exiled Iranian actor Golshifteh Farahani on stage to sing with them during their Buenos Aires concert in 2022.
Shown during: Session 1: In which we start things off with a bang

The short: “Jacquemus ‘Champagne?'”
The creator: Directed by Pantera
In brief: A runaway, ricocheting champagne cork causes tremendous trouble in record time for a quiet Christmas party.
Shown during: Session 1: In which we start things off with a bang

Arthur C. Clarke about the future of AI.
—21 September 1964

[source, BBC Archive: https://t.co/u9RpXTrztK]pic.twitter.com/rccfoQlv42

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) March 26, 2023

The short: “Arthur C. Clarke predicts AI at the 1964 New York World Fair”
The creator: BBC Archive
In brief: BBC newscaster Arthur C. Clarke predicts the future of artificial intelligence with startling accuracy — during a report from the 1964 World’s Fair.
Shown during: Session 2: In which we explore the astounding new era of AI

The short: “Symbiosis”
The creators: AI: @remi_molettee; Film: slimshowroom; Performers: Ebinum Brothers; Music: Max Richter
In brief: Two root-like bodies dance and tumble over, under and through each other in a vast desert.
Shown during: Session 2: In which we explore the astounding new era of AI

The short: “All for You”
The creator: Directed by Arthur Studholme
In brief: A series of meet-cutes devolve from dream to nightmare for one man who seems to have enough room in his romantic imagination for everyone and everything he encounters.
Shown during: Session 4: In which we ponder ideas that are way, way out there

The short: “Hairy Pouter”
The creators: Directed by Chris Carboni; Sound by Ambrose Yu; Music by Charles Di Raimondo
In brief: A 98-year-old woman’s review of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, absurdly interpreted in this film entirely designed by AI.
Shown during: Session 4: In which we ponder ideas that are way, way out there

The short: “You Know What I Need”
The creators: Video by MELT IMMERSIVE; Directed by Kuba Matyka & Kamila Staszczyszyn
In brief: Mind-melting, multi-dimensional AI art meets the melodies of Troye Sivan and PNAU in this visually immersive and psychedelic music video.
Shown during: Session 6: In which we discover how our brains might soon get upgraded

The short: “Ode To My Shiny Metal Toaster”
The creator: Guided by Alexander Reben
In brief: A poem dedicated to a shiny metal toaster … generated, titled, illustrated and spoken by artificial intelligence.
Shown during: Session 6: In which we discover how our brains might soon get upgraded

The short: “One More Try”
The creator: Directed by Najeeb Tarazi
In brief: How many tries does it take to get to the center of a sweet skateboarding trick? One, two, three? A lot more than that, sometimes.
Shown during: Session 6: In which we discover how our brains might soon get upgraded

The short: “Apple – The Greatest”
The creator: Directed by Kim Gehrig
In brief: An ode to the beauty of human diversity — and how tech assists our journey through life.
Shown during: Session 7: In which we breathe deep and embrace humanity’s full potential

The short: “KCRW: ‘Listen'”
The creator: Directed by Anderson Wright
In brief: A reminder to just stop … and listen … to the world around you.
Shown during: Session 7: In which we breathe deep and embrace humanity’s full potential

The short: “I’m Only Sleeping”
The creator: Directed (and painted) by Em Cooper
In brief: Take a semi-lucid, painterly dip between dreaming and waking with this trippy visual complement to this sleepy Beatles single.
Shown during: Session 8: In which we delightedly and unapologetically nerd out

The short: “Magically Turning into Random Objects”
The creator: Kevin Parry
In brief: A man transforms into a variety of everyday objects through the power and optical illusory magic of impressive video editing.
Shown during: Session 8: In which we delightedly and unapologetically nerd out

The short: “I asked AI to write an Eminem rap about cats”
The creator: Grandayy
In brief: Ever wondered what it would sound like if Eminem rapped about cats? AI has your answer.
Shown during: Session 9: In which we prepare for the inevitable chaos ahead

The short: “Bonobo – ATK”
The creators: Directed by McGloughlin Brothers
In brief: Fast trains + high shutter speeds = everyday zoetropes as the world passes you by.
Shown during: Session 9: In which we prepare for the inevitable chaos ahead

The short: “Blue Jeans and Bloody Tears”
The creators: Concept and creative direction by Nim Shapira; Song by Amir Shoenfeld, Avshalom Ariel, Ben Scheflan, Eran Hadas, ORACLE Israel & UK and Nim Shapira; Music video by Karni and Saul
In brief: The first Eurovision song generated by artificial intelligence. (Warning: The chorus will get stuck in your head.)
Shown during: Session 10: In which we experience new levels of AI creativity … and ask some hard questions

@donalleniii

🤯How does this WORK??? #gen1 @runwayml

♬ Indiana Jones (Main Theme) – The Movie Soundtrack Experts

The short: “AI Adventurer Archaeologist”
The creator: Don Allen Stevenson III
In brief: AI reimagines a homemade homage to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom into an inspired and dynamic animated scene.
Shown during: Session 10: In which we experience new levels of AI creativity … and ask some hard questionss

The short: “Turbulence”
The creator: Roman De Giuli
In brief: Glittering, metallic transcendence in ultra high-definition slow motion.
Shown during: Session 11: In which we celebrate the unbridled power of the imagination

The short:Tropical Zincphony
The creators: Directed by Donna Conlon and Jonathan Harker
In brief: A parade of mangoes roll down a plethora of Panamanian zinc roofs. Where do they stop? Nobody knows.
Shown during: Session 11: In which we celebrate the unbridled power of the imagination

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Nadya Tolokonnikova of Pussy Riot delivers powerful message to Vladimir Putin at TED2023

In an electric talk at Session 4 of TED2023, Pussy Riot founding member Nadya Tolokonnikova delivered a powerful message to Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding his war in Ukraine: “You have already lost. You know it … The world is with Ukraine.”

Courage is contagious, and it’s a strength we all have inside us,” Tolokonnikova says. In 2011, she cofounded the Russian protest and performance art group Pussy Riot in opposition to Vladimir Putin’s oppressive regime. After a string of protests and arrests, she and her fellow members were sentenced to two years in prison for their “Punk Prayer,” performed in a central Moscow cathedral. She was 22 years old at the time, wondering, “Can one person change the world? … Am I going to be able to achieve my dreams, or am I inevitably going to be smashed by the system?” 

Since her release from the Siberian penal colony in late 2013, Tolokonnikova has continued her fight. She founded the investigative news agency Mediazona, a rare independent media organization in Russia. Her other initiative, UnicornDAO, is supports female artists. Now living in exile, Tolokonnikova stands as a leading voice in the fight for freedom in Russia and was named a top enemy of Putin simply because, in her words, “Courage is contagious.” She calls for everyone to embrace the courage within themselves.

Nadya Tolokonnikova speaks at Session 4 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Behind her is a photo of the Pussy Riot protest “Punk Prayer,” performed in a central Moscow cathedral in 2012. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

Nadya Tolokonnikovaspeaks at Session 4 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

 

Nadya Tolokonnikova speaks at Session 4 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

 

Nadya Tolokonnikova speaks at Session 4 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Behind her is a photo of her sentencing in 2012. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

 

Nadya Tolokonnikova speaks at Session 4 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

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The dots finally connect: Notes on Session 12 of TED2023

TED’s Whitney Pennington Rodgers (left), Chris Anderson and Helen Walters host Session 12 of TED2023: Possibility on April 21, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

After a jam-packed week of ideas, connection and wonder, the remarkable closing session of TED2023 connected the dots, with deep thinking on purpose and the power of self-belief as well as some much-needed challenges to conventional wisdom.

The event: Talks from Session 12 of TED2023: Possibility, hosted by TED’s Chris Anderson, Helen Walters and Whitney Pennington Rodgers

When and where: Friday, April 21, 2023, at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, BC, Canada

Speakers: Sheryl Lee Ralph, Krista Tippett, David McWilliams, Emmanuel Acho

Genre-bending musician Jacob Collier performs at Session 12 of TED2023: Possibility on April 21, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Performance: Jacob Collier‘s music makes spirits soar. No stranger to the big stage, Collier brings his signature “audience choir” to TED, inviting the whole audience to test out their pipes and create haunting harmonies that prove anyone can make beautiful music.

Actor and comedian Julia Sweeney speaks at Session 12 of TED2023: Possibility on April 21, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Conference wrap-up: Sending up the conference with her signature wit, actor and comedian Julia Sweeney observes the TED tradition of closing out a sometimes serious week with a hilarious set of jokes that celebrate the speakers who took the stage.

Emmy-winning actor Sheryl Lee Ralph speaks at Session 12 of TED2023: Possibility on April 21, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

“The greatest relationship you will ever have is with yourself,” says actor Sheryl Lee Ralph. As soon as she steps on stage, Ralph sings a powerful rendition of Dianne Reeves’s “Endangered Species,” as she did when she won her Emmy for supporting actress in a comedy for her role as Barbara Howard in the series Abbott Elementary. Sharing her own journey (and challenges) with self-belief, Ralph gifts us with three life-altering pearls of wisdom that can help us muster the confidence to take up the space we deserve: 1) See yourself for who and what you truly are. 2) In order to believe in yourself, reframe your experiences in ways that empower you. 3) Act like you believe in yourself. Ralph urges us all to start a meaningful practice of looking in the mirror. “Believe in what you see,” she says. “If you can’t love it, then respect it. If you can’t respect it, then encourage it. If you can’t encourage it, empower it. If you can’t empower it, please be kind to it.”

Deep thinker Krista Tippett speaks at Session 12 of TED2023: Possibility on April 21, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Journalist and host of the On Being podcast Krista Tippett dives into the spirit of a post-pandemic world and offers three tips for cultivating a happier, more meaningful life. First, she suggests, see the “generative story of our time.” Human brains are naturally inclined to notice threats, but if you retune yourself to notice the goodness around you, that can influence your worldview, too. Second, in the tradition of Rainer Maria Rilke, learn to “live the questions.” Ask high-quality questions that can deepen and guide you in the present moment; don’t fixate only on the answers. Finally, reconsider the matter of your “calling” and the possibility of wholeness. You are more than your job. Participate in your relationships and your community to discover and embrace your role in the wider story of society.

Economist David McWilliams speaks at Session 12 of TED2023: Possibility on April 21, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Economists get paid to think about the future — so why are they so often wrong? David McWilliams believes the answer lies in how our society discourages unconventional thinking. Take the consensus among economists after World War I, for example. Most predicted a return to the gold standard and a “war to end all wars.” It took a poet, William Butler Yeats, to anticipate the great tipping point ahead: “Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; / Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world, / The blood-dimmed tide is loosed,” Yeats wrote in “The Second Coming.” McWilliams says the system that produced so many overconfident economists in the 1920s remains fundamentally unchanged. Our schools reward a narrow range of intelligence and, after formal education, we unwittingly create echo chambers that constrain our understanding of the world. To fight confirmation bias, we must embrace unconventional thinkers: “If you want to understand the world more clearly, listen less to the economists and more to the poets,” McWilliams says.

Emmy-winning host and producer Emmanuel Acho speaks at Session 12 of TED2023: Possibility on April 21, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Content about the power of goal-setting is inescapable. Almost anyone will tell you: if you want to achieve something, set a goal. But Emmanuel Acho, former NFL linebacker and Emmy-winning host and producer, has a different story to tell. Goal-setting, Acho says, is a symptom of our insatiable desire for feedback. We crave affirmation and the feeling that we’ve achieved an end, but whether or not you achieve your goals, Acho believes they carry a hidden cost. Goals damage your self-worth and prevent you from exploring unexpected possibilities. The most fulfilled people pursue growth with no endpoint. Take Kirk Hammett, lead guitarist of Metallica, for example. Hammett never set out to sell 125 million records: he “just wanted to play his guitar a little better every day.”

