AI is changing how we teach and learn. Educators should shape what comes next

AI is reshaping how educators teach and how students learn. But for AI to make a positive impact, educators’ voices should be at the center of that change. That’s why TED and Google have teamed up on a global search for ideas from educators about the role of AI in teaching and learning.

Five educators with the most compelling ideas will be selected to develop and deliver their talks at TED2027, TED’s flagship conference, taking place March 1–4, 2027, in San Diego. These talks will be accompanied by an interview-style Q&A with Sal Khan, TED’s Vision Steward and founder of Khan Academy.

Who can participate

This idea search is open to educators at the primary, secondary and higher-education levels who are actively using AI in the classroom, lecture hall or curriculum design. It invites those with firsthand experience designing and refining approaches that are making a difference for students and colleagues, and who think deeply about AI’s place in education, to put their ideas forward. 

It starts with the Idea Workshop

The entry point is the Idea Workshop, a free, one-hour professional development experience available starting October 5, 2026, which is World Teachers’ Day. Because the workshop is asynchronous, educators can complete it on their own schedule. It walks through three lessons: what makes an idea worth spreading, how to draw on your own experience to surface a distinctive idea and how to craft a clear through line for a potential talk.

Educators who complete the Idea Workshop receive free resources to support idea development and AI literacy, including TED’s Official Public Speaking Course, a TED-moderated online community of practice and materials from Google such as the AI Educator Series. They can also submit an idea for a chance to speak at TED2027.

How to get involved

1. Register for the Idea Workshop and submit your idea to TED by November 15, 2026, at 11:59pm ET.
2. Share this post with an educator whose idea about AI in education deserves to be heard.

Every educator has an idea worth sharing. If you’re using AI in your teaching, the Idea Workshop is where yours can begin.

Start the Idea Workshop →

Introducing “Corner Piece,” a new TED podcast that starts small on life’s biggest questions

The biggest questions in life rarely come with simple answers. Corner Piece, a brand-new TED podcast, starts smaller: with the ordinary questions that nag at you on the walk home, in the group chat or while staring at the ceiling at 2am.

What does it mean to be a good friend? 

Does unconditional love actually exist? 

Why do I feel lonely?

The new show will be hosted by Taha Khan, Melissa Fernandes and Sabrina Cruz, the trio behind Answer in Progress, the award-winning educational YouTube channel with more than a million subscribers. They follow seemingly unassuming questions down unexpected paths — helping their subscribers learn something new about themselves and the world around them. In close collaboration with TED, Taha, Melissa and Sabrina have approached Corner Piece with deep curiosity, truth-seeking humility and a healthy dose of optimism. 

This show is made for curious listeners who want to explore real, emotional and thought-provoking questions about life with a little more optimism and a lot more warmth. Season one of Corner Piece features historian Fay Bound Alberti on if there really is a loneliness epidemic; psychologist Marisa G. Franco and journalist Anna Goldfarb on the nuance of friendship; and psychologists Margaret Rutherford and Paul Bloom on whether love can truly be unconditional. Each episode asks the same question: is this modern life, or just part of being human? 

This podcast was made possible through the support of Grant 63685 from the John Templeton Foundation.

Corner Piece launches Thursday, September 10, with new episodes every other Thursday. Listen on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Join us at TED2027 in San Diego, March 1-4

If you feel like the world is moving at an exponentially faster pace, you’re not alone. That’s why we’ve given TED2027 a pretty stark theme: Our terrifying, exhilarating future. This is a moment that demands we look at what’s coming with clear eyes and full hearts. So we’ll gather with those living at the edge of what’s next: the technologists rewriting the rules of what it means to be human, the scientists unlocking biology’s most closely guarded secrets, the builders and visionaries making sense of a world being remade in real time.

After more than a decade in Vancouver, TED is coming back to California on March 1-4, 2027. 

Each day will bring thought-provoking talks and opportunities to connect more deeply through workshops, excursions and interactive experiences.

Join us for a TED like no other, in a new city with its own vibrant energy, as we discover what’s next and begin a whole new chapter.

Learn more and apply to attend →

Notes from TED Democracy Philadelphia: Why democracy is worth fighting for

On June 13, 2026, more than 1,500 people gathered in Philadelphia to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States at TED Democracy Philadelphia: Founding Futures. Democracy may have weathered some hard years recently — with rising partisan tension, fraying institutional trust and declining civic participation, as Pew Research Center president Michael Dimock noted in his TED Talk from the event — but on that day, people had a reason to believe in this aspirational system of government.

A day of democratic connection

Attendees filled the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts for a full day examining the past, present and future of modern democracy in the city where it started. As a first-time TED attendee and political aficionado, I came in excited but skeptical. Would I leave more optimistic about democracy than when I arrived? But as soon as the doors opened that morning, the room was full of passionate people striking up conversations that felt urgent and necessary. After years of experiencing political dysfunction and partisan bickering, this immediately made me optimistic for the day ahead, before a single talk had even begun. 

Outside of the budding conversations, there was plenty to explore: local food vendors, interactive art installations, live performances and interviews on the Pew Spotlight Stage.

Then the talks began. The room was curious, willing to ask the critical questions and probe the answers. This event felt different. The atmosphere was curious, lively and welcoming. This wasn’t a gathering of the converted or complacent — it was a big tent that made you want to pull up a seat at the table and help shape what comes next.

The talks ranged from the role of technology and AI in civic life to how media literacy shapes democracy and ways to redesign the systems that choose our leaders. They challenged my assumptions. They offered new frameworks. They even sent me back in time to my county clerk’s office, where I voted for the first time. I remember my nerves buzzing with anticipation as I stood in that voting booth, carefully filling in each bubble to make sure my voice was heard from local races to the national stage. 

The speakers also reminded me that democracy doesn’t only happen in voting booths and government buildings — it happens among friends and families, in schools, in the small daily acts of showing up, supporting local businesses, going to PTA meetings or helping your neighbors. I felt pride in how we all engaged meaningfully with democracy, willing to challenge its faults and praise its successes. 

There were plenty of disagreements about how to approach the current issues plaguing democracy worldwide. But that’s not a flaw in the process — it’s the process working. Democracy doesn’t ask us to agree; it asks us to stay in the room, listening, questioning and working through the hard problems, even when we don’t see eye to eye.

After a day spent learning from each other, I thought I’d feel exhausted. Instead, I felt inspired. The day closed with a two-hour celebration featuring live music and dancing. There I was, standing in a room full of people who still wanted more of democracy and felt more optimistic about its future — not less.

The future, reimagined

Cynicism about our current state of democracy won’t vanish overnight. But to quote my favorite line from one of the most famous fictional presidents, Josiah Bartlet of The West Wing, “Decisions are made by those who show up.” That is exactly what the Founding Futures event showed me, the importance of showing up. 

250 years ago, a group of imperfect people sat down in this city and bet on a system that nobody could guarantee would work. We will never know exactly what that day looked like (as much as I’d like to believe my favorite musical, “Hamilton,” is 100% accurate), but today at Founding Futures, we embodied the Founding Fathers’ same spirit: reimagining what the future of democracy can and should be. 

We don’t have all the answers, but now we have a few more ideas, and a new community of people willing to act on them. And for now, that feels like a reason to celebrate. 

Happy 250th, Democracy! 

Ideas that travel beyond Philadelphia

The conversation about the future of modern Democracy started in Philadelphia, but it doesn’t end there. These ideas were designed to travel beyond a single day at the Kimmel Center.  

Want to hear what democracy sounds like from those who were in the room? TED’s new original series, Idea Knock Down, pairs up two speakers from TED Democracy Philadelphia: Founding Futures to take on big questions about democracy. You can watch it all here.

Reconnecting to humanity: The interstitials of TED2026

The interstitial program of TED2026 was a mixed celebration of the acutely human and the purely robotic. We were brought back to basic tenets of human connection through the rhythmic dance piece “Nemesis”; an animated short where music is the thread tying neighbors together; and a montage of the Artemis II mission, reminding us of the power of teamwork. At the same time, AI humor entertained us and robots both enlightened and spooked us by showing what they may one day remember about humans. How do we balance a necessary return to our need for community while embracing the power of new technology?

The following shorts and photos were curated for TED2026 by TED producers CC Hutten and Grace Poppe in collaboration with Flux Festival creative director Jonathan Wells.

“The Audacious Project’s 2025 Grantees”

Produced by Hasiba Haq

TED2026 kicked off by welcoming the 2025 Audacious Project grantees, introducing 10 bold ideas and extraordinary teams taking on some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

“Artemis II”

Visuals courtesy of NASA; music by Nathan and Galen Tipton

“Artemis II” transforms archival visuals from NASA into a dreamlike cinematic experience. Combining music by Nathan and Galen Tipton with the astronauts’ reflections after landing, the score is a call for connection, reminding us here on Earth “We. Are. A. Crew.” (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

“TED’s Ripple Effect: Monica Lewinsky”

Monica Lewinsky reflects on her TED Talk, “The price of shame,” as part of a series of videos about TED’s ripple effect, where speakers share the life of their idea beyond the stage.

 

“Tape Pull-out Ensemble”

By Open Reel Ensemble

Japanese band Open Reel Ensemble transforms obsolete reel-to-reel tape machines into mesmerizing instruments, using stretched magnetic tape, handcrafted mechanics and live performance to create an audiovisual symphony that feels both nostalgic and futuristic.

“Scared of Loving Wild Again” 

Directed by Dylan Friese-Greene; music by Lucy Rose

Through fleeting gestures of touch, care and human connection, Dylan Friese-Greene’s intimate 16mm film captures, in a series of of quietly poetic vignettes, how much we can say with just our hands. 

“Beautiful Loop” 

By Tala Schlossberg

Session 5 of TED2026 kicked off with the short film “Beautiful Loop” by Tala Schlossberg, as pictured above (photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED).

“Por Quelli che Volano”

Directed by Bleu Desert

“Por Quelli che Volano” (“For Those Who Fly”) invites viewers to reflect on the invisible forces that carry us forward, even in moments of uncertainty.

“Nemesis”

Directed by Zaslavskyi Yevhenii and Bazela Oteksii; choreographed by Bazela Oteksii; music by Nemesis; art by Benjamin Clementine

Produced by CC Hutten, created for TED2026

View this post on Instagram

The dancers in this hypnotic visual short, choreographed by Bazela Oteksii, move as if they are possessed by an electric current. Appropriately, “Nemesis” was inspired by Manoush Zomorodi’s book Body Electric, investigating the relationship between our technology and our bodies.

“10k year clock”

31 years ago at TED in Monterey, speaker and computer scientist Danny Hillis proposed building a giant mechanical clock hidden safely inside a mountain. The clock would be designed to keep time reliably for 10,000 years. This video is an ode to his dream. 

“ENERGYM”

By AI Candy

This AI mockumentary by Hans Buyse and Jan De Loore imagines a future where people find purpose by powering the very machines that replaced them — with “cameos” from some familiar faces, including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Sam Altman.

“The World’s First AI TED Talk”

By Ari Kuschnir

What kind of ancestors will we become? That was the question posed to attendees in Ari Kuschnir’s AI-generated TED Talk.

“Jill Sobule Tribute”

During Session 7 of TED2026, we paid homage to singer-songwriter and longtime TEDster Jill Sobule, with a clip of her performance of “Heroes” from 2006. 

“Musica Quarantena”

Written and directed by Lilian T. Mehrel; animation by Danielle Rhoda; casting by Elisa del Genio

This is a picture of “Musica Quarantena,” a beautiful animated short that focuses not on isolation, but rather on the connections people created with the tools they had at hand: music, windows and wine. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

“The Uncomfortable”

By Katerina Kamprani 

Open-toed rainboots. Stairs that lead to nowhere. A door with no way to reach it. These baffling designs are the brainchild of architect Katerina Kamprani as part of her series “Uncomfortable,” a collection of deliberately inconvenient everyday objects. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

“TED’s Ripple Effect: Jill Bolte Taylor”

“My life completely exploded,” says Jill Bolte Taylor of the release of her TED Talk, “My stroke of insight,” in 2008.

Elle Cordova

Elle Cordova once again graces the TED stage, this time as a “modern-day typographer” to remind us there is a time and place for every font (sans Comic Sans). (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED)

“Le Voyage”

Directed by Jacob Holster

Think Night at the Museum — but for oil paintings. Director Jacob Holster brings sprawling landscapes and works of art to life in this visually stunning animated short that had TED attendees entranced.

Join us live May 14 on YouTube for Play@TED, an event celebrating the power of play

TED, the LEGO Group and the LEGO Foundation bring you Play@TED, a partnership to drive a movement and change how people of all ages think about play. Together, we’ll highlight how creative play can be a game-changer in the world and lead to brighter minds, braver ideas and a more imaginative future for everyone.​ On Thursday, May 14 at 11am ET, join us on YouTube to experience the Play@TED event, LIVE from the TED Theater in New York City.

Curated by TED and aimed at parents, educators and policy makers, the event will feature inspiring TED Talks from leading experts on the role and impact of creative play. The day will be centered around three key pillars: the transformative power of play, play as a mindset for all and how imagination can take us anywhere. Confirmed speakers include Katina Bajaj, a creative health scientist and cofounder of Daydreamers; Randi Williams, AI and education researcher at Day of AI and MIT .RAISE; Maxwell “Hops” Pearce, a Harlem Globetrotter, athlete and artist; and Eric Zimmerman, game designer. For more, visit ted.com/play.

Experience the “Loop” at TED2026 — in photos

At TED2026, the ideas didn’t stop when the lights came up. Between sessions, attendees raced zucchini cars down obstacle courses, watched themselves speak other languages fluently in their own voices, threw clay on pottery wheels and added to a living sculpture built from real conversations with strangers. The “Loop” — the conference’s off-stage heart — was built around this year’s “All of Us” theme, and it delivered. Sprawling and joyful, it was a reminder that the best ideas happen in the spaces between. Explore the Loop below — and don’t miss the new TED Talks from TED2026.

TED2026 Photo Team: Ella De Gea Truelove, Jimmy Jeong, Ryan Lash, Jason Redmond, Callie Shields, Jasmina Tomic, Elizabeth Zeeuw

Watch TED2026 on TED Live, check out more photos from the event and learn more about attending a future TED conference.

TED2026: All of Us — in photos

From the seawall to the main stage, TED2026 in Vancouver was something else. We captured it all — the big ideas, the quiet moments backstage, the Discovery Sessions that stopped attendees in their tracks and the off-site experiences that ignited connection. Here’s a look back at the conference through the lens.

TED2026 Photo Team: Ella De Gea Truelove, Jimmy Jeong, Ryan Lash, Jason Redmond, Callie Shields, Jasmina Tomic, Elizabeth Zeeuw

Watch TED2026 on TED Live, check out more photos from the event and learn more about attending a future TED conference.

Au revoir: Day 5 of TED2026

After 11 extraordinary years in Vancouver, TED’s time in our beloved British Columbia conference home is up.

To celebrate the final day of TED2026, thinkers, doers and legends — mainstays of the TED community and newcomers alike — came together to create a rollicking session of talks and performances to remember. It was a fitting sendoff to a week where attendees from 61 countries gathered to experience ideas, creativity and wonder from 99 speakers and performers, capping a remarkable chapter of TED’s history before we embark on the next one.

Watch TED2026 on TED Live, check out more photos from the event and learn more about attending a future TED conference.

The future of robotics is in the moves. Humanoid robotics researcher David Dobáš and Ultimate Fighting Bots are reimagining what robots can do. Using “direct body control” technology, robots can now mirror human movement in real time. But the real breakthrough? A universal training model that makes creating robot behavior as simple as showing it what to do. In a live demo orchestrated by Dobáš and technologist Bilawal Sidhu, two robots step onstage, copy the sparring moves they see from humans — and break into a dance they learned in just one afternoon.