TED community members discuss the issues that matter to them most during the Town Hall at Session 12 of TED2023: Possibility on April 21, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

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Celebrating the unbridled power of imagination: Notes on Session 11 of TED2023

Poet Sarah Kay co-hosts Session 11 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Session 11 of TED2023 was a celebration of the unbridled power of imagination. What is imagination, exactly? According to poet and session co-host Sarah Kay, it’s the ability to notice, see and observe what is — and then to dream, build and expand on what is not but could be. Eight speakers and one performer led the way in doing just that for this classically eclectic evening session.

The event: Talks from Session 11 of TED2023: Possibility, hosted by poet Sarah Kay and TED’s head of curation Helen Walters

When and where: Thursday, April 20, 2023, at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, BC, Canada

Speakers: Lonneke Gordijn, Vinu Daniel, Misan Harriman, Melissa Villaseñor, Imran Chaudhri, Lucas Rizzotto, Ersin Han Ersin

Opening poem: Poet Sarah Kay shares some of the amazing things she sees “wandering the streets of Bewilderville” in New York City, encouraging us all “to pick up when the universe calls.”

Performance: A self-described “dance floor demon,” singer-songwriter Tolliver rocks the house with a performance of “Say What” and “I’m Nervous.”

The talks in brief:

Experiential artist Lonneke Gordijn speaks at Session 11 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

Nature is never static, says experiential artist Lonneke Gordijn, whose work with creative partner Ralph Nauta is informed by that principle. Together they’ve created artworks that evoke nature and border on magic, founding Studio Drift to tap into the world’s mysteries. Gordijn describes Shylight, an installation of lights that float down from the ceiling, opening and closing, interacting like flowers, and how it became an ongoing art piece exploring different mechanisms and rhythms that spark different reactions in their audience. Fascinated by murmurations (creatures going places, leaderless, moving together), Gordijin shares the evolving process of their research-backed, software-driven environmental art piece made of a building-sized swarm of drones that flew across the desert at Burning Man, enchanting all. Unexpectedly, she reveals a massive block of concrete hiding in the shadows of the TED Theater, as — like magic — it becomes weightless and begins to float over Gordijn … over the audience … almost like it came to life and was trying to find its way back home.

Vinu Daniel speaks at Session 11 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

What if we could put waste to work building a better world? Climate-responsive architect Vinu Daniel is doing exactly that, having developed new, natural building techniques that utilize local, discarded materials such as plastic, tires and mud to create magnificent yet utilitarian spaces. His design firm, Wallmakers, builds dreamlike homes, schools and more that blend with the landscape, showing what’s possible when we build with our planet in mind.

Misan Harriman speaks at Session 11 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Given a warm video introduction by his friend, Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle, arts advocate Misan Harriman‘s love for rich cultural experiences was ignited in his youth by the internet. It was an “endless library of the extraordinary,” he says, especially for a dyslexic Nigerian boy like himself who felt under-stimulated in his boarding school classes. Harriman went from observer of content to artist after he saw an image of Coretta Scott King at the funeral of her late husband Martin Luther King Jr. — it showed him that photography had the power to expose the work we need to do in this life. When George Floyd was murdered, Harriman took his camera to the protests that erupted in London and captured one of the greatest civil rights movements in our lifetimes — and Martin Luther King III shared one of his images on social media and millions saw what his work illuminated. Pointing to the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa, he urges us all to take an unflinching look at what needs to be done in the world around us — and then do something.

Melissa Villaseñor Session 11 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

While Saturday Night Live alum Melissa Villaseñor earned comedic success through her uncanny celebrity impressions, too often she felt the laughs weren’t for her but rather for the characters. She shares how she learned to combine personal vulnerability with her classic voice bits (think: Sandra Bullock, Britney Spears, Dolly Parton and many more), centering her identity and family story on stage. Through her touching, hilarious journey, Villaseñor encourages everyone to be themselves and believe in their dreams — even if you don’t know what to do after you achieve them.

Imran Chaudhri speaks at Session 11 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

From the desktop computer to the laptop to the smarthphone to the smartwatch, in recent decades our devices have grown smaller and more powerful. User experience visionary and Humane cofounder Imran Chaudhri says the next step in this progression will be far more radical. Using the power of AI, our devices will disappear completely, and the human-technology relationship will become “screenless, seamless and sensing.” To make his point, Chaudhri previews his company’s unreleased device, which sits in his breast pocket and can translate his words — and voice — into French, ask for local shopping suggestions and assess if a chocolate bar meets his dietary restrictions. He forecasts a future where AI-powered tech will do away with screens, helping us to be more present and efficient in our everyday lives.

Lucas Rizzotto speaks at Session 11 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

What is the relationship between art and technology? In the past, says mixed reality experiential artist Lucas Rizzotto, artists often imagined new realities that engineers later built (think of the influence of sci-fi writers, for instance). But as powerful technology grows more accessible, Rizzotto wants to reverse this formula by encouraging artists to express themselves through technology — because it’s perspective, even more than technical skill, that leads to a vision worth creating. He shares how his own free-ranging exploration has led to various unexpected and delightful innovations: a suit you can play like an instrument and a game for lonely people now being adapted as group therapy. “When you take the technology we don’t understand and approach it as an artist, you do things a conventional engineer would never do,” Rizzotto says.

Ersin Han Ersin speaks at Session 11 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

What’s it like to be a tree — to host a vast web of relationships that anchor an entire ecosystem? In a mind-blowing talk, artist Ersin Han Ersin asks us to step into a giant sequoia tree, peering through its bark into the tapestry of life within. He gives a tour of his multisensory, mixed-reality installations — co-created with the art collective Marshmallow Laser Feast along with teams of scientists, programmers, structural engineers and more — and shares how they explore the concept of umwelt, or the unique sensory world of different organisms. The work is an effort to rethink the primordial relationship between plants, animals and fungi — and to dismantle the myth of human separation from the natural world. “We are as much trees as trees are us,” he says.

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The Way We Work: Practical workplace wisdom, in partnership with Upwork

Work is a big part of our lives, so how can we bring our best selves to it, and how can we create workplaces that help employees thrive?

The Way We Work is a TED original video series where leaders and thinkers offer practical wisdom and insight into how we can adapt and thrive amid changing workplace conventions. The series is made possible with the support of Upwork.

Whether you’re looking to boost your productivity, help employees with disabilities excel, calm your anxietybe a team player or establish healthy boundaries, the fifth season of The Way We Work brings in innovative workplace heroes to share their top tips. They offer advice on how to navigate some trickier situations, like quitting a job without burning bridges or thriving in a hybrid work culture. Learn how to adopt new ways of working — and how to talk about your own impact.

Looking to launch something new at work? Here’s how to make sure it’s a lasting change:

Want to leave your job but don’t know where to start? This is how you quit well:

Burnt out by collaboration overload? Here’s how to reclaim your peace of mind:

A playbook on setting healthy boundaries at work:

Could your anxiety be transformed into something useful?

We all procrastinate sometimes — here’s how to design for it instead of fighting against it:

You have a personal brand, here’s how to shape it:

A guide on how to make hybrid workplaces actually work:

Here’s what workplaces can do to help all employees excel:

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TikTok CEO Shou Chew discusses the app’s algorithm and future — live at TED2023

Hot on the heels of his US congressional testimony, TikTok CEO Shou Chew sat down with head of TED Chris Anderson at Session 10 of TED2023 Thursday to discuss the roots of TikTok: what it does, how it works and what it’s doing to protect its users.

Chew reaffirmed his platform’s dedication to offering creativity, inspiration and fun to millions, highlighting some of his favorite creators around the world whose lives have been transformed by their videos going viral. TikTok’s revolutionary interest-predicting algorithm is a simple matter of math, said Chew, showing videos to users based not on subjects or social networks but instead on content others with similar likes have also enjoyed. In this way, anyone can have their videos can be surfaced, irrespective of their status in the real world.

Head of TED Chris Anderson and TikTok CEO Shou Chew speak at Session 10 at TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Jason Redmond / TED)

Diving into some thornier issues, Chew addressed the privacy concerns that have led many in the United States to call for the app’s ban. Far from being a potential data gold mine for the Chinese government, Chew said, all new information on US users harvested by TikTok is housed in servers within the US — although he admits it will take the rest of 2023 to delete old data stored in servers elsewhere.

Head of TED Chris Anderson and TikTok CEO Shou Chew speak at Session 10 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Jason Redmond / TED)

Meanwhile, TikTok continues to prioritize safety, particularly for its youngest users, said Chew. Access to sensitive material and certain features of the app are limited depending on the user’s age, while all content is moderated by both AI and a staff of 10,000 humans. Chew also stressed TikTok’s commitment to nurturing a healthy relationship between users and the app — despite its seemingly addictive design — by the inclusion of gentle suggestions to reduce screen time after a certain amount of use.

TikTok CEO Shou Chew speaks at Session 10 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Gilberto Tadday / TED)

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The TED Theater at TED2023, in photos

Par : TED Staff

For one special week each year, a cavernous wing of the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, BC, Canada is transformed into the TED Theater: a custom-made, hand-built, 1,200-seat theater that plays host to mind-boggling, world-changing ideas meant to spark conversation, connection and wonder. Below, just a sampling of the incredible photography from this year’s event, TED2023. Also, check out our live coverage of the conference and watch TED Talks from TED2023.

TED2023 Photo Team: Leandro Badalotti, Ella DeGea Truelove, Tracy Gitnick, Ryan Lash, Erin Lubin, Jason Redmond, Gilberto Tadday, Jasmina Tomic, Elizabeth Zeeuw

The red circle before Session 1 of TED2023: Possibility April 17, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

The TED Theater at TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

The TED Theater at TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

The TED Theater at TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

The TED Theater at TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

The TED Theater at TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

The TED Theater at TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

The TED Theater at TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

The TED Theater at TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

The TED Theater at TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

The TED Theater at TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

TED attendees in the theater before Session 1 of TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

TED’s Whitney Pennington Rodgers (left), Chris Anderson and Helen Walters host Session 1 of TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

The TED Theater at Session 1 of TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

The TED Theater at TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Photo: Ryan Lash)

 

The TED Theater at TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Photo: Ryan Lash)

 

The red circle before Session 4 of TED2023: Possibility April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

TED attendees in the theater during Session 4 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

The TED Theater at TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Photo: Ryan Lash)

 

Doris Mitsch speaks at Session 4 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

 

Ali Hajimiri and Helen Walters at Session 4 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

 

Garry Cooper speaks at Session 5 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED)

 

Session 5 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED)

 

Session 5 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

 

George T. Whitesides speaks at Session 5 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

 

The TED Theater at TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

Attendees in the theater at Session 9 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

The TED Theater during Session 9 at TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

Attendees in the theater at Session 9 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

TED’s Chris Anderson speaks with Bilawal Sidhu, Eileen Isagon Skyers, Refik Anadol and K Allado-McDowell at Session 10 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

The TED Theater during Session 11 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

Ersin Han Ersin speaks at Session 11 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

Attendees in the theater at Session 11 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED)

 

Attendees in the theater at Session 11 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED)

 

Alua Arthur speaks at Session 9 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

 

TED CEO and Executive Director Jay Herrati (left) and head of TED Chris Anderson during Session 9 of TED2023: Possibility onApril 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

The TED Theater at Session 9 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

Attendees in the TED Theater during Session 9 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

Attendees in the theater during Session 9 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

Alua Arther exits the TED stage during Session 9 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

 

Attendees in the theater during Session 11 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED)

 

The TED Theater at Session 9 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

 

TikTok CEO Shou Chew and head of TED Chris Anderson speak at Session 10 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

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New levels of AI creativity … and some hard questions: Notes on Session 10 of TED2023

Head of TED Chris Anderson hosts Session 10 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

The uses of AI are seemingly limitless, a fact perhaps most easily apparent in the world of art. While some artists fear their skills could be replaced by computer-generated creations, others have embraced machine learning collaborations, spawning mind-boggling works of the imagination. In Session 10 of TED2023, five speakers explore the creative possibilities opened up by AI and discuss the pros and cons of a world where everyone — even computers — can create.