The most powerful educational tool: a teacher. Education enthusiast Matt Wu is putting that belief into practice with Schoolhouse.world, a nonprofit pairing students across the globe for peer tutoring. What happens in these tutoring sessions goes far beyond equations, as young people learn to listen, to disagree with curiosity, to collaborate across borders and, most importantly, to believe in themselves. Ask any student what changed their life, and a chatbot will likely never be the answer. It was always a person they made a connection with.

Am I enough? For TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie, that question shadowed every moment of his life. And just under two years ago, it almost took his life. What followed was a painful but clarifying discovery: everything he had built was a strategy to earn worth, not a reflection of it. After years of struggling in silence, he finally opened up to his family, his friends and now the world. Silence doesn’t protect us, he says. It isolates us. Now, he’s building a community, declaring “We Are Enough,” so no one has to face that silence alone.

Can the secret math behind your eyes fix AI? Systems architect Vikash Mansinghka shows us something surprising: our brains don’t work like today’s AI. Instead of trying to predict everything perfectly, he explains that our minds explore possibilities and make adjustments as we go — kind of like connecting dots to tell a story. What if we could engineer machines to work the same way? His vision: AI built with coherence and human values baked in from the start, not learned from seas of data — machines we can trust, powered by less energy and guided by principles we control.

A hopeful message from Her Deepness. In 2009, ocean legend Sylvia Earle made a TED Prize wish: to create a global network of marine protected areas known as Hope Spots. Now 91, she reports back with stunning proof that protection works — from Chile’s Juan Fernández fur seals rebounding from one to over 100,000, and New York’s Shinnecock Bay restored by clams, not cash. Her message is stubbornly optimistic and crystal clear: we know how to save the ocean’s blue heart, we just need to choose to do it — because hope isn’t naive, it’s contagious.

 

Mind the AI gap. Humanity is facing a dangerous math problem: technology is rising on an exponential curve while human adaptation stays on a linear path. TV host, author and changemaker Van Jones says the gap between those two lines will give rise to mass social unrest as AI continues to disrupt the economy and put people out of work. The solution? Close the gap with a mindset shift on both sides of the tech divide. He gives examples of projects that are pairing AI insiders with people on the ground closest to the problems — because the next trillion-dollar solution is probably hiding somewhere that power has long overlooked.

Watch TED2026 on TED Live, check out more photos from the event and learn more about attending a future TED conference.

Wonder in a complex world: Day 4 of TED2026

What does it take to find hope when everything feels fractured? Day 4 of TED2026 leaned into the messy, meaningful work of creating a better world, one connection at a time. Hear from the speakers who rose to the top of the TED Idea Search and the thinkers, artists and dreamers who refuse to accept the world as it is. Watch what happens when we dare to imagine differently.

Day 4 of TED2026 included talks curated by curator, connector and creative producer Kelly Stoetzel, TED’s YouTube manager Kelli Hsu, psychologist and happiness expert Dan Gilbert, TED’s head of media and curation Helen Walters and TED’s digital curator Ikey Ajavon.

Watch TED2026 on TED Live, check out more photos from the event and learn more about attending a future TED conference.

Whose voices get heard — and whose get lost? Political scientist Joaquin Navajas has a surprising answer: in a world of polarization, everyone’s voices are heard. The very engine of democracy only works when there is a diversity of voices. But what about the voices that never make it into the room? Musician Gabriella Di Laccio says that nearly 90 percent of the music we hear was written by men. Not because women weren’t composing, but because no one was keeping track. Researcher and author Sukriti finds the same erasure in fashion: the cotton that cooled pharaohs, the bandana that symbolized the American West — all rooted in Indian textile tradition and yet stripped of their origins along the way. And some voices are missing from the conversation itself. Photographer Jessica Irwin was born with cerebral palsy, making her unable to speak. People talk over her, talk down to her and mistake silence for simplicity. She asks us to reconsider what intelligence looks like — and to remember that the inability to speak does not mean the inability to think. The question is whether we’re willing to listen. Journalist Joshua Johnson has a place to start: park your opinions, get closer and learn their story

Real change doesn’t wait for permission. Technologist Li Hongyi grew tired of the government’s habit of solving problems no one actually had — so he rebuilt it from the ground up, sending small teams into schools, hospitals and fire stations to find the real ones. In Nigeria, engineer Vincent Egoro discovered why solar panels were failing across the continent: no one knew how to fix them. His solution isn’t more panels — it’s building the human infrastructure to keep them running. Entrepreneur Fiori Zafeiropoulou Fronimopoulou takes that same logic into the factory. As AI handles repetitive work, humans get the chance to become authors, designers and storytellers. That same impulse drove mountaineer Nelly Attar to found a dance class in a culture where women’s bodies are rarely given space to move. By sneaking women into a warehouse after hours, she built a sports “move”-ment. And in the laboratory, chemist Tim Cernak is asking why the tools of modern medicine stop at the human body. He’s applying them to endangered species, rewriting what conservation can look like.

Music that follows inspiration, not rules. In a performance equal parts disorienting and transcendent, musician Reggie Watts reminds us that music needs no category. Part beatbox, part opera, part something entirely his own, he reminds us that music requires nothing more than sound and the courage to follow it anywhere.

Where our most important decisions begin. Behavioral scientist Nicholas Epley learned this on a morning commute when he decided to talk to a stranger wearing a red hat — a choice that launched decades of research into why we avoid connection despite craving it. He reveals that our instinct to stay silent, skip the compliment and avoid the deeper conversation is a measurable mistake. Purposeful prankster Gabriela Navarro Moynihan takes that idea further, sharing why she spent her college spring break donating a kidney to a stranger she’ll never meet — and why it’s worth crossing an ocean for other people.

A moment of connection can ripple across an entire lifetime. Author Ann Patchett traces her path from a chance encounter with a Hare Krishna in a Chicago airport to opening one of America’s most beloved independent bookstores — making the case that reading, like generosity and conversation, is an invisible thread that binds humanity. Lawyer, poet and Freedom Reads founder Reginald Dwayne Betts walked into prison at sixteen with nothing but survival on his mind. In solitary confinement, he discovered small acts of transformation — and a mentor who showed him how to hold onto hope. Years later, he walked out and built 600 prison libraries across America.

We build ourselves through the worlds we create — with partners and machines. Author, podcaster and relationship researcher Eli J. Finkel reveals that common interests and physical attraction aren’t what make or break a relationship: it’s the thousands of tiny interactions that construct deeply personal shared experiences — what he calls “lovemotifs”. Human nature decoder Paul Bloom makes a counterintuitive case that AI companions may be able to cure loneliness, at a cost. He explains that the discomfort of feeling socially disconnected is not a flaw to be engineered away but a signal that drives us to grow, which AI might help you recognize. Digital anthropologist Jennifer Cearns shares surprising evidence from the field: people interacting with AI are not retreating from their humanity but discovering it, using machines as a space to practice grief, compassion and care.

What AI can and can’t do. Neal Katyal has argued 52 cases before the Supreme Court, and the one that may matter most — defending US businesses in the case against Trump’s tariffs — asked the justices to do something they’d never done: strike down a sitting president’s signature initiative. His secret weapon was an AI system trained on 25 years of Supreme Court questions that predicted, almost verbatim, what the justices would ask him. But the case wasn’t won by the machine: it was won by the human skills AI can’t replicate — the ability to listen, to read a room and to connect with another person. His argument for all of us: stop asking whether AI will replace you and start going deeper into the thing that’s irreducibly, unmistakably human about what you do.

You survived. Now what? Growing up in poverty in Robbins, Illinois, multihyphenate entertainer Keke Palmer became her family’s breadwinner as a child actor — and built an entire identity around staying useful, staying alert and never stopping. The problem? Survival strategies that can save you can also quietly trap you, running long after the emergency has passed. It took watching her exhausted toddler fight sleep in a parking lot for Palmer to finally understand the difference between performing a life and actually living one.

Health, wealth and AI: Day 3 of TED2026

Day 3 of TED2026 is a tour de force, exploring the history of sound on Earth, innovations in personal and public health and the cutting-edge technology shaping our future. The day’s sessions included talks curated by listening champion Julian Treasure and host of NPR’s TED Radio Hour Manoush Zomorodi.

Watch TED2026 on TED Live, check out more photos from the event and learn more about attending a future TED conference.

What does the universe sound like? Astrophysicist Mark Whittle takes us back to its conception: vast sound waves rippling through the cosmos for millions of years, slowly becoming the tapestry of galaxies we see today. Then he plays it for us, and for one brief stunning moment, we hear the sound of creation itself. Back on Earth, biologist David Haskell and sound designer Matthew Mikkelsen trace the primitive language of sound: from the first insect chirp to the layered symphonies of rainforests and oceans. The universe has been singing long before we could hear it. It’s about time we listened.

Good ears don’t make a good listener. Writer Michael Chorost knows this better than anyone. Partially deaf and fitted with cochlear implants, he spent months learning to hear again. What he learned went far beyond the mechanics of hearing. Listening, he says, is a moral act: setting aside your assumptions to hear people as they really are. The reason we struggle with this, explains journalist Emily Kasriel, is we often mistake listening for agreeing. Separating the two is where real connection begins. And sometimes the most powerful listening requires no words at all. Irish dance duo The Gardiner Brothers prove it in an electrifying performance — dancing an entire conversation through nothing but rhythm and sound. The ears are just the beginning; real listening takes discipline.

What happens when you really listen? For activist Susan Burton, everything changes. After the death of her son sent her into a spiral of addiction and incarceration, she walked into an AA meeting and, for the first time, found people who listened. It saved her life, and she’s made it her mission to save many more through A New Way of Life Reentry Project. Writer Harville Hendrix found the same truth in his marriage. On the brink of divorce, he and his wife turned to the simple yet radical practice of listening without judgment, and discovered they barely knew each other at all. He says: “You cannot love who you do not know. You cannot know without listening.” That’s why director John Lloyd goes to the sound department for the best takes — they’re the only ones truly paying attention. As he says, “You never learn anything by talking, only by listening.”

Back to biological basics. We’re living in the most sedentary era in human history, and it’s quietly wrecking our health — even for people who exercise regularly. Exercise scientist Keith Diaz has a solution: a five-minute “movement break” every half hour. He shows the data on why quick moments of movement can dramatically boost your health, mood and energy. In a similar vein, precision medicine pioneer Michael Snyder shows how wearables are revolutionizing personal health tracking, with a particular focus on how they can help people identify their risk for pre-diabetes. Physician Dhruv Khullar explores the potential of GLP-1 drugs to move beyond weight-loss medication into a promising treatment for addiction. By quietly dialing down the brain’s reward response, GLP-1s don’t kill your desires, they just make them more manageable, giving people the mental space to change their lives.

A new way to calculate wealth. Billionaires are deeply unpopular — polling in popularity below trial lawyers and just above TikTok influencers, according to a new poll from Forbes and Harris X. Yet where billionaires flourish, poverty shrinks and economies grow. Randall Lane, the editorial steward of Forbes’s signature rankings, including its famous “World’s Billionaires List,” thinks this widespread dislike is the result of the world’s richest people giving away less than one percent of their net worth (while the average American donates two percent to charity per year). To close that gap, Forbes is launching a new list — “True Net Worth” — that counts what you’ve given away as wealth you still own, turning the ego that drives billionaires up the list into a force that might do some good.

Will AI ever become conscious? OpenClaw creator Peter Steinberger takes us back to a transformative moment in a Marrakesh alley, where he stood, frozen, watching an AI agent he’d built improvise a voice translation workflow in nine seconds — a capability he hadn’t programmed but appeared to happen spontaneously. That’s just one example of amazing capabilities being brought to life by OpenClaw users across the world, and it’s precisely what consciousness explorer Anil Seth would put on the examining table: the all-too-human tendency to project inner life onto algorithms. Seth’s careful case against conscious AI warns against letting a sophisticated mirror convince us it has a self, insisting that consciousness isn’t a computational side effect but something rooted in flesh and blood. But whether or not AI ever becomes conscious, our belief that it might be is already rewriting the rules of agency, ethics and invention.

Malala Yousafzai on what she’s learned about changing the world

Malala Yousafzai has spent her life advocating for girls’ education — surviving an assassination attempt at 15, meeting with world leaders and then watching hard-won progress collapse when Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in 2021. That moment of despair forced her to completely rethink what it means to create change, and what she discovered replaced her shattered optimism with something more powerful and more honest.

In the first talk released from TED2026: All of Us, hear how to keep fighting for the future you want, even when hope feels lost: go.ted.com/malalayousafzai26

Bold ideas, big stakes: Day 2 of TED2026

What does the future actually look like — and who gets to build it? Day 2 of TED2026 didn’t shy away from the big questions. From the promise and peril of AI to the potential of solar-powered, offline educational tools, these sessions brought together the thinkers, builders and dreamers working at the edges of what’s possible. Think of this as your backstage pass to a day that left very little unexplored.

Day 2 included talks curated by Taiwan’s cyber ambassador Audrey Tang, social technologist Divya Siddarth, solutions journalist Angus Hervey and TED Vision Steward Sal Khan.

Watch TED2026 on TED Live, check out more photos from the event and learn more about attending a future TED conference.

The future isn’t human vs. machine — it’s human and machine. Ethereum cofounder Vitalik Buterin built his life’s work around blockchain, creating a system designed for cooperation, not dominance. Ethereum proved that decentralized systems don’t need a single authority to thrive. Now he’s asking: What if AI worked the same way, amplifying human judgment rather than replacing it? Visual effects pioneer Sam Wickert puts that idea to the test, showcasing a live AI demo with technologist Bilawal Sidhu that gives creative control back to the filmmaker. Instead of surrendering to a text prompt, the director calls the shots — using AI like a game controller, with every pixel and angle at their fingertips. Great art has always been made by human hands, and those hands just got a remarkable new instrument.

We’re drowning in data, yet starving for action. Planet Labs cofounder Robbie Schingler knows this firsthand. His satellites captured the Russian military buildup along the Ukrainian border days before the invasion — and yet the war still happened. The problem was never a lack of information; it was a lack of systems built to act on it. Former Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo sees this same asymmetry in America’s workforce: 50 million workers could lose their jobs to AI, and yet no coordinated response exists. We have never known more about the world and yet, somehow, that still isn’t enough. Fortunately, she has a concrete plan to prepare workers for what’s coming next. “AI is a 100-year technology and needs a 100-year response,” she says.

The power is with the people. The minds behind X’s Community Notes, Jay Baxter and Keith Coleman, dared to ask the question: What if the people got to decide what’s true? Community Notes was their answer: if people don’t trust tech companies to draw the line, let them draw it themselves. That same belief drives conservationist Maya Higa, who created an animal sanctuary that no one can visit, but everyone can participate in digitally, turning anyone with a wifi connection into a conservationist from their own home. And philosopher Carissa Véliz warns that the greatest threat to our collective agency is the power of prediction — algorithms issuing verdicts about who we are before we’ve had a chance to prove otherwise. But predictions only gain their power when people believe them, she says. So don’t. Resist, participate and remind the algorithms who’s really in charge.

Nature has always known how to heal itself. Indigenous advocate and attorney Amy Cordalis Bowers shares how the Yurok people fought back against generations of colonization and extraction to achieve the largest dam removal in US history. The Klamath River’s remarkable recovery reveals what’s possible when we follow nature’s oldest instructions. Author, educator and activist Bill McKibben picks up that thread with an unlikely source of optimism: the solar revolution isn’t coming — it’s already here. After 400,000 years of burning things for energy, the only thing standing between us and a clean, abundant future is the political will of those still protecting fossil fuel profits.

Some of the world’s most solvable problems aren’t being talked about enough. Across Sub-Saharan Africa, millions of children show up to school eager to learn — and leave without ever learning to read. Audacious Project grantee and entrepreneur Rapelang Rabana makes a case for scrapping the Western playbook and introducing a surprising fix: solar-charged, offline tablets that adapt in real time to each child’s level and pace, in their own language. Fellow Audacious Project grantee Drew McCartor points to an even quieter crisis: every day, lead poisoning accounts for an estimated two million IQ points permanently lost in children, one of the most overlooked catastrophes of our time. With a proven three-step model to measure, identify and remove lead, his nonprofit Pure Earth is scaling across more than 20 countries to protect half a billion children.

The key to freedom is telling your story. Former Kosovan president Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu says that in a world where democracy is losing ground to populism and cynicism, the most powerful thing a small nation can do is refuse to stay silent. In conversation with solutions journalist Angus Hervey, she explains that it’s not military or economic might that defines a country’s strength but rather the courage to use its own voice. Venezuelan opposition leader and freedom fighter Leopoldo López takes that argument into the digital age, showing how open-source technology (like decentralized communication, Bitcoin and AI) is becoming the new frontier of that same fight. His warning: “Whenever there is a gatekeeper, there is conditional freedom. And conditional freedom is not freedom.”

It’s time to put the genie back into the bottle. We’re ultrasocial creatures: we need community, connection and common goals in order to thrive. Unfortunately, says author Jonathan Haidt, technology is hollowing out the very conditions that make this thriving possible. He gives a damning account of how social media, ed-tech and AI block us from flourishing — and why our children are paying the steepest price. The good news is that people are finally standing up to change things: phones are coming out of schools, social media age limits are rising and companies are being held liable for harms they knowingly caused. The task now, he says, is to apply that same hard-won skepticism to AI before it goes further down the same road — not by rejecting technology, but by demanding proof that it’s safe before we hand it to our kids.

The merger of humans and AI. Two billion years ago, a dying world was saved by two cells merging — an accident that gave rise to complex life on Earth. Tech entrepreneur D. Scott Phoenix says AI is our generation’s version of that moment, with the stage set for a merger between humans and the technology. “If we stay separate, AI is not a tool. It’s a replacement: one that gets better and cheaper every week,” he says. The boundary is already starting to dissolve; we just need to make sure humanity itself doesn’t fracture first. Phoenix’s talk is followed by two interviews, beginning with co-CEO of Waymo Tekedra Mawakana in conversation with TED Vision Steward Sal Khan. Mawakana discusses the state of her company’s autonomous driving technology, the staggering amount of rides they deliver per week and how autonomous vehicles could solve the problem of road safety. Next up is entrepreneur and philanthropist Reed Hastings, who discusses his journey from cofounding Netflix to being appointed to the board of Anthropic in 2025, where he’s working to accelerate possibilities in education with the use of AI.

Watch TED2026 on TED Live, check out more photos from the event and learn more about attending a future TED conference.

TED podcast “WorkLife” returns with new host, Molly Graham

WorkLife is back — and entering a new chapter. The TED podcast is bringing in a brand-new host — community and company builder Molly Graham — to explore the lessons about work no one teaches you.

Molly Graham has spent nearly two decades inside fast-growing companies, helping them scale through messy, high-stakes moments of change. She led operations at organizations including Facebook, Quip and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and she’s known for coining the term “Give Away Your Legos,” which captures the identity shifts leaders face as organizations grow and roles evolve. In her TED Talk, Molly says excellent careers are not built by climbing — they’re built by leaps into the unknown. 

We spend so much of our lives at work: doing it, thinking about it, worrying about it. And the full range of human experience shows up there, from ambition and failure to joy, burnout, confidence and self-doubt. Yet these realities often go unnamed, treated as distractions rather than what they truly are: part of the work itself.

On WorkLife, Molly starts from a different premise: that the messy inner life of work can be understood (and even harnessed) to help you build a more meaningful, more sustainable career. That idea echoes the themes of her TED Talk, where she describes how conventional ideas of success can trap people into believing that “self-worth is tied to your title, or your last performance rating, or your next promotion.”

In WorkLife’s new era, Molly will explore how to build a work life that actually fits you, rather than someone else’s definition of success.

Want to start listening? Our trailer is out now, and the first episode featuring a conversation between Molly and our past host, Adam Grant, will drop on Tuesday, April 28. Listen to WorkLife wherever you get your podcasts.

TED, Khan Academy and ETS announce new institute to reimagine higher education for the AI age

Today at TED2026 in Vancouver, the nonprofit organizations TED, Khan Academy and ETS announced a joint plan to launch the Khan TED Institute, a new higher education collaboration designed for an AI‑driven era. The Khan TED Institute aims to prepare learners for the next generation of jobs while cultivating the uniquely human skills required to thrive in work, life and society amid rapid technological change. 

Together, the three nonprofits bring complementary strengths — Khan Academy’s world-class learning platform, TED’s curated community of leading thinkers and transformative ideas and ETS’s trusted expertise in measuring skills — to pioneer a bold vision for the future of higher education. 

The Khan TED Institute plans to offer learning built for a fast‑changing world, combining deep academic foundations, applied artificial intelligence, and development of the durable soft skills employers value most — skills that carry beyond the workplace into life. The intent of the program is to be as accessible as possible. Applications are expected to open in 12 to 18 months. 

“We’re at a moment when education and the world are evolving quickly, and people need new ways to learn, build and demonstrate their capabilities,” said Sal Khan, founder and CEO of Khan Academy and TED Vision Steward. “Khan Academy’s mission has always been to make world-class education accessible to all. The Khan TED Institute is an extension of that vision to higher education, creating new paths that help more people find meaningful ways to contribute to the world around them.”

Once enrolled, students will advance based on measures of real competency rather than seat time, enabling personalized pacing while ensuring every learner leaves with verified competencies. The inaugural program will be organized around three pillars:

• Core knowledge in mathematics, statistics, economics, computer science, science, history, and writing.
• Applied AI skills, including AI‑assisted app development, financial modeling, building AI agents, and team‑based deployment projects.
• Communication and leadership, developed through structured collaboration, peer tutoring, dialogue sessions, and public speaking.

“What’s inspiring is learning that leads to real-world opportunity,” said Amit Sevak, CEO of ETS. “This collaboration helps open new pathways into the AI economy where skill‑based measurement becomes the critical link between learning and livelihood.”  

To ensure deep relevance with the rapidly changing nature of work, corporate partnerships are vital to the Khan TED Institute’s design. Corporate thought partners including Google, Microsoft, Accenture, Bain & Company, McKinsey and Replit will help shape the program and competency signals — ensuring the program stays aligned with the skills employers value most. 

The Khan TED Institute also aims to bring together a global community of peers — including the millions of students and educators who already engage with TED’s education initiative TED-Ed — with the broader TED network of thinkers and leaders. Through live talks, Q&A sessions, and community‑based learning, students will connect ideas to real‑world challenges and opportunities.

“For nearly 40 years, TED has been connecting people with powerful ideas — and in the process, quietly educating millions,” said Logan McClure Davda, CEO of TED. “At a time when learning is changing quickly, we now need new ways to help people engage with ideas, develop judgment, and apply what they learn. The Khan TED Institute is an effort to expand what education can look like in the age of AI.”

To learn more about the Khan TED Institute and express interest as a student, corporate partner, educator or philanthropist, please visit Khan TED Institute and join us in building something transformative.

7 things we learned at day 1 of TED2026

It’s time for TED!

TED2026 marks a pivotal milestone: our final conference in our beloved Vancouver venue before embarking on TED’s next chapter. To open the conference, TED’s Chris Anderson and Helen Walters welcome TED Vision Steward Sal Khan onto the stage for an eclectic session. Seven speakers explore how to thrive in the wild, wonderful and sometimes terrifying future we’re all facing together … before the session wraps up with a bang.

Watch TED2026 on TED Live, check out more photos from the event and learn more about attending a future TED conference.

Progress stalls. Hope doesn’t have to. Malala Yousafzai is the youngest Nobel laureate in history, so you might think she’s got social change figured out. But here’s the truth: “I don’t have all the answers,” she says. In a moving talk, she tells the story of her advocacy for girls’ education — from surviving an assassination attempt and meeting with world leaders to watching hard-won progress collapse when Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in 2021 — and talks about how to keep working for the future you want, even when hope feels lost. “If we start with something, work together and stay ambitious, hope stops being a thing we wait to feel and becomes something we create,” she says.

The next great infrastructure? Drones. Drone executive Adam Bry is helping to build the future of autonomous flight. He makes the case that self-flying drones are already transforming everything from emergency responses to public safety — preventing wildfires, mapping power grids and catching crime, all in real time. In a live demo, he launches a drone in Tokyo while piloting it from across the Pacific in Vancouver. For Bry, the future is one where flying robots work seamlessly in the background, as essential to daily life as roads and power lines.

A technology platform for public safety. Garrett Langley built Flock Safety after watching crime rise in his own Atlanta neighborhood. Today, the network of license plate readers, cameras and drones helps solve more than a million crimes a year. He says the old model of policing — officers driving around looking for “suspicious activity” — was slow and riddled with bias, while data-driven technology can get to the truth faster. He takes the hardest questions head-on — about constitutionality, privacy guardrails and the state of mass surveillance — and asks if the US can build an infrastructure that makes crime simply unsustainable.

Peace is possible, but it has to start with more than empathy. After four decades spent living and working inside conflict zones, mediator Hiba Qasas shows how the traditional peacebuilding playbook mistakes process for progress, overlooking the real drivers of lasting peace: power, incentives and legitimacy. She introduces her framework, STIR, which flips the script by leading with principled pragmatism — or “self-interest with a spine” — an approach that has brought hundreds of Israeli and Palestinian leaders into an active coalition, working together even in the midst of war.

Music is a language we intuitively know. In a breathtaking performance, kaleidoscopic music maker Jacob Collier explores what he calls “the wiggle”: the fluid, supple energy that weaves melody, rhythm and harmony into a story. Professing his love for harmony — “the wiggle between the wiggles” — he reveals its power to shift the entire color of a song. There are no straight lines in nature, and there are none in music either. The wiggle is what makes it such a wonderful world. 

The virtual cell is almost here. Complex diseases like Alzheimer’s have stumped medicine for decades, because each patient’s biology is uniquely tangled. But scientist and 2025 Audacious Project grantee Silvana Konermann thinks artificial intelligence holds the key to finally untangling it. Her team at Arc Institute is harnessing single-cell sequencing, CRISPR and AI to run a billion high-quality cellular experiments, training a model that can “speak” the language of cells, the way LLMs learned to speak ours. The goal: a universal virtual cell that tells researchers exactly which interventions could turn a diseased cell back into a healthy one, transforming a century of guess-and-check medicine into something more like a cheat code.

Warning: this talk begins with an explosion. Science educator Mark Rober has spent years cracking the code on how to teach a generation raised on YouTube. If you can get their attention — like building the tallest elephant toothpaste fountain in history to teach the science of catalytic reactions — then suddenly you have somewhere to attach the learning. He calls it “hiding the vegetables.” Now he’s channeling this method into a full science curriculum for teachers everywhere that’s free, forever. Teachers have the most important job on the planet, he says: it’s time they had the tools to match.

Watch TED2026 on TED Live, check out more photos from the event and learn more about attending a future TED conference.

The ripple effect of an idea

At TED, we say that ideas change everything. And it’s the people behind these ideas who make TED the powerful community it is.

Each talk sparks something: a new question, a shift in perspective, a feeling that lingers longer than expected. Those who hear the talk then forward along that nugget of insight, in a conversation with a colleague, a different choice at work, a risk they might not have taken previously. Over time, those small moments add up. What starts as a single spark becomes a series of decisions, collaborations and actions that reach far beyond the original concept, shaping not just one life, but many.

The videos below offer a window into TED’s compounding ripple effect, the life of an idea beyond the stage.

---

Jill Bolte Taylor

---

William Kamkwambe

---

Ken Lacovara 

---

Monica Lewinsky

---

Pamela Meyer

---

Judge Victoria Pratt

---

Kate Robinson, the daughter of the late Sir Ken Robinson

---

Tom Shannon

---

Guy Winch

Watch TED2026: All of Us — live online this week

Can’t make it to Vancouver for TED2026 this week? No problem! You can stream the entire conference online with TED Live.

TED Live brings the TED conference experience to your home – or anywhere you want to watch. Get exclusive access to every talk. Share the minute-by-minute excitement of the conference with people around the world. Get exclusive access to every talk, including ones that may not go online, and revisit your favorite talks on-demand anytime year-round.

This week, hear from:

• Malala Yousafzai, Nobel laureate, education activist
• Mark Rober, Science education champion
• Jacob Collier, Kaleidoscopic music maker
• Keke Palmer, Multihyphenate entertainer
• Reed Hastings, Entrepreneur, philanthropist
• Steve Huffman, Cofounder and CEO of Reddit
• Jonathan Haidt, Social psychologist
• Van Jones, TV host, author, changemaker
• Sylvia A. Earle, Ocean scientist
• Maya Higa, Content creator for wildlife conservation
• Yinka Ilori, Designer of joy
• Azusa Murakami, Artist
• … and many more speakers illuminating the path forward in tech, culture, climate and what’s next

Watch TED2026 beginning Monday, April 13 »

A letter to democracy

Dear Democracy,

How are you holding up? You’ve had some tough days lately, it seems. The last few years haven’t been very kind to you. Despite democracy being at a modern-day high at the end of 2017 (Drew Desilver, Pew Research), a 2025 report from the University of Gothenburg found that autocratic countries now outnumber democracies worldwide, with 72 percent of the global population living under some form of autocratic rule. Some sources say that global democracy has slid back to levels last seen in the 1970s, with The Economist’s Democracy Index reporting eight consecutive years of decline in 2025. Democracy, what happened to you? What can we do to make sure your future is secure and hopeful?

Hard-won, even harder-kept

The creation of modern-day democracy didn’t happen overnight, and it wasn’t easy. America gained independence from Great Britain 250 years ago — a challenge nobody expected to be successful at the time. The Founding Fathers gathered in the cosmopolitan city of Philadelphia, where critical conversations about the future of the thirteen colonies took place. It took an entire war, heartfelt debate and a lot of administrative work (thanks, John Hancock) to see the beginnings of what would eventually become American democracy. 

But today, we’re struggling to keep the foundations of democracy from weakening under the weight of economic uncertainty, global instability and a decreasing sense of duty to our fellow humans. These conditions have made democracy seem less and less attractive. During times like this, we all look for someone to guide us, despite the reality that nobody has all the answers.

What’s being forgotten is that you, Democracy, are a core reason that America became the “city on a hill.” The freedoms embedded in the Constitution continue to be a model of societal progress, and it’s essential that the rights it enshrined are protected. What this moment calls for is a reimagining of what democracy can do for all of us. It protects us from kings and would-be tyrants. It allows each of us to have a say in how our country is run. And importantly, it creates a sense of shared values and community. Reinforcing democratic values — shared power, contestation, representation — is something we all must do for democracy to live up to its full promise. But to do this, we have to come together and talk. We have to have the hard conversations with people with whom we may not agree, learn to compromise and dream of the ways we can bring about the change we want to see. And what better place to do that than in Philadelphia?

Founding the Future

On June 13, 2026, thousands of people will gather in Philadelphia for a day of conversations that can change the shape of our democratic future. TED Democracy Philadelphia: Founding Futures will give democracy a stage, and give people a space to think boldly, dream without boundaries, confront differences in a constructive way and establish the foundation for the next 250 years of modern democracy. 

This isn’t just about recognizing democracy’s past — it’s an invitation to dive into the future, where we can create a stronger democracy that works for all of us. But we can’t do it without you! Because if we want democracy to work for us, we have to work for it.