The event: Talks from Session 10 of TED2023: Possibility, hosted by head of TED Chris Anderson

When and where: Thursday, April 20, 2023, at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, BC, Canada

Speakers: Shou Chew, Eileen Isagon Skyers, Bilawal Sidhu, Refik Anadol, K Allado-McDowell

Hot on the heels of his congressional testimony, TikTok CEO Shou Chew sits down with head of TED Chris Anderson to discuss the roots of TikTok: what it does, how it works and what it’s doing to protect its users. Chew reaffirms his platform’s dedication to offering creativity, inspiration and fun to millions, while addressing the privacy concerns that have led many in the United States to call for a ban. Far from being a potential data gold mine for the Chinese government, Chew says, all new information on US users harvested by the app’s revolutionary interest-predicting algorithms is housed in servers within the US — although he admits it will take the rest of 2023 to delete old data stored in servers elsewhere. Meanwhile, TikTok continues to prioritize safety, particularly for its youngest users, by limiting access to sensitive material, gently offering suggestions to reduce screen time and moderating content (a Herculean task performed by AI algorithms in tandem with 10,000 human moderators).

Media art curator Eileen Isagon Skyers speaks at Session 10 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

From bizarre lifeforms to imaginary influencers, we’ve seen AI create all sorts of images, says media art curator Eileen Isagon Skyers — but how do we engage with art made by machines? She points to artists, metaphors and narratives that are pushing the boundaries of AI, including Mario Klingemann’s “Memories of Passersby I”: a machine that uses neural networks to generate a seemingly infinite stream of portraits trained on images from the 17th to 19th centuries. Isagon Skyers shows how AI can be a gateway beyond the human imagination (and physical reality), like artist Sophia Crespo‘s AI-generated “Neural Zoo” which depicts chimeras that don’t exist. She points to Sara Ludy’s multi-media digital art that explores immateriality, Ivona Tau’s AI-generated images that could be mistaken for photographs and Claire Silver’s collaborative paintings she creates with machines. In order to grapple with an increasingly technological future, we need to see what’s being made at the intersection of human and machine creativity, says Isagon Skyers.

Creative technologist Bilawal Sidhu speaks at Session 10 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Creative technologist Bilawal Sidhu is on a lifelong quest to blur the lines between reality and imagination. As a kid, this meant making videos manipulated with computer graphics and visual effects. Now, with advances in AI, this quest is getting supercharged, he says. He offers a tour of the techniques he’s been playing with, including Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF), which create volumetric 3D scenes based on 2D images, and ControlNet, which lets users guide an AI image generation process and essentially re-skin reality. The end result? Young creators no longer need to master expensive tools and esoteric knowledge, he says. Creation will be democratized, and all that’s required is a vision and a knack for co-creating with AI models.

Media artist Refik Anadol speaks at Session 10 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Vividly colorful images of artificial coral reefs ripple on a massive screen behind media artist and director Refik Anadol as he describes his project “Coral Dreams”: AI-generated imagery of corals, created by an algorithm trained on more than 100 million images. Anadol uses machine learning algorithms by harnessing large, publicly available data sets and transforming them into visualizations that tap into humanity’s collective memories — essentially preserving the disappearing parts of nature while also creating artificial realities. With data as his paintbrush, Anadol evokes the feeling of being digitally immersed in nature: projects like “Floral Dreams” use AI trained on 75 million floral images, while “scent of our dreams” uses an algorithm trained on more than half a million scents. As the lines between physical and virtual, nature and technology blur, generative AI helps us create new multi-sensory realities and reflect on the world we live in. Deeply inspired by the leaders of the Yawanawá tribe in Brazil, Anadol asks, “Could we use AI to preserve and learn about ancient knowledge about nature?”

AI collaborator K Allado-McDowell speaks at Session 10 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

“Are we at risk of losing what makes us most human? How can we preserve and even enhance the best in ourselves with AI?” asks writer, musician and AI collaborator K Allado-McDowell. They believe the answer lies in creation, collaboration and care. Having written three books with the aid of AI, Allado-McDowell says nurturing creative relations with these programs can help open the mind, bringing to life ideas that could never have been born of a single creator. Collaboration is important for shaping a well-rounded and diverse future of AI, as the voices that are fed into machine learning help shape its output, too. Finally, Allado-McDowell believes AI should most prominently be used to discover new ways to help people heal, through both art and science, emphasizing care as a north star.

Head of TED Chris Anderson (left) speaks with Bilawal Sidhu, Eileen Isagon Skyers, Refik Anadol and K Allado-McDowell at Session 10 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

In a fascinating discussion on the state of art in the age of AI, artists Eileen Isagon Skyers, Bilawal Sidhu, Refik Anadol and K Allado-McDowell share how they’re using tools like Midjourney, Stable Diffusion and DALL-E to fuel their creativity. With questions from head of TED Chris Anderson, the four creators dig into a range of topics: the repercussions of a market flooded with people who can now make art within seconds, the potential need for new copyright rules, and the role of creative constraints when working with AI tools. They end by sharing what excites them most about this novel, exploratory phase of artistic creation. The field is wide open, says K Allado-McDowell: it’s up to anyone to become a genre-defining mastermind of the form.

Head of TED Chris Anderson and TikTok CEO Shou Chew speak at Session 10 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED)

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Preparing for the inevitable chaos ahead: Notes on Session 9 of TED2023

TED’s head of curation Helen Walters speaks at Session 9 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

As we barrel into the future at breakneck speed, there can be a sense of perilous vertigo. How do we prepare for constant upheaval and change? The answer may lie in a combination of close listening, careful thought and inspiration from people committed to creating peace and progress. In Session 9 of TED2023, seven speakers and performers took up this mantle, exploring topics ranging from reproductive justice and the future of girls’ education to rethinking parenting and the end of life.

The event: Talks from Session 9 of TED2023: Possibility, hosted by TED’s head of curation Helen Walters

When and where: Thursday, April 20, 2023, at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, BC, Canada

Speakers: Angeline Murimirwa, Carlos Rodriguez-Pastor, Mark Edwards, Jessie Reyez, Sean Goode, Becky Kennedy, Alua Arthur

Education activist and 2023 Audacious Project grantee Angeline Murimirwa speaks at Session 9 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

We’ve all heard the story of how girls’ education is as close as we may get to a silver bullet for making the world a better place. But there’s more that needs to be done beyond putting a diploma in a girl’s hand, says education activist and 2023 Audacious Project grantee Angeline Murimirwa. Asking so much of young girls places an unimaginably heavy weight on them to beat the odds on their own and make the world a better place without radically reshaping the systems and environment that oppress them. That’s where Murimirwa’s organization CAMFED comes in, helping to lift the burden and ease the pressure by providing a strong social and financial network of 250,000 women mentors and supporters who have made the same difficult journey. A sisterhood, if you will, that not only works but also pays it forward to those who walk alongside them. Murimirwa is living proof, she shares, as one of the first in Zimbabwe helped by the organization years ago — and look where she is now, as its CEO.

TED business curator Corey Hajim (left) and Intercorp founder Carlos Rodriguez-Pastor speak at Session 9 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

If Peru is to become a fully developed country, Peruvian businesses must lead the way, says Intercorp founder Carlos Rodríguez-Pastor, one of Peru’s financial icons. By partnering with companies across the nation, he’s implementing numerous programs to nurture the country’s growing middle class. In conversation with TED business curator Corey Hajim, Rodríguez-Pastor breaks down Peru’s problems into three barriers: education, health care and infrastructure. Working on the ground rather than in the boardroom, he’s found innovative solutions to these problems, partnering with companies to build better schools that are also profitable (which, he says, equates to sustainable), bolstering health care through Peru’s existing pharmacy system and leveraging Peruvian tax law to funnel improvement funds directly to local infrastructure projects.

Reproductive health advocate and 2023 Audacious Project grantee Mark Edwards speaks at Session 9 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

According to reproductive health advocate and 2023 Audacious Project grantee Mark Edwards, almost half of all pregnancies in the US are unplanned, and — astonishingly — six out of ten typical birth control pill users will become accidentally pregnant over a span of ten years. These jaw-dropping statistics underscore the sobering fact that many pregnancies occur not because women aren’t using birth control but because they aren’t using the most effective type for their particular circumstances.  In fact, there are 18 FDA-approved forms of birth control, all of which vary in effectiveness for different women and, more importantly, aren’t all available to the women who need it most. Edwards believes contraception is a basic health care right. With his organization Upstream USA, he’s improving birth control education and access for women who lack adequate health care in a post-Roe world where contraception has become critical for family planning.

Speaking during a break between powerful performances of her songs “STILL C U” and “Figures,” singer-songwriter Jessie Reyez tells us she’s “made a profound discovery: we’re born, we grow, we die, and life is suffering.” Indeed, her own struggles with suffering led her to write her music, with roots tapping both sadness and hope. She says we all need to create our own solace from the ruins at our feet — or more succinctly: “Life is what we make it.” Mirroring the message of her spoken words, Reyez’s songs illuminate their painful roots, showcasing her raw powers of creation in sparsely accompanied vocal vignettes that are direct, immediate and often incendiary.

TED community member Sean Goode speaks at Session 9 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

“Will you forgive me, no matter what I do, no matter what I say?” asked TED community member Sean Goode. He believes saying yes to this question provides the opportunity for greater connection, giving space to discuss different experiences and disagreements without harm. By providing grace, says Goode, we’re able to look past difficult histories and envision a more hopeful future together.

Parenting whisperer Becky Kennedy speaks at Session 9 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Every parent loses their temper, but what comes next? As with any relationship, clinical psychologist and parenting whisperer Becky Kennedy believes the best choice is repair: go back to the moment of disconnection, take responsibility for your actions and state what you’ll do differently next time. Where a parent’s lack of repair can force the child to form unproductive coping mechanisms seeped in self-blame, a 15-second intervention can foster healthy emotional regulation and teach effective communication. Kennedy offers straightforward guidance on how to repair, with tips on self-forgiveness, accountability and seizing the opportunity for growth in all relationships — no matter how big the obstacle may seem.

Death doula Alua Arthur speaks at Session 9 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Just as it’s healthy and helpful to think about our lives, so too is it healthy and helpful to think about how they’ll end, says death doula Alua Arthur. As someone who provides non-medical, holistic support for dying people as well as their friends and family, Arthur spends a lot of time thinking about the end of life. The central question she asks people through her work is this: “What must you do to be at peace with yourself so that you may live presently and die gracefully?” By encouraging people to view their present life from the vantage point of a graceful death, Arthur helps them retrofit their lives, seeing clearly who they want to be and what kind of legacy they want to leave behind. Humans are meaning-making machines, she says. Rather than waiting until our deathbeds to figure out our grand life purpose, why not make meaning and magic out of the daily mundane? “The greatest gift of mortality is the sheer wonder that we get to live at all,” she says.

The TED Theater during Session 9 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

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Delightedly and unapologetically nerding out: Notes on Session 8 of TED2023

TED current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers hosts Session 8 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

It wouldn’t be a TED conference without a session devoted to nerding out. Session 8 of TED2023 featured speakers covering the future of digital property rights and blockchain, new thinking on health and medicine, a deep look at the problems facing the oceans and how a few simple lines can evoke both life’s challenges and its wonder.

The event: Talks from Session 8 of TED2023: Possibility, hosted by TED current events curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers

When and where: Thursday, April 20, 2023, at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, BC, Canada

Speakers: Yat Siu, Anna Greka, Jeff Chen, Amy Baxter, Nina Tandon, Tony Long, Liana Finck

Future-focused technologist Yat Siu speaks at Session 8 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

What does it mean to own something online? Most of us spend hours each day online, but we own very little there. You don’t own your Instagram account or the data your TikTok usage creates — data that generates profit and feeds TikTok’s superior algorithm. Future-focused technologist Yat Siu believes the “open metaverse,” a decentralized version of the internet also known as web3, is laying the foundation for a freer, fairer, more prosperous internet by ensuring robust digital property rights. Around the world, the freest, wealthiest countries enjoy strong property rights — so should we be concerned that more and more of our lives are being mediated by a version of the internet that doesn’t guarantee those same rights to its users?