Be part of Philadelphia’s next chapter

Philadelphia’s story has always been written by people willing to speak up and lean in. TED Democracy Philadelphia: Founding Futures invites you to be part of that tradition.

Tickets and full event details are available now. Join the dialogue and experience democracy, Philly-style.

Use code “FUTURES” to score 15% off your tickets.

Join us at TED2026 in Vancouver, April 13–17

The future has never felt more volatile. Politically, technologically and culturally, the rules are being rewritten. At TED2026 we’re upping our level of ambition and conducting a global search to identify the most powerful speakers from every corner of planet Earth. They’ll share ideas that change everything in a program brimming with the world’s greatest innovators, dreamers, creators and doers — focused on building no less than a better future for all.

Join us in Vancouver, BC, Canada, April 13–17, for TED2026 and hear from:

• Keith Coleman, VP of product at X
• Sylvia A. Earle, Ocean scientist
• Jonathan Haidt, Social psychologist
• Maya Higa, Content creator for wildlife conservation
• Steve Huffman, Cofounder and CEO of Reddit
• Yinka Ilori, Designer of joy
• Van Jones, TV host, author, changemaker
• Azusa Murakami, Artist
• Keke Palmer, Multihyphenate entertainer
• Malala Yousafzai, Nobel laureate, education activist
• … and more than 70 other speakers illuminating the path forward in tech, culture, climate and what’s next

TED2026 is more than a conference; it’s the grand finale of an unforgettable chapter in Vancouver. This year, we’re pulling out all the stops. Get ready for a week of immersive experiences, powerful storytelling and a joyful send-off to the city that’s been our home for more than a decade. Over the course of a transformative week of ideas and connections, experience thought-provoking TED Talks each day and customize your schedule with hands-on workshops, Discovery Sessions and interactive spaces that ignite meaningful human connection. From the electric moments in our iconic theater to the magic of spontaneous connections that become lifelong friendships, every detail has been designed to inspire, uplift and celebrate.

Learn more and apply to attend »

Introducing TED’s exclusive strategic partner in China: New Channel International Education Group

On March 16, 2026, TED and New Channel International Education Group held a formal signing ceremony in New York to celebrate their exclusive strategic partnership in China. The event brought together TED chair Chris Anderson, TED CEO Logan McClure Davda and New Channel Chairman Professor Hu Min.

Founded in 2004 by renowned language education leader Hu Min, New Channel International Education Group aims to open a “new channel” in education by offering innovative approaches to learning that complement traditional school systems. With a presence in more than 70 cities across China, as well as international hubs including Hong Kong, New York, and Tokyo, New Channel supports global youth development through language education, study abroad services, arts and music programs, cultural initiatives and academic research.

As TED’s exclusive strategic partner in China, New Channel is committed to nurturing global competence, cross-cultural understanding and lifelong learning. Its programs include international language training, academic preparation and cultural projects like the Stories of China Retold in English Challenge, engaging thousands of students worldwide each year.

By combining high-quality educational resources with opportunities for cultural exchange, New Channel empowers learners to explore new ideas, broaden their horizons and engage meaningfully with the world — values that align closely with TED’s mission of spreading ideas and inspiring learning globally.

The partnership marks a new phase of high-level collaboration in international education, idea-driven communication and cross-cultural exchange. Together, TED and New Channel will draw on premium content and innovative educational models to explore integrated pathways for global learning and international communication in a rapidly evolving era.

See more about the partnership here.

To learn more about Hu Min and New Channel, visit their website.

TED Idea Search: Meet the thinkers competing for a spot on the biggest stage for ideas

Over the past year, TED has been traveling the world (literally!) in search of powerful ideas — and the people bold enough to share them.

The result? A 9-part series that pulls back the curtain on what it’s actually like to deliver a TED Talk.

In each episode, you’ll step into a new city and meet the speakers bringing their ideas to the red circle and competing for a spot on the main stage at TED2026 in Vancouver. You’ll go backstage with them into rehearsal rooms and witness the nerves, the breakthroughs and the moments when an idea finally comes into focus. From a rock balancer and a disability specialist to a whale scientist and a bad-breath researcher, see the people shaping the future in their own communities — and learn what it takes to bring those ideas to the TED stage.

Sydney: Inside a theatre tucked in a library, a whale scientist and an Olympian took center stage — a reminder that compelling ideas can come from anywhere (and anyone).

---

Mumbai: In this episode, speakers explore everything from rock balancing to healthcare innovation, reflecting the range of ideas that make it to the TED stage.

---

Athens: Athens has celebrated big ideas for millennia — and it’s still not done. From the science of bad breath to the factories of the future, this episode moves from the deeply personal to the forward-looking.

---

Lagos: With one of the most electric audiences of the series, Lagos delivered talks ranging from renewable energy to the art of tailoring that celebrates a small town’s craft.

---

London: From a civil engineer revealing the invisible infrastructure shaping our cities to a classical singer uncovering the erased history of women in music, the speakers in London prove that the most powerful ideas are both deeply personal and impossible to ignore.

---

Singapore: In Singapore, a diver-turned-ocean-restorer, a scientist growing building materials out of fungus, and a government insider reimagining public institutions make the case that the most transformative ideas are already taking root

---

Chicago: A chemist saving endangered species with precision medicine, a journalist building tools for hard conversations, a runner mapping every street of a divided city: these are the kinds of ideas 10 Chicagoans bring to the red circle.

---

Buenos Aires: In a warehouse full of opera sets, 10 speakers deliver ideas as bold Buenos Aires itself, from a reframing of “brain rot” as diplomacy to the future of robotic medicine.

---

Amman: Inside a 2,000-year-old Roman amphitheater, a mountaineer who turned grief into motivation, a therapist rewriting the Arab world’s language around mental health and other incredible speakers make the case that the best ideas can come from anywhere.

---

Watch the full series of TED Idea Search on YouTube and TED.com.

Meet the 2026 class of TED Fellows

For TED Fellows, hope isn’t abstract — it’s built through action. Across research labs and rural farms, courtrooms and classrooms, more than 500 Fellows in 100+ countries are reimagining the systems that shape our lives — climate and health, justice and education, art and technology. Together, they are repairing and redesigning the world into one that is more just, imaginative and alive with possibility.

For more than 17 years, the TED Fellows program has served as a launchpad for builders and visionaries. Through hands-on communication training, access to a global network of peers and mentors, and amplification across TED’s platforms, Fellows gain the tools and visibility to transform their work into real-world impact.

We are thrilled to announce the 2026 class of TED Fellows, whose work spans four continents and nine countries. Among them: a philosopher challenging our growing reliance on AI prediction, a vaccine inventor preparing the world for future pandemics, a technologist preserving and verifying media that documents human rights abuses, and Japan’s youngest-ever mayor reshaping democracy.

Meet the new Fellows below, and join us in welcoming them to the TED community:

Carissa Véliz
Philosopher, AI ethicist | Mexico + Spain + UK
Carissa Véliz is a professor at Oxford University researching humanity’s overreliance on prediction — from AI algorithms to political polling. In her latest book, Prophecy, she argues that predictions undermine democracy, eroding privacy and replacing human judgment.

---

Fabiola Reyna
Activist, guitarist, composer | Mexico + US
Fabi Reyna is a cultural activist and composer working with music as a tool for communication, investigation and sociopolitical resilience. As the founder of She Shreds Media and the creative behind the band Reyna Tropical, they offer spaces where underrepresented and diasporic people can unify and thrive.

---

Felix Hol
Mosquito biotechnologist | Netherlands
Felix Hol is an assistant professor at Radboud University Medical Center, investigating mosquito behavior — from what they taste on our skin to why they now bite earlier in the day. By turning these insights into simple, open-source tools, he helps communities prevent harmful diseases.

---

Greg Tietjen
Biomedical innovator | US
As cofounder and CEO of Revalia Bio, Greg Tietjen revives donated, transplantable human organs and tissues, transforming them into powerful tools for biomedical research. By integrating medicine, engineering and data science, his team uses these living organs as a foundation to accelerate new drug development while lowering costs.

---

Hadi Al Khatib
Digital evidence technologist | Syria
As founder and managing director of Mnemonic, Hadi Al Khatib develops systems that collect and preserve citizen-generated digital media documenting human rights abuses. By verifying this open-source material as credible evidence, his work enables communities in Syria, Sudan, Ukraine and beyond to pursue justice and protect democracy.

---

Kizzmekia Corbett-Helaire
Immunologist, vaccine inventor | US
A key inventor of COVID-19 vaccine technology, Kizzmekia Corbett-Helaire leads a research lab at Harvard University. She develops vaccines and therapeutics for emerging viruses and educates the public on vaccine science to ensure humanity is ready for the next pandemic.

---

Ryosuke Takashima
Japan’s youngest-ever mayor | Japan
At the age of 26, Ryosuke Takashima became the youngest person to win a mayoral seat in Japan, sparking a new wave of young leaders in government. He invites citizens to participate in reforming their communities, spearheading education and climate policy as well as strengthening technological infrastructure.

---

Schendy Kernizan
Manufacturing innovator | Haiti + US
Cofounder and CEO of Rapid Liquid Print, Schendy Kernizan invented a mold-free, gel-suspension manufacturing process with his team at MIT, making products more affordable, accessible and sustainable. From medicine to transportation to space exploration, his innovation is transforming industries.

---

Trinity Tran
Economic justice advocate | US
As a leader in California’s public banking movement, Trinity Tran helps cities redirect funds from big banks into affordable housing, small businesses and critical infrastructure. By passing first-in-the-nation legislation in the United States, she is empowering communities to reclaim control of their own economies.

---

Tushrik Fredericks
Dancer, choreographer | South Africa
Tushrik Fredericks is an award-winning choreographer and dancer who uses social dance and movement to express human emotions and experiences. Inspired by his South African heritage and contemporary dance training, he creates visceral and rigorous original choreographic works.

 

 

To learn more about these TED Fellows and follow their journey, check out @tedfellow on Instagram or join our newsletter.

The Audacious Project reveals its 2025 cohort and $1B catalyzing change

The Audacious Project, the collaborative funding platform within TED, is thrilled to announce its newest cohort of grantee innovators. This new cohort extends the vital on-the-ground work of Audacious grantees on key global issues, including reducing the flow of plastics to rivers and oceans, improving reproductive care, preventing homelessness and investing in low-income and first-generation college students. 

Since 2018, The Audacious Project has invited visionary social entrepreneurs to propose their boldest ideas to solve the world’s greatest challenges, and collaborated with them to transform their ambitions into achievable and audacious, multi-year plans. 

Audacious has reached new heights — with more than $1 billion committed by the Audacious community at the end of 2025 to provide the flexible, long-term funding to launch and scale these bold ideas.

Audacious has also launched a reinvestment pilot program, providing a secondary funding round to previous grantees that demonstrated significant results after their initial five years of funding. The Audacious donor community has committed nearly $50 million in total follow-on funding to three selected organizations to scale their work and sustain their impact. This pilot demonstrates a commitment to flexible, long-term funding — and to the value of providing a longer runway for organizations creating transformational change. 

The 2025 Audacious cohort includes:

• Arc Institute, led by Silvana Konermann: Creating the world’s first high-utility virtual cell, an AI model accelerating medical breakthroughs toward cures for intractable diseases
• Braven, led by Aimée Eubanks Davis: Closing the college-to-career gap for low-income and first-generation college students in the United States by partnering with higher education and employers to prepare students for the workforce
• Imagine Worldwide, led by Rapelang Rabana: Scaling solar-powered, offline edtech learning solutions to reach students across Malawi, Sierra Leone and Tanzania
• Ipas, led by Anu Kumar and Jean-Claude Mulunda: Preventing unsafe abortion in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and South Asia by removing systemic, legal and social barriers to care
• Plastic Solutions Fund, led by Nicky Davies: Reducing plastic production and fostering a reuse-based, circular economy in partnership with the #BreakFreeFromPlastic movement.
• Pure Earth, led by Drew McCartor: Protecting children from lead poisoning by helping 22 low- and middle-income countries implement proven approaches to prevent exposure and reduce health risks
• Destination: Home’s “Right at Home,” led by Jennifer Loving: Stopping homelessness before it starts by scaling a proven prevention model across the country, redefining how the United States responds to the housing affordability crisis
• Solutions for Our Climate, led by Joojin Kim: Transforming maritime trade into an industry  that drives global decarbonization
• The Ocean Cleanup, led by Boyan Slat: Stopping plastic from flowing into our oceans by intercepting and removing the waste accumulating in rivers
• Tiko, led by Serah Malaba: Empowering and protecting girls across Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Africa and Burkina Faso from HIV, unintended pregnancy and sexual violence by connecting them to free care and services

The Audacious Project reinvestment organizations include: 

• Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT), led by Rebecca Firth: Establishing an Open Mapping Marketplace that connects trained and certified local mappers with decision-makers needing high-quality geospatial data to strengthen livelihoods and planning
• Last Mile Health, led by Lisha McCormick: Saving the lives of women and children across the African continent by partnering with governments to train community health workers to deliver cost-effective primary care and transform health financing  
• Thorn, led by Julie Cordua: Hardwiring child safety into the fabric of the internet by equipping technology companies and law enforcement with AI-driven tools to combat child sexual abuse, protect children at scale and outpace emerging threats

“This year’s cohort represents what happens when humanity’s toughest problems are met with courage. It is also a declaration of what they imagine is still entirely possible. Whether they are charting paths to plastic‑free oceans, unlocking access to life-saving health services for women and girls globally or harnessing AI to prevent disease, the breadth and depth of these interventions is awe-inducing,” said Anna Verghese, executive director of The Audacious Project. “We’re humbled yet again by what the Audacious community makes possible.”

“Daring ideas matter most when they become achievable,” said Chris Anderson, founder of The Audacious Project and TED chairman. “These grantees prove what’s possible when we come together to dream big, take risks and build a more hopeful future.”

Through its unique model, The Audacious Project brings together dedicated philanthropists to give in community with one another, allowing funders to connect with groundbreaking projects that aim to solve humanity’s biggest challenges. 

“The world’s problems are huge — they require audacious thinking and people willing to work together to solve them. I feel a real responsibility to give back and to support some of these immense issues through philanthropy. The Audacious Project helps me do that by connecting me with organizations that have big, bold plans and the vision to actually pull them off,” said Reed Hastings, founder and chairman of the board of Netflix and CEO of Powder. “What makes it unique is how it brings together diverse partners with serious, flexible capital to back the most visionary leaders out there. It’s an honor to be part of this community driving real systemic change.”

“Audacious brings together a community of grantees and funders who are optimistic, hopeful and believe that change is possible. As funders, we have a responsibility to be good stewards of philanthropic dollars, and to back grantee-led solutions to the problems that communities are facing. Amazing leaders deserve to be supported — and it’s our job to support them as future leaders of the world,” said Tegan Acton, founder and principal of Wildcard Giving.

Over the past eight years, the Audacious donor community has committed $4.6 billion in support of 70 bold projects spanning health, climate and community-led innovation, each one grounded in real-world work and designed to turn urgency into action. Audacious grantees have subsequently leveraged an additional $3 billion from other funders, catalyzing $7.6 billion in total funding. These figures point to the distinct power of collaborative philanthropy, when bold ideas and possibility are matched with a committed community that acts with purpose.

Audacious grantees have transformed educational systems worldwide, enrolling millions of girls in school, and have helped millions of people lift themselves out of ultra-poverty. They have driven medical breakthroughs — developing the world’s first computer-generated protein medicine, revolutionizing COVID-19 response systems and repurposing medicines to cure rare diseases. From developing the first whale language model to transforming how we track methane emissions, year after year, these projects redefine what is achievable in our world.

What these leaders imagine is possible. And we feel so lucky, together, to see a better future with them.