Cellular (dys)function researcher Anna Greka speaks at Session 8 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Molecular scientist Anna Greka studies the world’s rarest diseases using advanced technology to analyze billions of cells via millions of images. With hypothesis-driven research, or “molecular sleuthing,” as she calls it, Greka and her team have been able to determine the cause of a previously mysterious string of kidney failures — and even developed a promising treatment. Their work could lead to treatments for more than 50 different diseases plaguing humanity, from ALS to Alzheimer’s, underlining Greka’s belief that studying the most niche medical cases could really help us all.

Health tech entrepreneur Jeff Chen speaks at Session 8 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

What if there was an easy way to prove the effectiveness of natural products? With AI-driven, crowdsourced clinical trials, health tech entrepreneur and TED community member Jeff Chen believes these supplements can have their chance to prove efficacy with a diverse dataset that includes populations historically excluded from trials — and that’s exactly what he and his team at Radical Science are doing. By sending products directly to a diverse grouping of consumers for testing and collecting that data, they offer an avenue to bypassing the slow-moving process of FDA approval — while giving some of nature’s oldest medicines the chance to be put to the test.

Pain management pioneer Amy Baxter speaks at Session 8 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

What is pain, really? If you whack your thumb with a hammer, you might think, “The pain is in my thumb.” But the reality is that nerves are sending an alarm to your spine, and then pain happens in your brain … somewhere. It’s kind of vague, says pediatric emergency physician and pain management pioneer Amy Baxter. What we do know is that pain’s not in one place, but rather is a symphony of connections. This includes connections to areas of the brain that trigger things like fear, memory, meaning and control. (“The same punch on the arm hurts more from a bully than a buddy,” she says.) Baxter has used this insight to find alternative treatments to pain, in an effort to reduce use of addictive opioids like oxycontin. She explains how methods ranging from vibration and cold to distraction, counting and relaxation can help block pain — without the potentially fatal side effects of opioid use. We have power over our pain, she says: it just takes some practice.

Bioengineer Nina Tandon speaks at Session 8 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED)

As humans injure earlier and live longer than ever before, we need our implants to last as long as we do, says bioengineer and TED community member Nina Tandon. In both her 2011 and 2012 TED Talks, she championed the use of stem cells as an ingredient to grow spare parts for repairs on the human body. At TED2023, she gives an update on how far her organization has come in developing bone and cartilage replacements. (For the curious, it takes three weeks to engineer bone, and four for cartilage — plus they can do any of the 207 bones or 360 joints in the body.) As of 2021, they became the first biotech company greenlit by the FDA to use this approach. She asks: “Would we rather have spare parts made from metal, plastic and ceramic, or connect to our own internal fountain of cellular youth?”

Ocean conservation expert and 2023 Audacious Project grantee Tony Long speaks at Session 8 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED)

Today, a fifth of all seafood is thought to be caught illegally, a crime worth up to 23.5 billion dollars per year. Pirate fishing threatens the health of our ocean and the well-being of millions of people — and it’s not the only crime at sea that goes undetected. Oil spills go unpunished, oil and gas exploration unmonitored. Why are Earth’s oceans such a Wild West? The problem is they’re vast, says Tony Long, president and CEO of Global Fishing Watch and 2023 Audacious Project grantee. You can’t manage the entire ocean from the decks of ships — but you can from space. Using machine learning and GPS data, Global Fishing Watch has built the first-ever livestream map to track the movements of industrial fishing fleets and made it freely available to the world — part of a plan to illuminate all human activity in the ocean and transform ocean management.

Intuitive illustrator Liana Finck speaks at Session 8 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED)

In an illustrated journey through an often-baffling world, cartoonist Liana Finck‘s drawings hold our hands through life’s most confusing predicaments (large and small): pondering what to make for dinner, how to leave a party without being rude. She also takes on more complex things that take many drawings, like creating her own version of God; think more human, less confident. After a breakup, Finck realized drawing from her own life not only helped her understand herself better — but also helped her connect to other people. With the power of pen and paper, she shows us we can navigate life’s complexities together with levity, humor and line.

The TED Theater during Session 8 of TED2023: Possibility on April 20, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED)

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OpenAI cofounder Greg Brockman demos unreleased ChatGPT plug-ins — live at TED2023

ChatGPT stunned the world. What comes next?

Speaking live at Session 2 of TED2023 on Tuesday, OpenAI cofounder Greg Brockman took a peek under the hood of GPT-4 — the company’s most advanced large language model — and discussed why he thinks this is a historic moment to shape the future of artificial general intelligence (AGI).

Brockman projected his laptop onto the big screens in the TED Theater and demoed a series of mind-blowing, unreleased plug-ins for ChatGPT. Working live off the internet, he showed how ChatGPT could help you create a recipe for dinner, generate an image of the finished dish, draft a tweet about that dish and build the corresponding grocery list in Instacart — all without you ever having to leave the chatbot. He went on to demonstrate ChatGPT’s new ability to fact-check its own work (with citations you can click on) and interpret a data-intensive spreadsheet even when given relatively vague instructions.

OpenAI cofounder Greg Brockman speaks at Session 2 of TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

The idea, Brockman says, is that the machine learns to “align” with your intent. Just like you might teach a child a task without giving precise instructions, so too will the AI gradually learn to apply its knowledge to novel situations through a feedback loop with users. He hopes this will take the shape of a deep, trustworthy collaboration between humans and AI on the path to completing harder and harder tasks. Humans will be the managers and overseers of this work, Brockman says — the machine just executes the details.

Acknowledging that many people are nervous about the potential of AGI, Brockman nonetheless maintained his view that the technology will create a better world for everyone. The key to achieving this, he says, will be widespread participation and input from people on what the guardrails for the AI should be.

Head of TED Chris Anderson (left) and OpenAI cofounder Greg Brockman speak at Session 2 at TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

After the talk, head of TED Chris Anderson joined Brockman onstage to dig deeper into the timeline of ChatGPT’s development and the risks, raised by many in the tech industry and beyond, of putting such a powerful tool out into the world. Was it a responsible decision, or a reckless one? Brockman’s stance is that the best approach is to release the machine before it’s super powerful, see it in action and “let reality hit you in the face.” From there, he says, it’s our collective responsibility to provide feedback to the AI on the way to incremental improvement.

One way or another, Brockman says, AGI is poised to transform almost every aspect of how we use computers. It’s time that we all get literate in this technology.

OpenAI cofounder Greg Brockman speaks at Session 2 of TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

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Breathing deep and embracing humanity’s full potential: Notes on Session 7 of TED2023

Head of TED Chris Anderson and Audacious Project Executive Director Anna Verghese host Session 7 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

In the soul-seeking Session 7 of TED2023 a group of extraordinary individuals considered counternarratives to the doom-and-gloom that pervades much of modern media and sought to recalibrate our thinking on what it means to be human.

The event: Talks from Session 7 of TED2023: Possibility, hosted by head of TED Chris Anderson and Audacious Project Executive Director Anna Verghese

When and where: Wednesday, April 19, 2023, at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, BC, Canada

Speakers: Natalie Cargill, Sixto Cancel, Richard V. Reeves, Coleman Hughes, Anne Morriss, Kevin Stone, Sarah Jones, Sheena Meade

Singer-songwriter Maria Arnal performs at Session 7 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Performance: Singer-songwriter Maria Arnal lit up the TED stage, weaving together folk and techno-pop to create a dazzling soundscape.

The talks in brief:

Philanthropic mastermind Natalie Cargill speaks at Session 7 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

What would you do with 3.5 trillion dollars? Philanthropic mastermind Natalie Cargill has used this thought experiment, grounded in thousands of hours of expert research, to investigate what it would take to actually solve some of our most pressing problems. With this amount of money, she says, we could tackle extreme poverty, pandemic prevention, climate change, nuclear war, runaway AI and more – with just one year’s worth of funding. Where would this money come from, you may ask? If everyone in the global top one percent of earners (i.e., people making $60,000 a year or more after tax) gave away just ten percent of their income for a year, we’d be there. Cargill’s point is that we’re not doomed to suffer through unnecessary and avoidable issues. “Huge problems can be solved, and philanthropy can be good,” she says.

Foster care transformation advocate and 2023 Audacious Project grantee Sixto Cancel speaks at Session 7 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

As adults, foster youth are two times more likely than war veterans to experience and suffer from PTSD, says child welfare advocate and 2023 Audacious Project grantee Sixto Cancel. He shares his story of entering foster care at 11 months old, being placed with a foster family at nine years old and then, at 15, collecting enough evidence to prove he was unsafe in that home and re-entering the system. Eventually, Cancel was reunited with relatives who happened to live only 58 miles away from where he grew up, and while he was grateful, he couldn’t help but think about how different his life could have been had he been raised by people who loved him all along. With this in mind, Cancel founded Think of Us: a nonprofit dedicated to engaging with youth, parents and relatives to redesign foster care into a system where children are raised by kin in supportive and safe environments. He shares three urgent messages: (1) Children should be raised by their families and the majority of foster care should be replaced with kinship care. (2) We need to center those who have been impacted by the system when redesigning it. (3) We all have a role to play in this cause. “Together … we can literally ensure that millions of children are living in a home where they can say, ‘I am loved,'” says Cancel.

Social mobility scholar Richard V. Reeves speaks at Session 7 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

While researching gender inequality in education, social mobility scholar Richard V. Reeves made a surprising discovery: when it comes to a school without barriers, girls have the academic advantage. It’s not a question of intelligence; it’s simply that the part of the brain associated with organization and impulse control develops later in boys than girls — meaning doing chemistry homework can be a lot more difficult for male students. Reeves suggests a more equitable school system would start boys a year after girls and makes the case for hiring more male teachers — particularly in English, where more young men struggle — to give boys role models in the classroom. “The future cannot be female. Nor of course, can the future be male. The future has to be for every single one of us … We have to rise together,” says Reeves.

Podcast host Coleman Hughes speaks at Session 7 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

The percentage of Black and white Americans who felt good about race relations nosedived from 2013 to 2021. Given this concerning trend, writer and podcast host Coleman Hughes thinks we need a new racial paradigm. Our current fixation on racial identity — where “we let racial essences define who we are” — does more harm than good, he says. He advocates for rehabilitating a now-controversial ideology: colorblindness. Far from being conservative or white supremacist, as some critics allege, Hughes says colorblindness has its roots in the US antislavery movement and is the “best principle with which to govern a multiracial, multiethnic democracy.” But wouldn’t a colorblind approach render us unable to fight racism, gutting key policies like affirmative action? Hughes thinks replacing race-based policies with class-based ones would both reduce inequality and ease racial tensions. Class is almost always a better proxy for disadvantage than race, he says, and class-based policies are less divisive because they “do not penalize anyone for immutable biological traits.”

Leadership visionary Anne Morriss speaks at Session 7 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Leadership visionary and cohost of the TED Audio Collective podcast Fixable Anne Morriss offers five steps to solve any workplace problem, starting with curiosity. First, she says, ask questions that get to the root of the issue, being open to the idea that it could be you. Next, formulate a “good enough plan,” and then talk to those with different perspectives to build trust and improve your plan. Finally, honor the past as you set a vision for the future, recognizing what people don’t want to lose. In the last step, take action with urgency, effectively putting into place everything you’ve learned in the previous steps. “The most effective leaders we know solve problems at an accelerated pace, while also taking responsibility for the success and the wellbeing of their customers and employees and shareholders,” says Morris. “They move fast and fix things.”

Orthopedic surgeon Kevin Stone speaks at Session 7 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

From synthetic embryos to lab-grown skin, we live in a brave new world of stem cell advances. So why can it still take years to recover from a knee injury? When you tear your ACL, the stem cells in your body produce daughter cells called progenitor cells that orchestrate the body’s healing response. But this response only activates after the initial injury and can prove insufficient over time. By strengthening this response, orthopedic surgeon and TED community member Kevin Stone hopes to make ACL injury recovery a matter of weeks, not months or years. 

Polymorphic filmmaker Sarah Jones speaks at Session 7 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

With chameleonic ease, polymorphic filmmaker Sarah Jones slips into and out an array of characters in a talk exploring cancel culture, which she defines as when people (both powerful and marginalized) are “silenced, excluded, disempowered and disinvited from the larger conversation.” Jones shares her own painful experience being canceled ahead of the release of her 2022 film Sell/Buy/Date, digging into the nuances of this much-discussed, often nebulous phenomenon. In her view, cancellation doesn’t improve the larger culture of inequality but instead creates more hurt and angry people. She thinks the solution to actually holding others to account is to start by being self-accountable — noticing any tendencies in ourselves that could be hurtful and trying to unlearn them — and then doing the hard work of trying to help others see the biases they may be blind to.

Second chance advocate and 2023 Audacious Project grantee Sheena Meade speaks at Session 7 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

“For many Americans, a criminal record — even for a petty offense — can hold them back forever,” says Desmond Meade, introducing his wife, Sheena Meade, CEO of the Clean Slate Initiative and a 2023 Audacious Project grantee. Like many, her future was heavily affected by a minor conviction (bouncing a check to pay for her family’s groceries), and this was enough to bar her from housing and education opportunities for years later. Around 100 million Americans — or one in three — have an arrest or conviction record. More than 30 million of them are eligible for clearance, but fewer than 10 percent pursue it because it’s expensive and many don’t even know it’s an option. Meade makes the case for clean slate laws that automate the sealing of arrest and conviction records after people have completed their sentence and remain crime-free for a set period of time. In the last three years, she and her team have helped pass laws in six states, helping millions move on with their lives. With the Audacious Project, they’re working towards passing these laws in 50 states, so an additional 14 million people get a true second chance.

TED community members applaud the speakers of Session 7 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

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Discovering how our brains might soon get upgraded: Notes on Session 6 of TED2023

TED’s head of curation Helen Walters speaks at Session 6 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

In a mind-bending Session 6 of TED2023, neurotech, mental health and breakthroughs in brain-computer interfaces took the mainstage, with seven incredible speakers sharing ideas on how our brains may soon get an upgrade.

The event: Talks from Session 6 of TED2023: Possibility, hosted by TED’s head of curation Helen Walters

When and where: Wednesday, April 19, 2023, at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, BC, Canada

Speakers: Luis von Ahn, Andy Dunn, Francesca Hogi, Gus Worland, Maya Shankar, Nita Farahany, Conor Russomanno

The talks in brief:

Educational equity technologist Luis von Ahn speaks at Session 6 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

We often think of education as an equalizing force, but unequal access to education actually worsens inequality. Motivated by his experience in his native Guatemala, educational equity technologist Luis von Ahn embarked on an ambitious mission: to boost access to education globally. The brainchild of that effort, Duolingo, now has hundreds of millions of users. But in designing Duolingo, von Ahn faced a big problem: How could an app designed to actually teach you something compete with platforms like TikTok and Instagram, some of the most addictive things humans have ever created? If Duolingo was the “broccoli” of smartphone apps, von Ahn decided he would have to “make broccoli taste like dessert.” The result: an app that harnesses the psychological techniques of social media and mobile games for a good cause.

Mental health truth-teller Andy Dunn speaks at Session 6 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Mental health truth-teller Andy Dunn began suffering from manic episodes due to bipolar I disorder in his early 20s, around the same time he was creating his immensely successful online retail company Bonobos. Such mental health issues have been shown to appear at higher rates among entrepreneurs, often applauded for their “crazy” ideas while their darker “shadows” are ignored. Dunn shares his journey to mental wellness and offers a vision of a future where entrepreneurs are “able to dream crazy dreams” while also being held accountable, in and out of the boardroom. He calls for more accessible, affordable healthcare for all and asks everyone to consider the truly conditional nature of love and leadership. “Entrepreneurs are not gods, even when we think we are,” says Dunn.

Love coach and podcast host Francesca Hogi speaks at Session 6 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

“You were born knowing how to love,” says love coach, podcast host and TED community member Francesca Hogi. She spent 10 years speaking to thousands of individuals about their romantic hopes and dreams, uncovering the pervasiveness of false marketing that claims “while you can’t buy love, you can buy your worthiness to be loved.” Hogi says this propaganda makes us believe love is external and scarce, instead of internal and infinite. To find true love, she says to begin with cultivating love for yourself within, and “transcend the shallow fantasy of love you’ve been sold for so long.”

Mental fitness advocate Gus Worland speaks at Session 6 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Lots of people talk about the need to be physically fit, but mentally fit? Not as much. Radio host Gus Worland is trying to change that by helping people develop the skills and “emotional muscle” needed to recognize when they’re struggling, learn how to talk about it and be vulnerable enough to ask for help. With his nonprofit Gotcha4Life, Worland is spreading this work in the hopes of ending suicide and breaking the stigma around mental health issues. He shares the story of his best friend and mentor, who took his own life years ago and issues a call to everyone to “look after their own villages” and check in on the most important people in their lives – today. Where to start? It can be as simple as sending this text message to the people that mean the most to you, Worland says: “I love you. I miss you. See you soon xoxo.”

Cognitive scientist Maya Shankar speaks at Session 6 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

Who are you, and how do you transform in the face of change? Cognitive scientist Maya Shankar shares three questions you can ask to find out who you are when the world feels like it’s shifting under your feet. First: “How does this change change what you’re capable of?” Next, “How might this change change what you value?” And third: “How might this change change how you define yourself?” Shankar shares stories — and the science behind change — of people who stepped out of their comfort zones and rigid mindsets and found themselves changed for the better. Maybe through their experiences, and Shankar’s own story as well, a new, lesser-traveled yet more rewarding and expansive path rich with possibility awaits.

Neurotechnology ethicist Nita Farahany speaks at Session 6 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

While we can track the minutiae of our bodies (heart rate, blood pressure, temperature and even whether we’re snoring too loud) via a host of wearables and other devices, there is very little technology that allows us to track our brain activity. All of that is about to change. Neurotechnology ethicist Nita Farahany demonstrates how we’re witnessing the dawn of technology that will allow us to record our most private data: the electromagnetic pulses that map our thoughts and desires. This information will then unlock (and, indeed, is already unlocking) the potential to self-program ourselves via brain stimuli that could help us treat everything from depression to epilepsy. There’s a catch, however. Who is collecting our brain data, and how will they use it? Farahany argues that without a recognized and protected “human right for cognitive liberty,” we could just as easily benefit from healing as we could also fall prey to microtargeting, surveillance and manipulation.

Neurotechnologist and inventor Conor Russomanno speaks at Session 6 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Years ago, when he was a student at Parsons, neurotechnologist and inventor Conor Russomanno dreamed of peering into the workings of his own brain and created a low-cost, single-channel EEG machine to do just that. From this initial breakthrough, Russomanno has developed technology that utilizes not only the brain but also neglected muscles of the human body to create mind-blowing human-computer interfaces. With the help of collaborator Christian Bayerlein, who is wheelchair-bound due to a motor disorder, Russomanno demonstrates a system that allows Bayerlein to fly a drone over the astonished audience, using vestigial muscle control coupled with an optical headset equipped with neurosensors. Russomanno’s work emphasizes that his ultimate dream — a two-way brain-computer interface — depends as much on our entire nervous system (cognition, or “the mind”) as it does on the brain itself.

Attendees make their way into the TED Theater at TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

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Imagining a pathway to a sustainable future: Notes on Session 5 of TED2023

Head of TED Chris Anderson speaks at Session 5 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED)

How do we strike a balance between sounding the alarm about the devastation wrought by climate change and telling the story of an actual pathway forward? Session 5 of TED2023 sought to stem the despair and cultivate hope and action on the most pressing issue of our time.

The event: Talks from Session 5 of TED2023: Possibility, hosted by head of TED Chris Anderson

When and where: Wednesday, April 19, 2023, at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, BC, Canada

Speakers: Hannah Ritchie, Garry Cooper, Nicole Rycroft, Shane Campbell-Staton, George T. Whitesides, Steve Long, Wanjira Mathai

The talks in brief:

Environmental data scientist Hannah Ritchie speaks at Session 5 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

According to a recent international survey, more than half of young people think humanity is doomed. But environmental data scientist Hannah Ritiche says that far from being the “last generation,” as some climate activists call themselves, today’s youth have the opportunity to be the first generation in human history to achieve true sustainability. For Ritchie, this would mean both protecting our environment and providing a good life for everyone alive today. In the past, improving human lives came with an environmental price tag, but Ritchie says that no longer has to be true. With technological advances, such as the rapid acceleration of solar power, we now have the capacity to improve life globally while also stewarding Earth for future generations. To do so, we must push for zero emissions and frame sustainability as an opportunity, not a sacrifice.

Circular economy builder Garry Cooper speaks at Session 5 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED)

Cities are a great place to initiate new economic models. Circular economy builder Garry Cooper cites Chicago, for instance, as a place already working to transform its traditional linear economy into a circular one. This means creating a system of sharing resources and repurposing items that are no longer needed, from basic materials to furniture and beyond. To transition any city toward a circular economy, Cooper lays out three main steps: first, establish a digital infrastructure (like universal access to internet) so that all can be involved; second, build a tried-and-true way to operationalize reusing and recycling materials (think Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace, but expanded); and third, incentivize every person and business to participate through smart public policy. Circular economies can create a better future though reinventing economic opportunity, strengthening community ties, uplifting citizens and protecting the climate, says Cooper. “We’re all neighbors, not competitors, not strangers. We need each other and whatever city or town we reside in.”

Biodiversity champion and 2023 Audacious Project grantee Nicole Rycroft speaks at Session 5 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Every year, billions of trees are cut down for the production of paper packaging or fabrics like rayon and viscose. If we’re going to beat climate change, we need to make these supply chains more sustainable, says 2023 Audacious Project grantee and biodiversity champion Nicole Rycroft. Her organization, Canopy, partners with key industry leaders to overhaul their supply chains in favor of next-generation wood pulp alternatives, such as used cotton fabric, microbial cellulose or agricultural residues like leftover wheat straw. With these substitutes, Canopy has already shifted more than 50 percent of global viscose production out of the world’s ancient and endangered forests, setting a transformative precedent for the future of pulp production — and creating a sustainable playbook for other industries in need of reform. “For every sector, there is a more sustainable path forward,” says Rycroft.

Megafire fighter George T. Whitesides speaks at Session 5 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Wildfires like those in Santa Rosa in 2017 and Australia in 2020 are a large and growing global challenge — and fire experts say things are likely to get worse before they get better. Billions of dollars are being spent to fight this blazing issue, explains George T. Whitesides, who left a successful aerospace career to take on megafires, or those that burn more than 100,000 acres. Working with experts across disciplines, from firefighters and tribal communities to scientists and policymakers, Whitesides cofounded Megafire Action, an organization dedicated to building fire-adapted communities. He shares three emerging solutions to this alarming problem: (1) build resilient communities that design with fire safety in mind, (2) take measures to control fire spread, like reducing the amount of overgrowth in landscapes, and (3) innovate fire-management technologies that can rapidly detect and put out fires.

Evolutionary biologist Shane Campbell-Staton speaks at Session 5 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

We tend to think of evolution as a slow, gradual process playing out over thousands or millions of years. But evolutionary biologist Shane Campbell-Staton shows how evolution is now rapidly reshaping life in response to the world humanity has built. Small lizards in Puerto Rico have evolved longer limbs and larger toe pads to use buildings as perches, for example, while the genome of wolves living in the Chernobyl exclusion zone appears to be changing in response to decades of radiation exposure. “We live in a time when we are literally etching our decisions into the DNA of the species that live in, on and around us,” Campbell-Staton says. Now the question is: When we consider the story that we’re writing, what do we want our chapter in this grand book of life to say?

Crop sustainability scientist Steve Long speaks at Session 5 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Photosynthesis is one of the most important processes on the planet: it helps produce the air we need to survive. For more than a decade, crop sustainability scientist Steve Long has used genetic simulations and experimental farms to make this process more efficient. But why haven’t millions of years of evolution already optimized photosynthesis? Because our crops did not evolve to thrive in our now carbon-rich atmosphere, nor can they adjust to light fluctuations in densely cultivated fields, Long says. His team has genetically optimized crops like soybean to account for these human-driven changes, sometimes increasing yields by more than 20 percent. By boosting photosynthesis, Long hopes we can start a 21st-century green revolution: improving food access for the 10 percent of humanity experiencing food insufficiency — while also reducing carbon emissions. 