TED, the LEGO Group and the LEGO Foundation partner to launch Play@TED

The LEGO Group and the LEGO Foundation today announced Play@TED, a partnership with TED to drive a movement and change how people of all ages think about play. Together they want to highlight how creative play can be a game-changer in the world and lead to brighter minds, braver ideas and a more imaginative future for everyone.​

This collaboration, which has been funded by a grant from the LEGO Foundation in support of the UN adopted International Day of Play, seeks to spark a global conversation about the importance of play in nurturing children’s growth, fuelling innovation and inspiring cultural creativity.

Last month TED-Ed, in partnership with the LEGO Group and the LEGO Foundation, hosted a Connect Week, where more than 300 students aged 8-18 from 27 countries gathered virtually to discuss and reflect on playful experiences that helped them build real-world skills like confidence, creativity, collaboration and problem-solving. Students shared how playful learning shows up in their lives via short video response.

The partnership will culminate at an in-person Play@TED event to be held at the TED Theater in New York City on May 14, 2026. Curated by TED and aimed at parents, educators and policy-makers, the event will feature inspiring TED Talks from leading experts on the role and impact of creative play. The day, which will be centred around three key pillars: the transformative power of play, play as a mindset for all and how imagination can take us anywhere – and will be livestreamed to the public.

Confirmed speakers so far include Katina Bajaj, a Creative Health Scientist and co-founder & Chief Science Officer of Daydreamers; Randi Williams, AI and Education Researcher at Day of AI and MIT RAISE; and Maxwell “Hops” Pearce, a player on the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team and an accomplished artist.

Following the Play@TED event, an Action Hub on TED-Ed’s award-winning education platform will be available to help parents, policy-makers and communities turn ideas into action. A Learning Lab, packed with resources, discussion points, quizzes and curriculums, will help educators make play a priority in schools around the world.

TED-Ed’s YouTube channel, enjoyed by 22 million subscribers, will also feature five new TED-Ed animations, exploring topics from brain science to history, demonstrating how play fuels creativity, resilience and curiosity – driving progress towards bringing more play to society. Additionally, TED’s celebrated TEDx organizers worldwide will host play-themed events, throughout the year, bringing Play@TED ideas to local communities. These events will blend Play@TED talks with local speakers and activities, inviting communities to explore the power of play together.

For over 90 years the LEGO Group has championed the transformative role of play in the lives of children, helping them reach their full potential and develop lifelong skills such as creativity, communication, problem-solving skills and confidence. Inspiring fun, playful learning remains the LEGO Group’s purpose today.

For more information, visit ted.com/play

TED is bringing its learning model to the legal profession – here’s why

This January, TED is introducing TEDLaw, a new training experience designed to help lawyers step back from constant urgency and reconnect with the judgment, values and human insight that define meaningful legal practice.

Legal work has always required rigor, discipline and technical skill. But the context in which lawyers operate has changed — rapidly and irreversibly.

Over the past several months, in conversations with lawyers across sectors, we’ve heard the same thing: today’s most complex challenges are no longer solved by technical expertise alone. They require ethical judgment, collaboration across differences, cultural awareness and the ability to navigate emerging technologies like AI with care and responsibility.

At TED, we start with a simple belief: ideas change how people see the world — and how they act within it. That belief has shaped how TED engages educators, scientists, artists, technologists and global leaders. With TEDLaw, we’re applying that same learning philosophy to the legal profession.

TEDLaw is not a traditional training program; it doesn’t begin with rules, slides or checklists. Instead, it creates space for lawyers to step back, encounter powerful ideas and reflect on how those ideas shape judgment, leadership and professional identity. From there, participants engage in facilitated dialogue and real-world simulations that mirror the complexity of modern legal practice.

This approach reflects something we see across TED’s work: sustainable change doesn’t come from information alone. It comes from perspective shifts, shared reflection and the opportunity to test new ways of thinking in real-world contexts.

The TEDLaw experience is organized around five interconnected areas that consistently emerged from our conversations with legal professionals:

• Navigating Legal Identity and Values
• Critical Thinking for Legal Solutions
• Intuitive Collaboration in Law
• Cultural Competence in Legal Practice
• Practicing Law in the AI Age

Together, these pillars reflect a broader truth that the future of legal practice depends not only on what lawyers know but also on how they reason, relate and lead.

To bring this work to legal leaders at scale, TED is collaborating with organizations deeply embedded in the profession. Through a partnership with the ACC Foundation, TEDLaw will initially reach in-house legal leaders, creating space for reflection, peer learning and candid conversation about what it means to practice law well in a changing world.

Looking ahead, TEDLaw will also expand to law firms and other legal communities, extending TED’s learning model across the broader legal ecosystem.

At its core, TEDLaw is a fresh approach to legal education, one that’s rooted in listening, curiosity and a belief that even in a rule-bound profession, ideas still have the power to change everything.

Beginning in 2026, law firms will also have the opportunity to host TEDLaw training in partnership with TED and the ACC Foundation, extending this learning experience across the broader legal ecosystem. Learn more about TEDLaw.

10 films. 10 visionaries. Season 2 of TED Fellows Films is here!

Last year, we launched something new — a fusion of traditional TED Talks paired with short-form documentary. You didn’t just watch; you showed up in force. So we’re back. Season 2 of the TED Fellows Film Series has officially arrived!

We’re thrilled to share a brand-new collection of films spotlighting our 2025 TED Fellows. Meet the pilot training young African women to fly — and rewriting who gets to navigate the skies. Follow the biotechnologist turning organic waste into biodegradable plastics that could reshape our supply chains. Learn from a scientist using satellites to protect crops and fight food insecurity. Step inside a rural American community where another Fellow is rebuilding local economies from the ground up, creating jobs where they vanished decades ago. And that’s only the beginning. 

These innovators are part of a global network of 500+ TED Fellows across 100+ countries, pushing the boundaries of science, health care, business, journalism, conservation, art, technology and more — whose work touches more than 200 million lives every year.

Season 2 invites you deeper into the Fellows universe: 10 films, 10 powerful stories of people making change possible. The result is electric, human and unmistakably hopeful.

If you want a window into what the future could look like — and who’s already building it — start here. Watch all 10 films now at go.ted.com/fellows25 and listen to the extended interviews on the TED Talks Daily podcast here.

The most popular TED Talks of 2025 — and what’s next for 2026

As 2025 winds down, take a moment to revisit the ideas that defined the year — through TED Talks that sparked curiosity, challenged assumptions and left us dreaming. TED’s end-of-year playlists gather the moments that stirred the biggest conversations and offered fresh inspiration as we head into 2026.

Here are the talks everyone obsessed over in 2025 — from deepfakes and AI to breakthroughs shaping our future:

Dive into the conversations that lit up 2025, sparking global debate on AI, geopolitics, parenting and more:

Check out this year’s TED-Ed hits — fascinating lessons on science, myths, health and the mysteries of everyday life:

Tune into the podcast episodes that defined the year, bringing fresh insight to creativity, climate, culture and well-being:

Explore 10 standout talks that left a mark on 2025 — brilliant ideas on art, space and civic engagement:

Start the year strong with talks on movement, immunity and the small habits that help you thrive:

Uncove talks that unlock clarity, creativity and calm — so you can think sharper and feel more grounded in 2026:

Here’s your comprehensive guide to the AI shifts transforming work, creativity and daily life:

Meet the thinkers turning bold ideas into real change across climate, health, public safety and economic justice:

Reflections from the TED Countdown House at COP30 in Belém

TED Countdown is a global initiative to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis. Watch climate talks on our website and look for news about upcoming events, including local TEDxCountdown events near you.

I’ve just returned from hosting two weeks of conversations, workshops and interviews at COP30 in Belém with TED Countdown. Much has been written about this COP’s shortfalls, frustrations and achievements — for excellent analysis, try Carbon Brief or Outrage and Optimism’s Inside COP podcast series. Instead, I want to share a few personal reflections about where we actually are — and what comes next.

COP30 unfolded like a split-screen experience. On one screen: the grinding paralysis of a multilateral process that requires unanimous agreement from 194 registered country delegations (with an official US delegation conspicuously absent), and the unrelenting evidence that we’re still far too slow in phasing out fossil fuels, decarbonizing our economies, and building resilience to the climate impacts already reshaping daily life.

On the other side: a vibrant, determined ecosystem of organizations and communities simply getting on with the work — building a healthier, more prosperous, more sustainable future in real time. Entrepreneurs, scientists, policymakers and concerned citizens are advancing hundreds of initiatives to reforest, restore, electrify and adapt. Those who made the journey to this modest city on the edge of the Amazon were the Doers. Despite the frustrations in the negotiating rooms, the wider spirit was practical and resolute — even joyful.

It became clear that we are both losing and winning this battle simultaneously — and mindset will be a decisive factor in which future takes hold.

At TED Countdown House — brought to life with the help of 20 extraordinary artists and an incredible local team — we transformed a historic building in the center of Belém into an open space for candid dialogue. Three thousand people came through during our 12-day program. Listening to the ideas and actions underway, several themes emerged:

1. Mitigation vs. adaptation is a false choice.
We must do both — and people on the frontlines know this instinctively, because they’re already living the collision of impacts and solutions.

2. Climate and nature are profoundly intertwined.
Climate, ecosystems and biodiversity are inseparable. Forests, oceans and grasslands aren’t just carbon sinks; they’re living infrastructure. Those closest to these landscapes — especially Indigenous communities, who safeguard more than one-third of the world’s intact forests and remaining wild landscapes — understand this deeply, and the rest of us are finally beginning to catch up.

3. Technology and traditional knowledge are not opposing forces.
We don’t need to choose between techno-optimism and ancestral wisdom — we need to direct our considerable intelligence, both human and artificial, toward solving problems that matter. Watching local guardians demonstrate how drones are transforming their ability to combat illegal deforestation on their lands was a vivid reminder: innovation is most potent when it’s in service of place, culture and stewardship.

4. China is accelerating climate solutions at remarkable scale.
China dominates the first wave of the clean technology revolution, and is moving fast to build on this. While their delegation did not step into the leadership role some hoped for in Belém, their influence is clear in other ways — including through renewable and battery technologies that are spreading rapidly across the Global South.

5. Despite a political retreat, the US is still in the game.

Turning back on tomorrow’s technologies is, for many of us, a self-defeating strategy. We were glad to host a series of meetings for the “informal” US delegation — former negotiators and leaders from cities, states, business and civil society who continue to push forward. The absence of schadenfreude from international peers was striking — a refreshing reminder of the generosity of the human spirit. Instead, there was concern, empathy and hope that the country will soon regain its footing.

6. The future requires more than technology — it requires moral courage.
Our most anticipated gatherings were those centered on courage, moral leadership and ethics. There is a deep desire for the space to talk about what matters most to people. We were honored to host the new Brazil-led Global Ethical Stocktake, to hear from its co-leaders — including Karenna Gore and Wanjira Mathai — and from respected Elders such as former Presidents Mary Robinson and Juan Manuel Santos. Indigenous leaders from every continent led wisdom ceremonies, grounding us in a relationship with the more-than-human world that is older, wiser and urgently needed.

My closing reflection is that the weather will (of course!) win. Belém offered a daily reminder of our current reality. Torrential rains flooded venues and sent rivers streaming down the streets. Around the world, heat waves strain healthcare systems; storms, floods and wildfires intensify; insurance costs soar.

We humans are notoriously bad at predicting the future. We assume today’s patterns — markets, politics, work — will continue in straight lines. But conditions can flip with surprising speed. We’ve locked in worsening extremes for decades. Yet how we respond is still being written, and each of us chooses our stance anew, every day.

Throughout the two weeks at the House, what stood out above all was stubborn optimism paired with relentless work. It feels as if the politics of climate change is lagging behind the action. People are exhausted by conflict. But in that weariness lies an opening: a chance to align with the builders, the solvers, the courageous.

There are countless ways to join this momentum. My bet is on a rising desire to fix things together — a quiet groundswell of kindness, collaboration and shared purpose. It is both more effective and more life-giving. And that, more than anything, is what I carried home from Belém.

With renewed hope,
Lindsay Levin, Head of TED Countdown

TED Countdown is a global initiative to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis. Watch climate talks on our website and look for news about upcoming events, including local TEDxCountdown events near you.

TED finds its next stage in San Diego

In 1984, TED emerged in California with a radical proposition: that technology, entertainment and design were converging in ways that could change how we see the world. That idea became a global movement, and four decades later, we’re returning to our roots to begin a new chapter. Beginning in 2027, the annual flagship TED conference will make its home in San Diego, California.

This decision follows a rigorous, two-year process centered on infrastructure, community and the ability to scale TED’s mission in meaningful ways. San Diego positions us at the literal and cultural crossroads of innovation: a city where biotech breakthroughs happen alongside innovations in entertainment and media, where the Pacific Rim meets Latin America, and where some of the world’s most urgent challenges are already being tackled. For TED, the choice is as symbolic as it is strategic.

A bigger stage for bolder ideas

Anchored in San Diego’s waterfront district, the conference will center around the San Diego Convention Center, alongside other iconic venues across the city. This expanded footprint creates new opportunities for community engagement, allowing TED to grow its programming while preserving the intimacy and curation that define the TED experience.

San Diego’s venue capacity opens space for fresh programming formats and new participation models that serve TED’s global community. We’re finalizing these details now, with specifics on 2027 programming, pass structures and pricing to be announced following the 2026 conference — our final year in Vancouver.

“TED has always been about bringing unlikely voices together,” says Monique Ruff-Bell, TED’s chief program and strategy officer. “San Diego represents where we’re heading next — a community built on collaboration, a city tackling the challenges that matter most, and a place where the future is already being imagined. This is where global meets local, where innovation meets impact.”

At the heart of this region is a powerful idea — that borders don’t define innovation; people do. The Tijuana–San Diego corridor embodies a binational identity where ideas, talent and cultures move freely. For TED, an organization built on the belief that ideas transcend boundaries, the choice is as symbolic as it is strategic.

TED’s presence also represents a meaningful investment in San Diego’s innovation ecosystem. Our experience in Vancouver demonstrated how hosting the flagship TED conference strengthens a city’s cultural and economic fabric — supporting local suppliers, creating job opportunities and amplifying the region’s voice on the global stage. Over the last two years, TED’s Vancouver operations produced a total regional economic impact of over $16 million annually. In San Diego, we’re committed to deepening connections and contributing to a community already shaping tomorrow’s breakthroughs. 

Our unwavering commitment to global community

The return to California marks our homecoming, but TED’s mission remains borderless. With more than 13,000 TEDx events held to date across 150 countries spanning Europe and Africa to Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, TED intentionally curates spaces around the globe where ideas are examined deeply, shared openly and met with genuine curiosity.

After 12 remarkable years in Vancouver, we are profoundly grateful for the partnership and warmth that made TED thrive in Canada. That city will always hold a special place in TED’s story, and we look forward to celebrating that legacy this spring at TED2026. 

Stay tuned for more updates and register for TED2026: All of Us in Vancouver — where we’ll celebrate a city that helped define a generation of TED moments and look forward to our next chapter, together.

TEDNext 2025 — in photos

TEDNext 2025 in Atlanta, now in its second year, celebrated those asking big questions about life, work and the world. Across three days of TED Talks, discovery sessions, meet-ups and more, attendees from 31 countries and every walk of life explored what’s next, how to lead and what really matters. Below, enjoy a photo roundup from TEDNext 2025.

TEDNext 25 Photo Team: Leandro Badalotti, Ryan Lash, Erin Lubin, Callie Shields, Lynsey Weatherspoon and Elizabeth Zeeuw

Watch TEDNext 2025 on TED Live, check out more photos from the event and learn more about attending a future TED conference.

 

 

 

 

 

Watch TEDNext 2025 on TED Live, check out more photos from the event and learn more about attending a future TED conference.