Environmental restoration champion and 2023 Audacious Project grantee Wanjira Mathai speaks at Session 5 of TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

2023 Audacious Project grantee Wanjiri Mathai recalls that her mother, Nobel laureate and Green Belt Movement founder Wangari Maathai, used to tell her: “Nature is the source of everything good.” Today, the lush landscapes Wangari Maathai knew in Kenya have been denuded and degraded; overall, 60 percent of the soil in Africa is unproductive. But, relying on local leadership and local wisdom, a continent-wide coalition of stakeholders and entrepreneurs is working to revitalize Africa’s land. This coalition, AFR100, has an ambitious goal: the restoration of 100 million hectares on the continent by 2030. By re-greening Africa, Mathai said, AFR100 can help secure livelihoods, mitigate climate change and secure communities against the worst effects of our changing climate.

The TED Theater during Session 5 of  TED2023: Possibility on April 19, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

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Ideas that are way, way out there: Notes on Session 4 of TED2023

Comedian Pardis Parker and TED’s head of curation Helen Walters speak at Session 4 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

In a session that was by turns soul-stirring, uproariously funny, deadly serious and brilliantly colorful, seven speakers transported the TED audience to a solar engineering project in outer space, a 24-hour concert and performance, a movement to prove that birds aren’t real and more.

The event: Talks from Session 4 of TED2023: Possibility, hosted by comedian Pardis Parker and TED’s head of curation Helen Walters

When and where: Tuesday, April 18, 2023, at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, BC, Canada

Speakers: Yara Shahidi, Ali Hajimiri, Nadya Tolokonnikova, Tavares Strachan, Machine Dazzle, Doris Mitsch, Peter McIndoe

The talks in brief:

Actor and producer Yara Shahidi speaks at Session 4 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

You may know actor and producer Yara Shahidi from the hit shows black-ish and grown-ish. Sure, she may be in a unique position, but like anybody growing up, she juggles multiple interests, passions and jobs. From her vantage point, she sees that the best way to create a truly fulfilling life is to lead with curiosity — and she invites us all to join her in recommitting to wherever our minds and hearts take us. Don’t second-guess what “distracts” you, she says: that’s your curiosity coming through, an act of creation in itself. Denying your imagination only limits the infinite possibilities just over the horizon.

Space solar-power experimenter Ali Hajimiri speaks at Session 4 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

From laptops to phones and AirPods, wireless technology permeates modern life. What if the energy powering these technologies was also wireless? Space solar-power experimenter Ali Hajimiri sees this future, once the stuff of science fiction, on the near horizon. By exploiting the interference property of waves, we can already direct energy from a generator to a wireless light bulb. Now imagine scaling up this capability: the generator becomes a solar panel orbiting Earth, the light bulb a remote village or a war-torn city with power outages. Recently, Hajimiri’s team made a key step toward this vision, launching a rocket that will unfold in space into an array of flexible solar panels designed to transmit energy to Earth. 

TED community member Terry Moore speaks at Session 4 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

In a quick, fascinating talk, TED community member Terry Moore discusses the mathematics behind what’s known as Penrose tiling, a type of design characterized by aperiodicity, where simple patterns expand infinitely in any direction without ever repeating. He shows how, when you take a closer look, this type of design shows up in human cultures across millennia (long before Roger Penrose “invented” it in 1974). The takeaway? This pattern is like life — complicated, impossible to predict, unfolding differently based on every decision — yet, underlying everything, there’s a hidden unity that holds things together. “When we see these amazing designs, we can know they’re not decorations,” Moore says. “They’re a statement, they’re a message. Look, listen. You can hear their voices.”

Conceptual artist and activist Nadya Tolokonnikova speaks at Session 4 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

In 2012, conceptual artist and activist Nadya Tolokonnikova and her resistance group, Pussy Riot, were sentenced to two years in prison for speaking out against Vladimir Putin’s regime. Since her release, she’s founded the independent investigative news agency Mediazona and organized support for a number of international art and women’s movements. While she now lives in exile, Tolokonnikova stands as a leading voice in the fight for freedom in Russia, named a top enemy of Putin simply because, in her words, “courage is contagious.” Now she calls for everyone to embrace the courage within themselves and delivered a powerful message to Putin himself: “You have already lost. You know it. … The world is with Ukraine.”

Conceptual artist Tavares Strachan speaks at Session 4 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Conceptual artist Tavares Strachan has always been hungry for uncovering and sharing novel experiences. On his journey to the Arctic, he learned about the lesser-known travels of African American explorer Matthew Henson, who was part of the first human crew to reach the North Pole, sparking a pivot in his artwork towards a quest to tell lost stories. Strachan created the Encyclopedia of Invisibility, a 3,000-page leather-bound book with more than 17,000 entries on things often left out of history courses, from Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the mother of rock and roll, to the Minos, an all-female military regiment from the Kingdom of Dahomey (present-day Benin), and many more. He also shares the story of Robert Henry Lawrence Jr., the first Black astronaut, for whom Strachan worked with SpaceX to produce a satellite and blast a golden bust called ENOCH with the astronaut’s likeness into space — launching his legacy to the stars.. “If you really pay attention, you start to see these lost stories all around you,” says Strachan. “When you find them, you realize that they can speak with a very loud mouth.”

Unapologetic maximalist Machine Dazzle speaks at Session 4 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

“My approach is maximal,” says Machine Dazzle, a self-described radical, queer, emotionally driven, instinct-based concept artist and thinker. He takes us on a stunning tour of his boundary-pushing work — including costumes such as a bouffant made out of metallic pipe cleaners, a dress made of hot dogs and barbwire and a headdress made out of dynamite and toilet paper (to name just a few) — and demonstrates the power of tapping into the full complexity of yourself. He’s joined onstage by his friend Matty Crosland, who undergoes a costume-fueled transformation as Machine Dazzle speaks.

Design-minded artist Doris Mitsch speaks at Session 4 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Have you ever been curious about what the world gets up to as it passes you by? Not the world you know, but the one outside human perception and awareness. Design-minded artist Doris Mitsch invites us into the wonder and awe of nature’s everyday feats — the ones that surpass humanity’s five senses — through her dazzling photography. Starlings in flight and formation, trout tracking their way by waves of light, bats that shriek louder than we can hear. Hidden, invisible intelligence that redraws the maps of our own understanding of the world when we stumble upon the truths of our fellow earthlings. In that spirit, Mitsch encourages us to embrace their otherness and revel in the experience. In the words of the poet and naturalist Jarod K. Anderson: “Bats can hear shapes. Plants can eat light. Bees can dance maps. We can hold all these ideas at once and feel both heavy and weightless with the absurd beauty of it all.”

Bird truther Peter McIndoe speaks at Session 4 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

In 2018, bird truther Peter McIndoe founded a movement behind a fake conspiracy theory claiming that birds aren’t real but are instead robots created by the government in the middle of the 20th century to spy on all of us. As he fed the lie — hiring actors to play retired CIA agents speaking out, holding rallies populated by thousands of “bird truthers” — McIndoe learned about the power behind a conspiracy theory and why people will go so far for a story others find completely, ridiculously false. He explores the loneliness and polarization that he believes leads people to find community wherever they can (even in movements defined by outrageous claims) and offers steps we can take as a society to increase our collective empathy, build constructive community and combat the growth of harmful conspiracies. “Let’s direct our attention to the crisis of belonging, and then maybe we’ll understand the crisis of belief,” he says.

Pussy Riot cofounder Nadya Tolokonnikova receives a standing ovation at Session 4 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

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TED and Culture3 to launch inaugural TED Tech event in London, England

Par : TED Staff

TED Tech will take place in London, September 18-19, 2023.

TED and the UK-based company Culture3 have announced a collaboration to launch the first TED Tech conference, to be held September 18-19 in London, England. Together, TED Tech and Culture3 hope to build optimism and accountability around the impact of AI, blockchain and extended reality.

TED’s first all-tech conference

The inaugural TED Tech will kick off Culture3 Week, a four-day festival bringing together the world of art, business and technology to investigate the ideas shaping culture and society. It’s TED’s first all-tech-focused conference.

Why it’s different

This isn’t just another tech conference. TED and Culture3 have designed a uniquely connected experience that combines TED’s signature talks and conversations with a Culture3-curated ideas forum of real-world applications, art exhibits and industry-shaping demonstrations and announcements. Attendees will hear TED speakers and Culture3-curated experts dive into the latest advancements in tech that are radically transforming the world around us.   

TED Tech at a glance

  • 1500+ Attendees 
  • 10+ TED speakers
  • Workshops 
  • Culture3-curated idea forums 
  • Demos and announcements

The ideas

Attendees will gather to consider the questions that matter most:

  • What will a future driven by such extraordinary technological advancements actually look like?
  • How should these advancements be monitored, governed or controlled, if at all?
  • How might society, art and business change as a result of this technology?

The attendees

We’ll bring together brilliant minds — artists, creators, technologists and entrepreneurs — to discuss, debate and create the future of the internet. The first TED Tech will be hosted in London, where a vibrant ecosystem of start-ups, tech giants and universities fuel innovation.

How to attend

TED Tech will take place in London on September 18-19, 2023. If you want to be at the forefront of the conversation and join a powerful group of business and community leaders, innovators and creators, register now »

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Leaping boldly into new global realities: Notes on Session 3 of TED2023

TED current affairs curator Whitney Pennington-Rodgers hosts Session 3 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

From climate change to aging to geopolitics, Session 3 of TED2023 surveyed big issues with worldwide implications.

The event: Talks from Session 3 of TED2023: Possibility, hosted by TED current affairs curator Whitney Pennington-Rodgers

When and where: Tuesday, April 18, 2023, at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, BC, Canada

Speakers: Jennifer D. Sciubba, Piyachart Phiromswad, Chip Conley, Ashif Shaikh, Barbara F. Walter, Keyu Jin, Ian Bremmer

The talks in brief:

Political demographer Jennifer D. Sciubba speaks at Session 3 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Despite decades of (justified) warnings against the dangers of overpopulation, the world is facing a once-unthinkable possibility: declining population growth, fueled by aging, lower fertility rates and depopulation. But the solution to an aging, shrinking world (and diminished economy) isn’t to have more babies. Instead, says political demographer Jennifer D. Sciubba, we must learn to invest in the health and the welfare of the living, build a resilient global workforce and create sustainable systems that can survive dramatic demographic shifts.

Aging rethinker Piyachart Phiromswad speaks at Session 3 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Continuing with the theme of understanding and improving our relationship to aging, economist Piyachart Phiromswad explores the technology that can help seniors overcome the physical, mental and societal barriers to employment. Tools like full-body exoskeletons can support people as they lift heavy objects, while robotic arms can steady shaky hands, helping seniors with advanced training and knowledge continue their work with precision. Other technology can set reminders to aid a failing memory or allow seniors to work from home, avoiding strenuous travel. These tools would help the senior population remain active, reduce the financial burden on pension and aid programs, increase economic production and help to eradicate the false assumption that older people can no longer be productive members of society.

Chip Conley speaks at Session 3 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

“What if we rethought midlife such that it’s not a crisis but a chrysalis?” asks entrepreneur and TED community member Chip Conley. Providing a fresh perspective on a time of life that’s often misunderstood, Conley suggests a new way to the way we think about our 40s, 50s and 60s, tracing the invention of the term “midlife crisis” back to the relatively recent date 1965 and offering an alternative narrative that paints midlife as a transitional stage between adulthood and new stage of life, the way a caterpillar turns into a butterfly.

Courage sparker and 2023 Audacious Project grantee Ashif Shaikh speaks at Session 3 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED)

Hundreds of millions of migrant workers leave everything they know behind to seek out means of survival — and climate change will only exacerbate this movement. Migrant advocate and 2023 Audacious Project grantee Ashif Shaikh shares how he and his team at Jan Sahas’ Migrants Resilience Collaborative are building a social safety net by making benefits accessible to vulnerable groups and simultaneously establishing a feedback loop between communities and governments to improve existing systems and policies. He shares a video that shows the real-world impact that this two-pronged approach has had in India and other parts of South and Southeast Asia. “Without a safety net, one job loss, one health emergency, can undermine years of effort and keep [migrants] trapped in the cycles of poverty,” Shaikh says.