The stories that stay: What remains when memory fades

By Brigid Jacoby, with Amanda Lynch

November is National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, a time to pause, reflect and continue the conversation on a disease that touches millions of lives around the world. Alzheimer’s isn’t just a medical challenge — it’s an emotional one that reshapes families, identities and the way we connect with one another.

Every TED Talk begins with a story. Every story begins with a memory. That is the idea at the heart of the TED Memory Project, created in partnership with Eli Lilly and Company. It’s a multi-platform, multi-month movement that explores how memory drives innovation and connection while advancing understanding and empathy around Alzheimer’s.

In his TED Talk, “Where does your sense of self come from? A scientific look,” Anil Ananthaswamy shares: “Take, for instance, the question ‘Who am I?’ The most likely answer you will get or give to such a question will be in the form of a story. We tell others, and indeed ourselves, stories about who we are. We take our stories to be sacrosanct. We are our stories. But a condition that most of us, sadly, will be familiar with, Alzheimer’s disease, tells us something quite different. Alzheimer’s begins by affecting short-term memory. Think about what that does to someone’s story. In order for our stories to form, to grow, something that just happens to us has to first enter short-term memory and then get incorporated into what is called long-term episodic memory. It has to become an episode in our narrative.”

This blog is one way of continuing that work, giving space for voices like Brigid Jacoby’s to reflect on how Alzheimer’s can alter identity and the stories that shape us. It is a space for reflection, where ideas meet lived experience, and where the threads of resilience, grief, curiosity and hope come into focus.

When Brigid watched Anil’s TED Talk, one idea struck her: our sense of self is built on the stories we tell about our past, our families and the choices we have made. Alzheimer’s complicates this deeply because it disrupts short-term memory, the very building blocks of those stories. Without being able to record and recall, the narrative of who we are becomes harder to sustain. “That idea resonated with me because I have seen firsthand how Alzheimer’s can change a person’s sense of self, not by erasing them, but by reshaping how their identity is expressed,” Brigid said.

Brigid shares her reflections after the recent passing of her mother, Anne, who lived with early-onset Alzheimer’s. Anne passed on October 30th, 2025, early in the morning, surrounded by her three children. She began experiencing symptoms in her late forties, with her first memory complaints documented at 51. At first, it was small things like misplacing her keys, forgetting dates or struggling with her computer. But soon, the disease began interfering with her work. After more than 20 years in her industry, she lost her job, and even retail shifts became difficult when she couldn’t navigate the digital sales system. Brigid’s younger sibling even took a job at the same shop just to help keep an eye on her.

Anne was a storyteller. As an Irish American, she carried forward the histories of her grandparents immigrating from Ireland, weaving them into a family tapestry she often shared with her children. Her sense of self was tied to these stories and to the act of passing them down.

“One day, sitting outside with my mom, I asked her to retell a story about my great-grandmother,” Brigid recalls. “But this time, I watched panic rise in her eyes as she struggled to understand what I was referencing. The words did not come. Instead, tears did. It was not just memory loss, it was a fracture in identity, the vanishing of a thread she had long held onto as proof of who she was and where she came from.”

Over time, Brigid and her siblings learned to meet Anne in a different place, one not rooted in lost stories but in new ways of being together. They leaned into humor, curiosity and wonder. They asked silly questions, marveled with her at the shape of plants and clouds, or let her imagination spin freely without the pressure of accuracy. In those moments, Anne still expressed herself. Not through the precise retelling of family history, but through joy, silliness and awe.

Anil’s TED Talk reminded Brigid that even as memory fades, the self is not gone — it is simply altered. As Ananthaswamy explains, “I also believe that altered selves should not be seen as the outcome of deficits, or as the outcome of a lack of attributes considered normal. They are different ways of being, and it is the willingness of some of us to confront the self’s constructed nature that is helping make sense of the self for all of us.”

That is why Alzheimer’s awareness matters to her. She wants people to understand that while the disease changes a person, it does not erase them, a lesson she carries forward after her mother’s recent passing. “This awareness gives us tools to show up differently,” Brigid said. “To support loved ones as they move into a new version of themselves, rather than turning away in fear or discomfort. My hope is that people can approach those living with Alzheimer’s with patience, curiosity and care, seeking to understand what they are experiencing instead of mourning only what has been lost. By doing so, we can honor who they are becoming, not just who they were.”

Because behind every statistic is a person like Anne, whose story Brigid now carries forward. And behind every talk is someone like Brigid, reminding us why these conversations must continue.

An electric day 3 of TEDNext 2025

For day 3 of TEDNext 2025, two magical sessions of talks put forward ideas on how to grow thoughtfully, think radically and redesign a better world. With stories from our AI-powered present (and future) as well as a healthy dose of ingenious human problem-solving, the talks of day 3 surprised, delighted and shed new light on what it means to be human right now.

What exactly is TEDNext? A vibrant, three-day exploration of what’s next, propelling the “future you” to think expansively at every level, from personal to global. The second-ever TEDNext conference, held in Atlanta, continues an expansion of the annual slate of conferences from TED, with a conference designed to spark imagination, embrace possibility and foster dreams about what the next version of “you” can be.

Watch TEDNext 2025 on TED Live, check out more photos from the event and learn more about attending a future TED conference.

Some key takeaways from day 3:

The line between awe and indoctrination — and how to actually seek happiness. Writer and podcaster Amanda Montell thinks we’re living through the “cult-iest” era on record, as the hard-wired cognitive biases that helped early humans survive brush up against Information Age tools and communication tactics. She shares how to recognize the strategies and language tricks cults use to coerce — from thought-terminating clichés designed to shut down independent reflection to loaded buzzwords that feel like enlightenment — as well as some crucial tips to help you preserve the ability to think for yourself. Approaching our need for fulfillment from a different angle, happiness scientist Sonja Lyubomirsky distills the essential lessons from scientific research into humanity’s most sought-after emotion: happiness. Her number one hack? To approach conversations with others as experiences designed to take walls down, not changes to share your highlight reel. By sharing deeply and listening to learn, Lyubomirsky thinks we can all unlock the potential for happiness inside of us.

Some pro-human takes on AI and algorithms. How do we stay “real” when algorithms and chatbots are constantly influencing our behavior to the benefit of platforms like ChatGPT, Spotify, X and others? Etymologist and content creator Adam Aleksic sounds the alarm on how AI tools are changing how we communicate — down to our very word choices — and, possibly, rewiring the underlying patterns of our thoughts, encouraging us to remember that these emerging tools aren’t neutral. Self-described “dumb questions” advocate Nayeema Raza picks up the thread of AI tools hijacking our lives — not with an anti-tech tech, but with a pro-human one. She makes a case for the return of three old habits — to pause and notice our urge to reach for our devices, to live in wonder and to ask questions out loud instead of in private — to reconnect with what actually matters in our lives.

Tech meets the natural world. After watching a series of wildfires rage around his home in Northern California in 2019, civic tech pioneer John Mills had a simple question: Where is the information? With firefighters relying on communications technology from the 1930s, often the answer was: too little, too late and too sporadic. Enter Watch Duty, a non-profit alert system Mills created with the help of a few radio operators and volunteer engineers from Silicon Valley. Developed in an 80-day sprint, Watch Duty beat government alert systems by nearly an hour just a handful of days after it launched, and it has continued to provide residents and first responders with the life-saving heads-up they need to escape danger, proving that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can indeed change the world. Telling another story from the positive side of tech, ocean explorer Eric Stackpole takes us into the murky depths to explore the mysterious worlds of sperm whales. Sequestered aboard a ship filming a show for National Geographic during the early days of the COVID pandemic, Stackpole and his colleagues concocted a “very maker-y” camera rig that ended up revealing a previously unreachable world — capturing footage of sperm whales communicating and coordinating for the first time on camera. “The question isn’t: ‘What can we explore?'” Stackpole says. “The real question is: ‘What will we wonder about next?'”

New thinking on pain, the mind and body. We’ve let our screens quietly train our days into locked-down stillness, says journalist and host of NPR’s TED Radio Hour, Manoush Zomorodi, and it’s led to many of us feeling exhausted most of the time. She makes the case that tiny, regular bursts of activity baked into our days — known as “movement breaks” — can flip the body’s switches, brightening mood, sharpening focus and even regulating blood sugar. That same spirit of rethinking the obvious extends to how we think itself: in a personal talk exploring the mind’s eye, puzzle wizard and editorial director of TED-Ed Animations Alex Rosenthal shows how our inner worlds can vary wildly, and that when we build teams across those differences, creativity and problem‑solving multiply. Taking that openness into the clinic, Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores new thoughts on pain — how it isn’t just a signal in tissue but a story shaped by environment, history, sleep and support. He reveals how light, movement and connection might be as therapeutic as medicine.

The signs are everywhere — we need to stop and appreciate the wonder of the world. For a dash of whimsy, photographer and wildlife enthusiast Tom Sullam embarks on a romp through a series of ever-more-amusing wildlife photos, explaining how a sense of humor could help us get more connected to nature. In another hilarious photographic journey, designer and professor Kate Canales shares her obsession with hand-made signs — the subtle, helpful and oftentimes hysterical extra instructions we add to point-of-sale machines, doors and conspicuously in bathrooms. “No matter how you might feel about the advancement of technology in our everyday lives, these signs are evidence that humans still need each other in real life to do some of the simplest things,” she says.

Watch TEDNext 2025 on TED Live, check out more photos from the event and learn more about attending a future TED conference.

Curiosity, courage and connections: Day 2 of TEDNext 2025

Curious about what happened on day 2 of TEDNext? Think of this as your backstage pass to a day full of bold ideas, daring feats and fresh perspectives that will flip the way you think, feel and create.

From using AI to enhance your life (without losing your humanity) to decoding love and flirting in a high-tech world — and from exploring the language of money to catching breakthroughs in science and creativity — here’s a taste of what made day 2 unforgettable.

What exactly is TEDNext? A vibrant, three-day exploration of what’s next, propelling the “future you” to think expansively at every level, from personal to global. The second-ever TEDNext conference, held in Atlanta, continues an expansion of the annual slate of conferences from TED, with a conference designed to spark imagination, embrace possibility and foster dreams about what the next version of “you” can be.

Watch TEDNext 2025 on TED Live, check out more photos from the event and learn more about attending a future TED conference.

Some key takeaways from day 2:

Don’t compete with AI — work with it. Taking a clear-eyed look at the collective fear that AI is coming for our jobs, technologist Priyanka Vergadia shows why human instincts still catch nuance that algorithms miss — especially when it comes to building products people actually want to use. Meanwhile, AI education entrepreneur Priya Lakhani shows how a one-size-fits-all approach to the classroom strains teachers and fails students. By pairing human judgment with AI’s pattern-recognition abilities, as well as integrating neuroscience into personalized learning paths, both of these talks make a compelling case for how this tech can amplify what humans do best — and reveal how irreplaceable we truly are.

On the Spot: Bipartisan leadership is still possible. Democratic Governor of Delaware Matt Meyer and Republican Governor of Oklahoma J. Kevin Stitt sit down for TED’s On the Spot segment (a rapid-fire Q&A) to show how state leaders can deliver results, restore trust in government and lead with compassion across party lines. From improving classrooms and healthcare systems to driving workforce and energy innovations, they share concrete examples of bipartisan cooperation — showing it isn’t just possible, it’s essential. “Go and talk to someone who disagrees with you,” says Governor Meyer. “Not to argue with them, but actually to listen to them, empathize with them, understand the position that they come from.”

Anyone can learn the language of money (and appreciation). Wall Street trader-turned-financial educator Vivian Tu shares how everyday people can build wealth by learning financial terms, talking openly about money and using modern tools that are actually built for today’s economy. As the founder of Your Rich BFF, she shows how financial literacy can shift power — and give everyone a real shot at getting rich. Meanwhile, emotional intelligence coach Timm Chiusano shares how one terrible workday unlocked a life-changing habit: noticing the good that’s already here. He calls it being “addicted to appreciation,” a way of paying attention that asks nothing in return, rewires how we see strangers and makes ordinary things suddenly fascinating.

Two words can change your life: “challenge accepted.” Daredevil Michelle Khare is known for testing human limits through extreme physical and mental feats — training as a chess grandmaster, escaping Harry Houdini’s deadliest magic trick, trying to earn a Taekwondo black belt in 90 days (it typically takes three to five years). But all these stunts haven’t left her a woman without fear; rather, she’s learned that fear is information. She explains how embracing fear, building a great team and adopting an amateur’s mindset turns the impossible into possible.

In an age of AI intimacy, we need a new blueprint for love. Drawing on research with thousands of couples, social psychologist Sara Nasserzadeh breaks down six essential ingredients for thriving relationships: attraction, respect, trust, compassion, shared vision and loving behaviors. But what happens when intimacy becomes engineered? Sextech expert Bryony Cole explores how AI relationships — always available, perfectly empathetic and nearly effortless — can erode our tolerance for the friction and growth that make human intimacy real, revealing how to set healthy boundaries. Shifting the focus back to human interactions, dating educator Francesca Hogi reframes flirting as a superpower that can strengthen both new and existing relationships. She shows how anyone can make others feel seen, special and acknowledged by practicing attentiveness, giving thoughtful compliments and sprinkling in playfulness. 

On the Spot: Making hits, breaking rules and putting Atlanta on the map. Music mogul Jermaine Dupri takes the stage for On the Spot, sharing how he turns ideas into era-defining music. In a speedy Q&A, he dives into his creative process, the city that shaped him and the thinking behind hits like Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together” and Usher’s “Nice & Slow”. From experimenting in the studio to spotting what will resonate with listeners, Dupri shows that intuition and risk-taking are the true secrets to lasting success in music.

Stand out, stay curious and let creativity lead the way. Exploring how new perspectives spark innovation, TED Senior Fellow Lope Gutiérrez Ruiz shows why building diverse teams, drawing inspiration from unexpected fields and trusting your own perspective can help creative people craft memorable, authentic work — like his studio’s funky, experimental fonts that push the boundaries of what’s possible with tech. Meanwhile, scientist and storyteller Harini Bhat celebrates the power of not knowing, revealing how curiosity (and a lifelong obsession with unanswered questions) drives discovery. Through her popular science channel, she distills groundbreaking research into captivating, accessible stories that make science feel thrilling and human. Her message: seek what excites you, embrace what you don’t understand and let wonder transform how you see the world. 

Watch TEDNext 2025 on TED Live, check out more photos from the event and learn more about attending a future TED conference

5 things we learned at day 1 of TEDNext 2025

At the opening session of TEDNext 2025, we explored two big themes: wonder and wisdom. With speakers ranging from a digital artist and a biotech entrepreneur to an Oscar-winning costume designer and a world-famous ballerina, this session had it all.

What exactly is TEDNext? A vibrant, three-day exploration of what’s next, propelling the “future you” to think expansively at every level, from personal to global. The second-ever TEDNext conference, held in Atlanta, continues an expansion of the annual slate of conferences from TED, with a conference designed to spark imagination, embrace possibility and foster dreams about what the next version of “you” can be.

Watch TEDNext 2025 on TED Live, check out more photos from the event and learn more about attending a future TED conference.

Some key takeaways from day 1:

We might be able to turn sunlight and CO2 into lifesaving drugs. Humans learned to “program” biology nearly a century ago by inserting human genes into microbes, turning cells into tiny factories for life-saving drugs like insulin. Today, these methods are costly, resource-intensive and inaccessible to many, says physician and biotech entrepreneur David S. Kim. He presents a potential solution: by reprogramming a cell known as cyanobacteria, which feeds on sunlight and CO2, we could unlock a sustainable “biological factory” for making medicines. He explains the science behind his team’s breakthrough and its potential to manufacture everything from food and fuels to materials and more.

Design is never neutral. What makes someone wicked? Costume designer Paul Tazewell probes this question in his work, demonstrating how clothing speaks a subconscious language that shapes who we view as heroes — and villains. From the period silhouettes of Hamilton and blending colors of West Side Story to the visual dualities of Wicked, Tazewell’s creations challenge stereotypes and inherited perceptions. His main message? If wickedness can be designed, then maybe we can redesign it together, too.

Media literacy is an essential skill of our time. With each leap of technology, humans have had to work double-time to keep up, says journalist and comedian Dave Jorgenson. He explains why media literacy — which he defines as “the ability to access, analyze, evaluate and create media in various forms” — is a crucial skill in an age of proliferating misinformation. With his own short, absurdist sketches that explain the news, he shows how humor can cut through fear, spark curiosity and cool down hot takes in order to explore nuanced truth.

The stage belongs to all of us. Ballerina and activist Misty Copeland made history in 2015 as the first Black woman to become a principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre. Just last month, she retired from the company with a farewell performance, dancing for a world she helped reshape. In a moving talk, she charts the quiet roots of resilience — nourished not by invulnerability but by persistently showing up despite pain, pressure and rejection. She shows how to transform “you don’t belong here” into “this stage is yours, too.”

Atlanta has serious moves. In an incredible mid-session performance, choreographer and cultural architect Sean Bankhead brought music to life through movement, dancing to “On My Mama” by Victoria Monét.

Watch TEDNext 2025 on TED Live, check out more photos from the event and learn more about attending a future TED conference.

Infinite possibilities: The talks of TED@BCG 2025

We live in a time of great risk — and thrilling possibility. To make sense of it all, 21 speakers and performers gathered to draft a blueprint for our future.

The event: TED@BCG: Infinite Possibilities, the sixteenth 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: October 23, 2025 at The Lana, Dorchester Collection, in Dubai, UAE

Speakers: Riyad Joucka, Suresh Subudhi, Vinciane Beauchêne, Mary Martin, Edmond Rhys Jones, Sharon Price John, Stephen Remedios, Maegan Stephens, Nicole Lowenbraun, Akram Awad, His Excellency Khalfan Belhoul, Qahir Dhanani, Kirsten Rulf, Lance Katigbak, Kanika Sanghi, Chris Musser, Alessandra Catozzella, Wolfgang Schnellbaecher, Melissa M. Mikus, Christian Busch

5 big ideas from the day:

Climate chaos is colliding with the global economy. Climate change isn’t just reshaping our planet — it’s also shaking the very foundations of the economy, says climate pathfinder Edmond Rhys Jones. He explores the massive gap between what science tells us about the climate crisis and how the economy measures its impact, advocating for economists to borrow tools from science — like simulations and systems thinking — to prepare for the turbulence ahead. Meanwhile, health insurance leader Alessandra Catozzella thinks insurance could be one of the best tools to prevent and manage the climate-fueled health crisis. She gives examples of how insurers, governments and businesses can work together to turn insurance into a force that keeps people healthier for longer.

AI is transforming everyday life — and our systems need to keep up. Leadership and AI maverick Stephen Remedios offers a cautionary tale, recounting how he built an AI model (“DaddyGPT”) to answer his sons’ questions while he was busy — only to find himself out-parented by a bot. He quickly learned that while outsourcing care might be convenient, it comes at a steep cost to our most valued relationships. AI futurist Akram Awad picks up on this thread, adding that we must learn to value relationships and community over productivity and wealth — or else we’ll find ourselves in an identity crisis. With the right education and compensation models, he says, we can find meaning in societal contributions, not just job titles. This systemic change should impact governance, too, according to digital sovereignty expert Kirsten Rulf. She thinks regulation is too focused on the output of AI, as opposed to the algorithm behind it. Laws should be written as “living, adaptive, responsive code that learns like AI does,” she says, allowing safety and security to evolve alongside the technology.

Gen Z is reshaping culture, but not in the ways you might think. Consumer trends expert Kanika Sanghi dives into how Gen Z embraces novelty, remixes traditions and celebrates a relatable lifestyle over polished success. She shows why brands, leaders and creators need to stay authentic in order to keep up with a generation that’s already building the future. “Keep evolving, keep remixing, keep pushing us forward — because that is what will build a better tomorrow,” she says.

Living a fulfilling life starts with tracking what truly matters. Personal metrics expert Chris Musser shares how he turned a single question — “Am I living a good life?” — into a daily practice, tracking progress across nine dimensions, from faith and relationships to work and wellbeing. By measuring his life each day, Musser shows how he learned to spot patterns, balance trade-offs and focus on what truly matters.

Dreams are the real measure of progress. Consumer research expert Lance Katigbak reveals why a country’s true story is found in its people’s aspirations — not just its GDP. Surveying Filipinos nationwide, he finds a generation dreaming for their families, chasing financial security and often feeling unsupported by institutions. Imagine having a “Department of Dreams,” he says, urging governments and organizations to help people turn ambition into reality — and build a society where everyone can thrive.

Watch TEDNext 2025 — live from anywhere

Can’t make it to Atlanta for TEDNext? TED Live brings the minute-by-minute excitement from the TED Theater to your home, school or office. Be one of the first to experience talks from visionary speakers like music mogul Jermaine Dupri, ballerina & activist Misty Copeland, neurosurgeon & reporter Sanjay Gupta, financial educator Vivian Tu and so many more.

Get your TED Live pass to stream the unedited talks in real time starting November 9, or later on with the on-demand archive.

TED’s new chapter begins!

Today I’m sharing a momentous announcement. After a nine-month global search, we have found a beautiful answer to the question of who will carry TED forward into the future. 

Why this moment matters

When we announced this process back in February, our guiding question was simple: Who can best take on TED’s unique blend of offerings and values — not just for the next few years, but for the coming decades? Our advisers, LionTree, heard from nearly 100 thoughtful and passionate groups — spanning individuals, foundations, media organizations, technology platforms, investor groups, and universities. (We even received generous offers to purchase TED outright.) The breadth, ambition, and imagination of what was offered were truly inspiring.

But for me — and for everyone on TED’s leadership team — the answers weren’t just about capital or scale. They were about stewardship, values, and a shared belief in giving ideas away, trusting community, preserving independence, and amplifying human possibility.

From that landscape of offers, we made a decision grounded in the guardrails we set in the original blog post announcing the search:

• Ambition for transformation, not just incrementalism — the next steward must have a truly compelling vision for how TED can scale up its impact.
• Protection of all that people hold dear about TED: the powerful experience of our main conference, our free TED Talk videos, our cherished communities of volunteers, and our determined optimism that a better future can be built.
• An open tent, diverse voices, global reach, nonpartisanship — those are nonnegotiable.
• Editorial and intellectual integrity must be protected against any conflicts of interest or agenda.
• TED must never be sold out to commercial interests, either now or down the line.

We seriously considered for-profit joint ventures that could allow TED’s rapid growth and infuse TED with significant capital. But the more we thought through the possibilities and reminded ourselves of the extraordinary culture of generosity that infuses this community, the harder it was to picture a scenario where TED’s ultimate controllers might one day prioritize profits over mission.

So we made a key decision…

• TED’s Nonprofit status must endure — TED will stay a nonprofit, independent of external commercial control.  We will proudly continue our transparent mission of providing knowledge, insights and inspiration freely to anyone in the world.

And now you will understand why I am so excited at where we ended up….

Meet TED’s new Vision Steward… Sal Khan!

It is my delight to introduce Sal Khan, founder and CEO of the incredible nonprofit Khan Academy. Sal will join TED’s board as TED’s new Vision Steward, while continuing his full-time role leading Khan Academy. Sal understands, in his bones, what it means to build a global educational platform rooted in the power of what technology and AI can enable in our connected world. Sal’s story is well known: starting with math videos and software to help his cousins, he grew Khan Academy into a trusted, free learning resource for students — and a valued partner for schools and districts — with over 170 million registered users in over 50 languages. He has blended pedagogical rigor, technology (including the powerful use of AI), and ingenuity in service of learners everywhere. He has attracted and retained an extraordinary team. He has partnered with the world’s most thoughtful philanthropists and recruited one of the most powerful boards in the nonprofit space. Perhaps most importantly, he’s won the respect and gratitude of countless numbers of educators, parents, and students worldwide.

What makes Sal especially compelling for TED is that he’s shown he can craft a vision that’s both breathtakingly ambitious and achievable in today’s technological landscape. And he’s done so inside a nonprofit culture. Add to this his lifelong dance with the power of curiosity, his hunger for crosscutting ideas, and his belief that bridging divides is not a side project, but a mission. Well, you can see why I’m excited. 

Khan Academy and TED will continue to operate independently of each other, but Sal has already shared with me electrifying sketches of how TED could find new ways of empowering humanity by tackling lifelong learning. He also sees how TED could play a meaningful role in helping address the world’s growing division and social isolation. We’re not announcing any details today. But watch this space… It’s about to get seriously exciting.

While Sal will serve as a guiding steward for vision, the day-to-day execution will fall to a new CEO. For the past 12 years Jay Herratti has given sterling service to TED, initially as head of TEDx, and for the past five years as CEO, where he heroically turned my often wild ideas into effective operational reality. During that time he brilliantly dealt with the challenges of a pandemic and a brutally unstable media landscape. Jay has already given many more years to TED than he initially intended, and is now ready for his next chapter in which he intends to focus on board-level work.

Introducing TED’s new CEO

We’re therefore proud to announce a new CEO for TED: Logan McClure Davda.

Logan is not an outsider or newcomer — she is a leader forged within our org. From co-founding our Fellows program to her current role as Head of Impact, she has earned deep respect across the organization and among our community. She knows our culture, our strengths and constraints; she has fought to extend TED’s reach, and she is a believer in Sal’s vision for the future.

Our conviction is that this combination — a visionary steward plus an exceptional, trusted internal leader — gives us the best of both worlds: fresh imagination and operational firepower. This conviction has been strengthened by meaningful indications of financial support from exciting new philanthropic partners. (More to come on this.)

Meanwhile, Jay and I remain deeply committed to TED. Jay is joining TED’s board and will be available as a resource to Logan. I’ll be on the board too and I’ll proudly continue to cheer-lead, fundraise, and carry the torch for TED’s values. I’ll also play a leading role at the upcoming TED2026 in Vancouver. That is going to be one epic celebration of all that this community stands for, and a thrilling chance for me to officially pass the torch to Sal and Logan.

What happens next — and how you can be part of it

• Logan, Jay, and I will join Sal in co-hosting a community conversation by the end of this year to invite feedback, questions, and ideas.
• We’ll be transparent about the governance structure, board composition, and how decisions will be made.
• We’ll begin recruiting (with input from the community) an Ideas Council, an exciting braintrust that will work with our head of media and curation Helen Walters and her exceptional team of curators to guide TED’s pursuit of the ideas that matter. 
• And yes — when the new leadership team is ready to unveil its plans, I’ll join them in an ambitious fund-raise to match the scope of our ambition for this next chapter.

To TED’s community — our speakers, TEDx organizers, educators, translators, Fellows, volunteers, donors, staff, and viewers around the world: this moment is for you. You have given TED its wings. Now let’s give it a future worthy of that trust.

I’m deeply grateful to everyone who engaged in the search, submitted proposals, raised questions, and stayed with us in the tension of the unknown. I remain, as always, an ardent believer in TED — and I’m excited for this moment of passing the torch, and leaning into what’s next.

Sal and Logan… Congratulations! And thank you! This is going to be beautiful. 

— Chris Anderson

Watch the special event that took place on Wednesday, October 15, to announce these exciting changes:

Want to hear even more about how the new steward was selected? Listen to Chris’ exclusive conversation with Manoush Zomorodi on a special edition of NPR’s TED Radio Hour.

---

For press inquiries, contact press@ted.com.

Are we bold enough? Join TEDAI San Francisco this October

Artificial intelligence is shaping our lives faster than almost any other technology in history. It generates breathtaking breakthroughs — and equally daunting questions. At TEDAI San Francisco 2025, taking place October 21–22, we’re bringing those questions front and center.

Are We Bold Enough?

This one question, with infinite futures, will guide our theme for 2025. Together, we’ll explore bold ideas and ask brave questions around how AI systems are reshaping the world — transforming industries, institutions, communities and culture.

For two days in October, TEDAI San Francisco will convene leading voices in AI, science, philosophy and design to spark conversations that matter.

Before the main event (October 18–19): A 48-hour Hackathon, where developers and researchers will collaborate at the frontier of what’s possible.

Day 1 (October 21): A full day of TED Talks — bold ideas from the cutting edge of AI and beyond.

Day 2 (October 22): Panels and interactive sessions — designed to engage the audience in dialogue, debate and discovery.

TEDAI San Francisco is about more than talks. Some of the most powerful moments happen offstage — in the hallways, at the after-parties and in conversations between sessions. These are the moments when sparks fly, ideas evolve and collaborations are born.

We’ll be announcing more speakers and panels soon, and we hope you’ll join us this October in San Francisco, California, where you’ll have the opportunity to think differently, connect deeply and shape the future of AI together.

Apply to attend!

Like what you see above? Apply to attend!

3 vital AI conversations we’ll explore together at TEDAI Vienna

Artificial intelligence has become one of the great topics of our age. We read about it daily, we marvel at its abilities, and we worry about its dangers. Beneath the excitement and anxiety, there are some deeper conversations we are still failing to have: questions about how we — as thinkers, leaders and builders — can shape the world we will all have to live in with AI. And the window to answer these questions is closing fast.

That’s why, for three remarkable days, we will gather in the heart of Europe, in Vienna, Austria, to dedicate our time and attention to the most crucial conversations on AI — and especially the ones we are not yet having. These are questions that shape how our daily lives unfold, how our markets operate and how our political systems function. At TEDAI Vienna, we will create space for nuance and contradiction, foster genuine debate and dive into three conversations — uncomfortable and yet necessary — that we must have at this moment in history before it’s too late. 

1. AI and the erosion – or evolution –  of critical thinking

In the age of AI, there’s a growing risk that we’ll grow accustomed to answers that come too easily. We might one day realize that what we’ve lost isn’t our intelligence but, perhaps even worse, our patience for thinking. The beauty and burden of critical thinking isn’t about knowing the answer: it’s about learning how to doubt, to compare, to weigh and to hold a question in the mind long enough to see its complexities. At TEDAI Vienna, researcher Advait Sarkar will premiere new work tools which, if used well, can become a partner in this process: tools that ask us better questions, challenge our assumptions and sharpen our reasoning. But we can’t allow the conversation to stop there. As technological progress accelerates at astonishing speed, we must ask ourselves: What could thinking and consciousness look like for a superintelligent mind? Philosopher Joscha Bach will lead us through this profound question and share his latest research insights from the frontier of machine consciousness.

2. AI is beyond Silicon Valley

We often speak of AI as if it were born in just one small corner of the world. But in truth, AI is now everywhere. At TEDAI Vienna, we’ll hear from Oriol Vinyals, technical lead of Gemini at Google DeepMind, on how AI is being advanced in research labs in the UK; from policymakers such as Henna Virkkunen, executive vice president of the EU Commission, shaping its governance; from Hiroaki Kitano, president of Sony CSL in Japan, applying it to robotics; from Mercedes Bidart, empowering micro-entrepreneurs in Colombia to harness its potential; and from Bolor-Erdene Battsengel, bringing it into classrooms across Mongolia.

We can no longer afford to view AI through the lens of a single location or discipline. Our world, our economies, our lives, are too interconnected. The rules we set in one place will reverberate everywhere, while the benefits and harms will know no borders. To guide AI wisely, we need the insights, values and priorities of a truly global conversation — and it will require the participation of each and every one of us.

3. AI is not a race to be won, but a home to be built

We often describe AI in the language of competition: a race. The problem with a race is that it ends at a finish line. There are clear winners and losers, and once it’s over, there is little thought for what comes next. 