Civil wars expert Barbara F. Walter speaks at Session 3 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED)

We understand the playbook anti-democratic forces use to foment and ignite civil war. Why don’t governments have a similar playbook for preserving stable institutions, civic cooperation and diverse representation? Civil wars expert Barbara F. Walter looks at the United States, which is facing not only degradation to its democratic process through challenges to its elections but also attacks from the hostile demographic groups fading from power, and shares how to respond to these early warning signs of impending trouble.

Economist Keyu Jin speaks at Session 3 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

We associate innovation with big breakthroughs, but no one innovates new applications and processes for existing tech better than China, says economist Keyu Jin. American companies brought us the iPhone and the first mass-market electric vehicles (EVs), but China’s EV infrastructure has since vastly outpaced the US, and Chinese smartphone models now dominate in Africa and are gaining popularity across the globe. Jin explains China’s special sauce — political centralization, economic decentralization — and makes an impassioned case for viewing the US and China systems as complementary, not opposed.

Political scientist Ian Bremmer speaks at Session 3 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Ask political scientist Ian Bremmer who runs the world and he’ll tell you that today we live in a leaderless world. Bremmer chalks up current geopolitical tensions and conflicts to three things: Russia’s lack of integration into Western institutions and its residual anger as it declines; China’s integration into US-led institutions with the presumption that it’d make the country more American (spoiler: it did not); and finally, millions across the world in wealthy democracies feeling left behind by globalization. So what comes next for the world order? That can be broken into three categories: a global security order (the US and its allies), a global economic order (the US, China, the EU, India) and a new, up-and-coming digital order, run by technology companies (think of social media platforms already powering wars, spreading misinformation, promoting conspiracy theories). Bremmer sounds the alarm on the influence of these technology companies and the power they hold through the almighty algorithm, ending on a simple question aimed at those who run those companies: Are you fine with the fact that what you’ve created destroys democracies, or are you going to do something about it?

Attendees in the TED Theater watch Session 3 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED)

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The astounding new era of AI: Notes on Session 2 of TED2023

Head of TED Chris Anderson speaks at Session 2 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Whether you’re thrilled or terrified by it, there’s no question that the time of artificial intelligence has come. Session 2 of TED2023 looked at some of the reasons to get excited about this transformational moment — and gave space to those who have expressed concern about the future it may usher in.

The event: Talks from Session 2 of TED2023: Possibility, hosted by head of TED Chris Anderson

When and where: Tuesday, April 18, 2023, at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, BC, Canada

Speakers: Greg Brockman, Yejin Choi, Gary Marcus, Eliezer Yudkowsky, Alexandr Wang, Sal Khan

The talks in brief:

In a talk from the cutting edge of technology, OpenAI cofounder Greg Brockman explores the underlying design principles of GPT-4 — the company’s most advanced large language model — and demos some mind-blowing new plug-ins for ChatGPT. Hooking up his laptop to the big screens in the TED Theater, he shows how ChatGPT could help you create a recipe for dinner, generate an image of the finished dish, draft a tweet about that dish and build the corresponding grocery list in Instacart — all without you ever leaving the chatbot. He also shares its new ability to fact-check its own work (with citations a human could triple-check) and interpret a data-intensive spreadsheet even when given relatively vague instructions. After the talk, head of TED Chris Anderson joins Brockman onstage to dig into the timeline of ChatGPT’s development and get Brockman’s take on the risks, raised by many in the tech industry and beyond, around releasing such a powerful tool into the world.

Yejin Choi speaks at Session 2 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

“Giving true common sense to AI is still a moonshot, and you don’t reach the moon by making the tallest building in the world one inch taller at a time,” says computer scientist Yejin Choi. The epic scale of many AI systems brings three big issues with it, she says: (1) AI models are expensive to train, (2) their power is concentrated to only a few tech companies and (3) the environmental impact is massive. She shares wisdom on how to give AI common sense by instilling the data it’s trained on with human norms and values (not raw web data) and explains why smaller tech can make for a more humanistic, democratic and sustainable AI future.

AI prognosticator Gary Marcus speaks at Session 2 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Misinformation poses a threat to democracies worldwide. How will the rise of AI systems like ChatGPT impact this trend? As a leading voice in artificial intelligence, Gary Marcus advocates for an international AI regulatory body and says we should find a way to integrate ChatGPT’s brute statistical power with more trustworthy, logic-based systems.

Decision theorist Eliezer Yudkowsky speaks at Session 2 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

Decision theorist Eliezer Yudkowsky has a simple message: superintelligent AI could probably kill us all. Is an obedient, even benevolent, AI of superhuman intelligence possible? Yes, Yudkowsky says, but inscrutable large language models like ChatGPT are leading us down the wrong path. By the time the world realizes, he thinks it may be too late.

Alexandr Wang speaks at Session 2 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

War and AI. Two words that, when put together, might make you (and possibly the entire world) uncomfortable. But it’s a reality we must face, says AI technologist Alexandr Wang, as a new technological arms race with deep implications for national security and democracy is on our doorstep. Big international players like China are ahead of the game; meanwhile, the Ukraine War is demonstrating the changing nature of war in real-time, with digital tools proving invaluable to the defense of Ukrainian cities and infrastructure. There are a lot of implications to account for, but artificial intelligence can only be as powerful as the data it uses to fuel its algorithms. Wang calls for fellow technologists to rise to the challenge against authoritarian regimes by supporting national security. “We must fight for the world we want to live in. It’s never mattered more.”

Sal Khan speaks at Session 2 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

The current general discourse has suggested that artificial intelligence, especially chatbots like ChatGPT, will lead to the death of education and learning. Not so fast, says education innovator Sal Khan; there is still so much opportunity to better education with these new advanced technologies. He reveals and demos Khan Academy’s education-first chatbot, known as Khanmigo. The chatbot can serve as a tutor for the student and a teaching aide for the educator, helping with lesson plans and more. Like this, artificial intelligence is not a gate, but a key that unlocks a new era of educational potential and acceleration.

“Excited or concerned, describe your predominant feeling on AI?” Audience members vote with their hands during Session 2 of TED2023: Possibility on April 18, 2023, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

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Off with a bang: Notes on Session 1 of TED2023

Hosts Whitney Pennington Rodgers, Chris Anderson, and Helen Walters open Session 1 of TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

It’s time for TED! In an eclectic and interdisciplinary opening session, artists, scientists, activists, entrepreneurs and more explored the breadth of transformative possibilities that lie ahead of us, from understanding animal communication to breakthroughs in artificial intelligence to the theory of the “adjacent possible.”

The event: Talks from Session 1 of TED2023: Possibility, hosted by TED’s Chris Anderson, Helen Walters and Whitney Pennington Rodgers

When and where: Monday, April 17, 2023, at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, BC, Canada

Speakers: Angus Hervey, Stuart Kauffman, Jennifer Doudna, Golshifteh Farahani, Tom Graham, Karen Bakker, Wangechi Mutu, Benjamin Zander

AI opera Song of the Ambassadors perform at Session 1 of TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Opening performance: AI opera Song of the Ambassadors, created by Refik Anadol and K Allado-McDowell, kick off the session and beckon us into a new era of opera, co-created by humans and artificial intelligence, presenting a hymn to nature and existence.

The talks in brief:

Journalist Angus Hervey speaks at Session 1 of TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Why are we so good at reporting bad news and so bad at reporting good news? That’s a question journalist Angus Hervey spends a lot of time thinking about as the editor of Future Crunch, a newsletter that cuts through the usual doom and destruction we see on news channels and reports on stories of progress. Delivering a mock newscast from the TED stage, Hervey takes us on a whirlwind tour of the “good news” stories you might have missed from the past year — from the acceleration of the world’s clean energy transition to advancements in public health, human rights, astronomy and more — and clarifies why, if we want to change the story of humanity this century, we have to start changing the stories we tell ourselves.

“Adjacent possible” originator Stuart Kauffman speaks at Session 1 of TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

Theoretical biologist Stuart Kauffman thinks we can explain the historical pattern of long periods of nothing happening followed by explosive growth (from the Cambrian explosion to hockey-stick growth of global GDP to the present computing revolution) through math — what he calls the theory of the “adjacent possible.” Tracing the arc of human history through the tools and technologies we’ve invented, Kauffman explains that humanity has so far used its creativity to bring about the Anthropocene and the destruction of the biosphere, and provides examples in soil regeneration for how we can reverse the damage and feed the world in the process.

Nobel Laureate, biochemist and 2023 Audacious Project grantee Jennifer Doudna speaks at Session 1 of TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

A brave new world is upon us, and in its dawn emerges a collaboration between two breakthrough technologies — metagenomics and the Nobel Prize-winning technology CRISPR — to birth a new field of science: precision microbiome editing. Jennifer Doudna, co-inventor of CRISPR and a 2023 Audacious Project grantee with the Innovative Genomics Institute, details the deep potential of this new science and its focus on not just one organism but entire populations of organisms called microbiomes that exist in every living thing, influencing things like the development of asthma, obesity, diabetes and Alzheimer’s in the human body and methane production in cows. The opportunities to improve the future health of humanity and the planet are here now, and precision microbiome editing is the way forward, Doudna says.

Live from Rome, actor, musician and activist Golshifteh Farahani speaks at Session 1 of TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

“I am the raised fist of young girls with their hair flowing in the wind,” says actor, musician and activist Golshifteh Farahani. In a moving tribute to individuals who have lost their lives during protests in response to the death of Mahsa Amini in her home country of Iran, Farahani draws connections between those fighting for freedom in Iran and the other places in the world where ignorance and fear separates instead of unites humanity.

Head of TED Chris Anderson and AI developer Tom Graham — face-swapped live with Chris — speak at Session 1 of TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)Tom Graham, AI developer

In conversation with head of TED Chris Anderson, AI developer Tom Graham explores how AI-generated content that looks and sounds exactly like the real world (known as “deepfakes”) will come to permeate our lives over the next decade. He offers a proof of concept directly from the stage: a startlingly realistic deepfake of Tom Cruise outside TED2023 in Vancouver, and then a real-time demo of Anderson’s face overlaid first on Graham’s head and then on TED community member Sunny Bates, seated in the first row of the TED Theater. Together they discuss the creative and educational potential of this technology — along with its risk for exploitation — and explain the new legal rights we’ll need to ensure we maintain control over our photorealistic AI avatars.

Conservation technology researcher Karen Bakker speaks at Session 1 of TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

Conservation technology researcher Karen Bakker uncovers how the animal kingdom communicates in ways as complex as our own human speech – from microscopic coral larvae listening for the sounds of their home reef to the varying dialects in the dictionary of elephants’ trumpeting. Much of nature’s acoustics are ultra- or infra-sonic, lying outside our natural ability to hear (consider a bat’s shrill speech or a hydrothermal vent’s deep hum), but technological breakthroughs are changing that, allowing us to tune into a world previously unheard. Scientists are even able to translate some variations of animal speech, while generative AI is able to imitate some of these sounds, allowing us to communicate with nature like never before – and bringing along some difficult challenges, too. “In nature, sound is everywhere and silence is an illusion,” Bakker says.

Visual artist Wangechi Mutu speaks at Session 1 of TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

“We’ve left messages for each other using art. Messages that travel across vast expanses of time and culture, reminding us of where we came from,” says visual artist Wangechi Mutu. From ancient carvings deep in the Sahara to her own chimeric art, Mutu traces evolving representations of divine femininity and the presence of women in African art. She shares her otherworldy sculptures that merge nature, history and lore, pointing to how art gives voice to those rendered invisible — and reminds us of the freedom found in creation.

Conductor Benjamin Zander speaks at Session 1 of TED2023: Possibility on April 17, 2023 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)

In a rousing talk and piano performance to close out the opening session, legendary conductor Benjamin Zander (watch his 2008 TED Talk) explains his view on the difference between “positive thinking” and “possibility,” saying, “Positive thinking is a fraud, and possibility is a language of creation.” And he waxes lyrical about Beethoven, asking us to listen a little deeper to the very familiar “Moonlight Sonata” and inviting the audience to a sing-along (in German) of the original words to “Ode to Joy.”

The entrance to the TED Theater at TED2023: Possibility in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

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More than $1B catalyzed for 2023 Audacious Projects

Par : TED Staff

Today, The Audacious Project, a collaborative funding initiative housed at TED, announced that more than one billion dollars has been committed to its newest cohort of projects. This is a significant funding milestone in the initiative’s five-year history and comes at a critical time on key issues such as climate change, migrant rights and criminal justice reform.

The 2023 Audacious Project grantees are:

“With our 2023 Audacious Project cohort, some of the most complex and challenging problems we’re facing right now – transitioning to renewable energy, increasing access to reproductive health care, transforming our foster care system and more – are being met by some incredible idea-makers,” said Anna Verghese, Executive Director of The Audacious Project. “Each one offers an approach to shift the status quo and the systems they operate in, and will hope to breathe possibility and transformation into these critical issues.”

Each year, The Audacious Project scours the globe for big, bold ideas and collaborates with social entrepreneurs and philanthropists to drive impact on a grand scale. It is an effort that goes beyond funding, pushing for transformative change, systems overhaul and collaboration across multiple sectors. This new cohort will present their big ideas onstage at TED2023, joining an existing portfolio of 39 Audacious projects. Since 2018, more than four billion philanthropic dollars has been catalyzed to support these projects’ visions.

“We started The Audacious Project five years ago as an experiment to see what could happen when we invite changemakers around the world to dream as big as they dare, and then shape their boldest ideas into viable plans,” said Chris Anderson, Head of TED. “It’s absolutely thrilling to see this much money raised for these projects. I’m in awe of the teams behind them — and of the donors who are funding them. Our experiment is gaining traction, and we believe it can achieve even more in the coming years.”

Read more about The Audacious Project and its five years of impact.


ABOUT THE AUDACIOUS PROJECT

 

Launched in April 2018, The Audacious Project is a collaborative funding initiative that’s catalyzing social impact on a grand scale. Housed at TED, the nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading, and with support from leading social impact advisor The Bridgespan Group, The Audacious Project convenes funders and social entrepreneurs with the goal of supporting bold solutions to the world’s most urgent challenges. The funding collective is made up of respected organizations and individuals in philanthropy, including Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, ELMA Philanthropies, Emerson Collective, MacKenzie Scott, Skoll Foundation, Valhalla Foundation and more.

Each year The Audacious Project supports a new cohort. The 2023 grantees are CAMFED, Canopy, Clean Slate Initiative, Global Fishing Watch, Innovative Genomics Institute, Jan Sahas’ Migrants Resilience Collaborative, ReNew2030, Restore Local, Think of Us and Upstream USA.

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Experience TED2023 live from anywhere — with TED Live

Par : TED Staff

TED Live brings the excitement of our flagship conference, TED2023: Possibility, to you — wherever you choose to watch. 

Access a can’t-miss lineup of diverse thinkers, creators, scholars and changemakers unlocking new possibilities and creating a brighter future. Explore radical shifts in technology, art and culture through this global convening of builders and doers — right from your home.

With TED Live, you can watch the entire conference minute-by-minute as it happens (including talks and surprise moments that may not be posted online), or watch the on-demand archive when it’s convenient for you, year-round.

Register now »

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TED debuts “Fixable,” a new career advice podcast with leadership experts Frances Frei and Anne Morriss

Par : TED Staff

There’s a path forward from every problem at work — sometimes we just need some help finding the best direction to take. That’s where the TED Audio Collective’s newest podcast, Fixable, comes in — to guide career advice seekers towards getting unstuck.

Leading the way are hosts Frances Frei, a Harvard Business School professor, and Anne Morriss, CEO and best-selling author. This dynamic leadership power couple (yes, they happen to be married to each other) are taking real people’s career complications — no matter their industry or position — and setting them up for success. From addressing communication roadblocks to unproductive company cultures to uncertainty in how to scale up a business and more, Frei and Morriss share fast, actionable solutions to relatable issues in 30 minutes or less each week.

This isn’t your average “listen and learn” podcast experience. This show is built around participation.

True to its title, Fixable actively connects listeners with expert problem-solvers to steer them towards a thriving professional future. Do you have a work problem you’d like to solve? Call our hotline at 234-Fixable (that’s 234-349-2253) and leave a voicemail explaining your work woes for a chance to be featured on a future episode. 

The first episode drops April 3. Subscribe to Fixable on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen. 

Fixable is made possible with the support of SAP. Learn more about how TED partners with best-in-class brands here.

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New “TED Radio Hour” three-part series explores “Mind, Body, Spirit”

Par : TED Staff

For millennia, humans have debated the connection between the mind, body and spirit. But today, the phrase sounds trite — a hallmark of the #selfcare industry. Over three episodes of this special series on TED Radio Hour, TED speakers will investigate fresh perspectives on how we think, move and feel.

In the first hour: the mind. The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. It gives us control over our bodies and shapes our thoughts, memories and emotions. But how? And can we coach ourselves to think better? The series kicks off with an investigation into the different ways we think and understand the world, what new brain-computer interfaces could do for sharing our thoughts and a story about taming that voice in our head that makes us miserable. Plus, a poem about preparing your mind to be more open to creative ideas. Mind-blowing stuff? Hell yes. Guests explore the internal and external influences on our minds, including animal behaviorist and autism activist Temple Grandin, podcast host and meditation advocate Dan Harris, neurointerventionist Tom Oxley and poet Sarah Kay.

The second hour focuses on the body. We know it’s important to listen to our bodies and trust how we feel, but it’s not always easy. In part 2 of our series, TED speakers explore ideas about movement, pleasure and rest. Guests include choreographer Ryan Heffington, news anchor Lee Thomas, aerialist Adie Delaney and therapist KC Davis.

In the third and final episode we hear from speakers who’ve found unique ways to rekindle the human spirit and, as the saying goes, stay “true” to themselves. Guests include author, researcher and podcaster Tania Lunar, renowned artist JR and serial entrepreneur Artur Sychov. Their challenges include invasions of privacy, incarceration, exile and simply facing human mortality. Their tactics? Sidestepping linear time with innovation, embracing uncertainty by incorporating surprise into our daily lives and using beauty to overwhelm the ugly side of humanity. Their stories will spark your zest for life, too.

You can get all three episodes of our “Mind, Body, Spirit” series, as well as more episodes of TED Radio Hour, on Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

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How to watch TED Talks on Plex

Par : TED Staff

Unsure what to stream or where to start on Plex? Join us at a new home to watch TED Talks, Originals and TED-Ed Lessons – for free!

Cozy up on the couch and join us through your favorite ways to watch! Alongside Plex, you can find the TED channel on Samsung TV Plus, Xumo and a growing number of platforms.

See below for a step-by-step guide on how to find us on a television (or mobile device) near you.

How to watch TED Talks on Plex

  • On your Smart TV: If you have a fully supported Smart TV (LG, Samsung, Hisense, Vizio or Amazon Fire TV), search for “TED” or find the TED channel listed in the “Explore” section of the Live TV guide.
  • On your mobile device: Available on both iOS and Android through Apple TV and Android TV. Download your preferred watch method and search for “TED” or find the TED channel listed in the “Explore” section of the Live TV guide.
  • On other devices: Through Roku, Chromecast, Playstation, Xbox or Amazon Fire devices, search for “TED” or find the TED channel listed in the “Explore” section of the Live TV guide.
  • On your browser: Click here to watch! Search for TED or side-scroll to the “Explore” section at the top of the Live TV guide and select “TED”.

Available in most countries. For more information, check out the Plex FAQ or the Plex Live TV support page.

What’s on the TED channel?

We’ve got a little bit of everything for everyone, whether you’re interested in personal growth, the mysteries of the universe or you’re simply a passionate generalist with endless curiosity. On the weekends, our slate of family-friendly programming is bursting with engaging and eye-catching content from TED-Ed.

Look below to see what we’ve got on offer for your streaming pleasure!

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How to watch TED Talks on Xumo

Par : TED Staff

ted channel logo

Unsure what to stream or where to start on Xumo? Join us at a new home to watch TED Talks, Originals and TED-Ed Lessons – for free!

Cozy up on the couch and join us through your favorite ways to watch! Alongside Xumo, you can find the TED channel on Samsung TV Plus, Plex and a growing number of platforms.

See below for a step-by-step guide on how to find us on a television (or mobile device) near you.

How to watch TED Talks on Xumo

  • On your Smart TV: Have a VIZIO, Samsung, Hisense or Xclass Smart TV? Download the Xumo app and search for “TED” or find our channel listed in the “History and Learning” section of the Live Guide.
  • On your mobile device: Available on both iOS and Android through Apple TV and Android TV. Download your preferred watch method and search for “TED” or find the TED channel listed in the “History and Learning” section of the Live Guide.
  • On other devices: Through Roku, Amazon Fire, Panasonic and Xfinity (X1, Flex, etc.) devices, search for “TED” or find or find our channel listed in the “History and Learning” section of the Live Guide.
  • On your browser: Click here to watch!

Available in the US and Canada. For more information, check out the Xumo FAQ.

What’s on the TED channel?

We’ve got a little bit of everything for everyone, whether you’re interested in personal growth, the mysteries of the universe or you’re simply a passionate generalist with endless curiosity. On the weekends, our slate of family-friendly programming is bursting with engaging and eye-catching content from TED-Ed.

Look below to see what we’ve got on offer for your streaming pleasure!

xumo

ted channel logo

How to watch TED Talks on Samsung TV Plus

Par : TED Staff

Unsure what to stream or where to start on your Samsung device? Join us at a new home to watch TED Talks, Originals and TED-Ed Lessons – for free!

Cozy up on the couch and join us through your favorite ways to watch! Alongside Samsung TV Plus, you can find the TED channel on Xumo, Plex and a growing number of platforms.

See below for a step-by-step guide on how to find us on a television (or mobile device) near you.

Start streaming TED on Samsung TV Plus

  • On your Smart TV: Select the Samsung TV Plus app. Search for “TED” or enter channel 1405.
  • On your Samsung mobile device: Visit the Galaxy Store or Google Play Store and download the Samsung TV Plus app. Search for “TED” or find the TED channel listed in the Entertainment section of the channel guide.
  • On your browser: Click here to watch!

Available in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. For more information, check out the Samsung TV Plus FAQ.

What’s on the TED channel?

We’ve got a little bit of everything for everyone, whether you’re interested in personal growth, the mysteries of the universe or you’re simply a passionate generalist with endless curiosity. On the weekends, our slate of family-friendly programming is bursting with engaging and eye-catching content from TED-Ed.

Look below to see what we’ve got on offer for your streaming pleasure!

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Announcing the speaker lineup for TED2023: Possibility

Par : TED Staff

TED has unveiled an exceptional speaker lineup for this year’s flagship conference, themed “Possibility.”

TED2023 is all about possibilities. It’s a space to explore, together, a strange and beautiful space called the adjacent possible. We’ll be guided there by dreamers, inventors and creatives. Innovators, entrepreneurs and builders. Explorers and change-makers. Visionary thinkers and doers from every field of human endeavor.

Here’s just a handful we can’t wait to watch live:

  • Yara Shahidi, actor, producer (Black-ish, Grown-ish)
  • Greg Brockman, AI pioneer (Cofounder, OpenAI — creators of ChatGPT)
  • Nadya Tolokonnikova, conceptual artist, activist (Founder, Pussy Riot)
  • Melissa Villaseñor, actor, comedian (first Latina cast member of Saturday Night Live)
  • Luis von Ahn, educational equity technologist (CEO, Duolingo)
  • And so many more!

Browse the full lineup here >>

Can’t make it Vancouver? Watch every talk, every speaker, live and unedited, right from your living room with TED Live. Learn more here.

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