A more helpful metaphor might be that of building a home. A home is created slowly, with care and cooperation. It involves many skills and perspectives: architects and builders, but also designers, leaders, educators, economists and the people who will live there, shaping it with their needs and hopes. A home must be safe, open to visitors and strong enough to last through storms.

If we thought of building AI as building a home, we might place more value on the long-term work of trust, fairness and accessibility. We might remember that everyone — whether they helped design it or not — will have to live within its walls. And we might focus less on being the fastest to build it and more on ensuring it is worth inhabiting.

Few people in the world can speak to this better than Verity Harding, who will take the stage at TEDAI Vienna to share her incisive view on why the arms-race metaphor is leading us astray, and how we might instead imagine a better and bolder path forward.

These three conversations — about our thinking habits, the global nature of AI and the metaphors we use — are not peripheral. They are the foundation for a future in which AI is not something that happens to us but something we shape together. From TED Talks to small-circle debates, from deep-dive thematic dinners to relaxed get-togethers, at TEDAI Vienna we’re building an environment to hold space for these conversations. Whether you’re a technology builder, a business leader, a creative or a researcher, now is the time to show up and help lay the foundations of the AI future we will all inhabit.

The stage is set for the inaugural TEDSports conference, where leadership meets play

The world’s first TEDSports conference is set to transform Indianapolis into a global laboratory for sports innovation this September 9-11, 2025. As we prepare to welcome athletes, tech entrepreneurs and thought leaders from around the world, we’re stepping into the TED world of what a conference can be — not just a series of talks, but a curiosity-fueled experience, pushing boundaries and forging lasting connections.

Secure your spot now and be a part of history at the first-ever TEDSports.

Here are some highlights of what’s to come:

Explore unseen opportunities in sports

TEDSports will redefine our understanding of the sporting ecosystem, bringing together visionary leaders who are not just talking about the future but actively shaping it.

Take Linda Rheinstein, who’s using her background at NASA to dream up an audacious vision of sports in space for future “Astroletes®️”. There’s also Paul “Triple H” Levesque — WWE Hall of Famer, 14-time World Champion and now chief content officer — who will pull back the curtain on WWE’s powerful storytelling machine, exploring the psychology of performance and the universal power of heroes, villains and redemption arcs that captivate more than a billion fans globally.

Joining them is game-changing athletic director Warren Keller, who revolutionized sports at Gallaudet University, from integrating 5G helmet technology for deaf football athletes to fostering an environment where every individual can unleash their potential. 

We will also hear the incredible journeys of Cindy Ngamba, who rose from detention camps to Olympic glory as the first individual to win a medal as part of the International Olympic Committee’s refugee team, and Sam Ramsamy, who bravely fought apartheid through sport. These individuals serve as powerful testaments to the transformative power of sport.

Beyond spectating: How to succeed under pressure 

At TEDSports, learning isn’t passive — it’s powerful, hands-on and unforgettable. Through immersive experiences like themed dinners, workshops with sporting legends and hands-on activities, attendees don’t just listen — they lead.

An example: An immersive talk on teamwork, seen through the lens of a high-octane pit stop challenge with Arrow McLaren, featuring legendary driver Tony Kanaan at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In this test of speed, teamwork and precision, you’ll learn (and perform) with an actual pit crew to understand what it takes to lead under pressure — because in racing and in life, a split-second misstep can make all the difference.

Ready to kick things up a notch? At TEDSports, the “Performing Under Pressure” Discovery Session takes you to the legendary Lucas Oil Stadium for a once-in-a-lifetime field goal challenge, coached by Super Bowl champ Stephen Hauschka. On the same turf where NFL history is made, you’ll test your nerves, focus and follow-through. Whether you’re a rookie or a vet, this is leadership under pressure, with the game on the line and the stadium lights on you.

Interested in learning from a GOAT? Sign up for a workshop with Kerri Walsh-Jennings, who will share her secrets of preparation and recovery that resulted in three Olympic Gold Medals, a win streak of 112 consecutive matches and being one half of the greatest beach volleyball team of all time.

These immersive challenges are designed to provide practical insights, foster teamwork and equip participants with the resilience and collaborative spirit needed to thrive in any dynamic environment.

Indianapolis: More than just a venue

Indianapolis is the perfect backdrop for TEDSports, as it embodies how a city can build a sports ecosystem and evolve through an intentional sports strategy. It’s home to the Indianapolis 500, the NCAA headquarters, the Colts, Pacers and Fever, USA Track & Field, USA Gymnastics and USA Football and a fast-growing sports tech scene. The city is supported by world-class research and academic offerings with Indiana University, Purdue University and the American College of Sports Medicine. This Midwestern hub has completely transformed itself into the epicenter of sports, anchored by the best midsize airport in North America for 12 consecutive years. 

And the timing couldn’t be better. The US is entering an unprecedented era of global sports prominence, with the FIFA World Cup 2026 just around the corner and the LA2028 Olympics on the horizon. Indianapolis represents the heartland of this sporting renaissance — it’s accessible yet ambitious, traditional yet incredibly innovative. 

Indianapolis’s compact downtown also ensures attendees can walk between all event venues, creating a massive sports-village-like experience where every moment helps you make connections and sparks bold new ideas.

The team behind the vision

Behind every groundbreaking event is a dedicated team. For TEDSports Indianapolis, that vision is championed by co-chairs Neelay Bhatt and Patrick Talty, along with a team of pioneers across every sector that make up the local organizing committee. “This collaborative philosophy is part of Indy’s DNA and has been at the heart of our approach to TEDSports from day one,” said Talty.

“The team has curated global viewpoints to craft an experience that one can get only at TED and only in Indianapolis,” Bhatt adds.

Indianapolis isn’t just hosting TEDSports; it’s living it. To immerse yourself in three days of the most awe-inspiring experiences and ideas in sports, join us from September 9-11, 2025. 

Secure your spots now and be a part of history at the first-ever TEDSports.

TED Countdown Summit 2025 — in photos

Last month, more than 600 attendees from 69 countries gathered in Nairobi, Kenya, for Countdown’s first Summit in the Global South, a region at the forefront of climate innovation. The Summit brought together a visionary group of global innovators, business executives, scientists, policymakers, next-generation leaders, artists, activists — all united in their commitment to building a brighter future. Below, enjoy a selection of photos from the Summit. And check out TED Talks from the event, plus follow Countdown on Instagram and LinkedIn for updates.

TED Countdown Summit 2025 Photo Team: Callie Giovanna, Humphrey Gateri and Elizabeth Zeeuw

“Learning Science with TED” book series debuts at the Beijing International Book Fair

The first Chinese-language TED science video book series, Learning Science with TED, was officially launched last month at the 31st Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF), held at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, China. The series is a joint initiative by Science Press, New Channel International Education Group and TED. It features more than 100 high-impact topics curated from TED’s education initiative, TED-Ed. The complete collection will comprise 12 volumes sourced from TED-Ed’s widely viewed science animation library, covering 10 cutting-edge fields including artificial intelligence, mathematics, physics and astronomy.

The series introduces a three-dimensional learning model that integrates reading, video, and practice, with content rigorously reviewed by Chinese scientists and primary- and secondary-school educators to ensure accuracy and authority. The series adopts the APPB learning approach (Activity-, Project- and Problem-Based Inquiry Learning), with each volume including guiding questions, core science text, thinking exercises and animated extensions, all designed to spark curiosity and encourage active exploration.

Bilingual support includes an English-Chinese glossary of scientific terms and QR codes linking to related animations, promoting cross-cultural scientific literacy. Each volume also features special sections such as “knowledge boost,” “scientific milestones” and “scientists who changed the world,” connecting science with historical and humanistic context. Complementary online courses and challenge-based activities are also in development, extending the series’ impact into both classrooms and homes.

The launch event was attended by Hu Huaqiang, chairman and general manager of China Science Publishing & Media Ltd. (Science Press); Professor Hu Min, chairman of New Channel International Education Group and editor-in-chief of the series; Tricia Maia, head of product at TED; and Dr. Zhang Wensheng, researcher at the Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The event was hosted by Zhang Fan, deputy general manager of China Science Press, and brought together young readers as well as professionals from the publishing and education sectors.

Chairman Hu Huaqiang stated that the joint launch of the Learning Science with TED series by Science Press, in collaboration with TED and New Channel International Education Group, represents a valuable cross-sector partnership between science and education. This initiative is another step in fulfilling the publisher’s mission to “spread science and create the future.” Moving forward, Science Press will build on its interactive science education platform, leveraging its brand, expertise and content to integrate leading research resources, provide comprehensive solutions and advance regional science education and related industries.

Professor Hu Min, editor-in-chief of the series, introduced New Channel’s pioneering “Global Competence Model,” rooted in Chinese culture and oriented toward a global perspective. Built on six core pillars, the model integrates the STREAM framework — science, technology, reading, engineering, arts and mathematics — to cultivate innovative talent that blends scientific thinking with humanistic values. He also presented the APPB learning method, which underpins the series. By engaging students in activities, projects and problem-solving, APPB promotes real-world application and a deeper understanding of the material.

Tricia Maia, head of product at TED, highlighted how TED-Ed’s animated videos combine storytelling, scientific rigor and visual appeal to help audiences grasp complex concepts. Transforming these widely popular videos into a structured book series aligned with the APPB learning method offers a powerful way to inspire Chinese youth to enhance their scientific literacy and global competence. The initiative represents an extension of TED’s mission to share ideas that spark conversation, deepen understanding and drive meaningful change.

Dr. Wensheng Zhang, researcher at the Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivered a presentation titled “Artificial Intelligence in the Era of Big Data,” highlighting how big data is transforming human life, reshaping the way we understand the world and becoming a driving force behind technological innovation.

The first six volumes of Learning Science with TED are officially released across mainland China, available now through major distribution channels and e-commerce platforms. TED, New Channel and Science Press will continue to strengthen their collaboration, ensuring that cutting-edge global scientific thinking resonates with Chinese youth and fuels the development of innovative, globally competitive talent.

5 big ideas from day 3 of TED Countdown Summit 2025

Across the final two sessions of TED Countdown Summit 2025, experts, changemakers and dreamers explored actionable solutions to fix today’s problems, alleviate tomorrow’s and build a clean energy future. Here are some highlights from day 3:

Africa’s electric vehicle revolution is leapfrogging traditional fossil fuel transit. Electrical engineer Doreen Orishaba explores how electric bus company BasiGo is using innovative financing models and locally assembled buses to conquer Kigali’s hills, limiting environmental impact and saving operators money. With 90 percent renewable energy powering these silent electric fleets, emerging companies like BasiGo show how Africa isn’t playing catch-up in sustainable transportation — it’s poised to lead the global revolution with every green kilometer. All of those electric vehicles will need rare earth minerals that have become increasingly important across the world, which is where mining innovator Mfikeyi Makayi comes in. At KoBold, Makayi’s team is building the mine of the future through radical new AI-aided technology that can model thousands of geological possibilities simultaneously, enabling safer, more sustainable mines that maximize resource recovery while minimizing environmental impact.

Data-driven mapping is transforming the fight against deforestation. Forester-turned-data detective Tasso Azevedo reveals how collaborative mapping initiative MapBiomas has stitched together 40 years of satellite images into near-real-time, courtroom-ready evidence — turning Brazil’s once-invisible deforestation (and even secret jungle airstrips) into bright, undeniable pixels. By producing thousands of precise deforestation reports weekly, MapBiomas (with support from TED’s collaborative funding initiative The Audacious Project) has helped reduce deforestation in the Amazon by 54 percent and denied $1.5 billion in financing to properties with illegal clearing in the last two years. Now they’re expanding their scope. The goal: to map 70 percent of Earth’s tropical forests by 2030, turning the power of knowledge into protection for our planet’s lungs.

Advanced microbes, the potential of geothermal — and how to finance it all. Microbe wrangler Karsten Temme’s gene-edited soil microbes have reactivated nitrogen-fixing genes designed help farmers replace their synthetic fertilizer, opening up the potential to cut environmental harm while raising yields from Michigan to Kenya. Drawing on the spirit of turning legacy know-how into climate solutions, geothermal trailblazer Cindy Taff is redeploying oil-and-gas drilling tools to tap the energy stored in the “deep, hot, dry rock that exists everywhere,” creating 24/7 geothermal power and subsurface heat batteries without waiting for another century of R&D. Scaling living fertilizer factories and next-generation geothermal fields will take capital, which is why finance innovator Riddhima Yadav urges investors to drop purity tests and mobilize the extra $2.5 trillion a year the transition still lacks so ideas like Temme’s and Taff’s can move from promising pilots to the standards of global infrastructure.

Bold strategies to pay for — and stop — the damages of climate change. Economist Esther Duflo asks a blunt question: Why don’t we tax the world’s richest people in order to pay for climate damages? She proposes a publicly funded redistribution system, financed by taxes on billionaires and large multinational companies, to pay for the costs of climate change on developing countries and provide direct cash transfers to the people affected. She says this “grand bargain” is within reach — one where the rich world compensates the poor, sparking a cycle of global climate action. Climate justice litigator Melinda Janki approaches climate action from a different angle, using the power of law to protect nature and Indigenous communities. She describes how legal victories against ExxonMobil in her home country of Guyana have set powerful precedents that make drilling harder and costlier. Oil companies may seem invincible, she says, but they are legally vulnerable. With courage, persistence and the strategic use of law, people can fight back and win.

Systemic change in all forms, from empowering young people to tapping into ancient wisdom. For social entrepreneur Anshul Tewari, what began as a personal blog became a movement of change-making stories. He shares how Youth Ki Awaaz, a platform for Indian youth to write, share and speak out on social issues, harnesses the power of young voices. The platform has expanded into climate advocacy, proving that making impact can be a daily, accessible habit for young people everywhere. Ecological futurist Tariq Al-Olaimy also helps people rise to their best selves, but in a different way: by turning to spiritual wisdom. He explores how faith communities, often overlooked in the climate movement, offer powerful tools for navigating environmental collapse with moral courage, resilience and a spiritual compass.

6 takeaways from day 2 of TED Countdown Summit 2025

Who says climate talks can’t come with a plot twist? Day 2 of TED Countdown Summit 2025 flipped the script on what we think of as the drivers of climate progress. It’s not just solar panels and policy — it’s in the flow of money, trust and imagination. Informal economies are bursting with potential. Even refrigeration and rewilding got their spotlight as unsung heroes of resilience. The common thread? Climate action works best when it works for people. Here’s what stood out from day 2:

Capitalism, but make it work for everyone. Entrepreneur Anuj Tanna sees Africa’s informal economies not as something broken but as something brilliant — a space of creativity, community and grit. He dives into how identity, trust and peer-based learning are transforming side hustles into scalable enterprises, and why empowering this movement may be the most sustainable path forward. This thinking led him to build MESH: a platform designed to boost visibility, share skills and grow networks. His call? Stop trying to fix the informal economy. Unlock it instead. Sustainability investor Steve Howard flips the lens to capitalism itself, asking whether the same tools that helped break the planet might also help save it. With bold policy and long-term thinking, even profit-driven systems can scale climate solutions fast — if we dare to change the rules.

When profits protect the planet. We often think solving climate change means deploying new tools and training. But what if the real breakthrough starts with something far more basic: a steady paycheck? Agribusiness groundbreaker Yi Li shares how financial sustainability — not just climate solutions — is the key to long-term agricultural impact. When farmers thrive financially, she says, the climate benefits follow. Climate equity entrepreneur Sandeep Roy Choudhury highlights carbon credits as an imperfect but powerful financial tool to make solutions a reality, especially in vulnerable communities already facing the worst effects of climate change. From mangrove restoration to clean cooking initiatives that cut emissions, these projects build resilience and create jobs.

De-risking the energy transition. Renewable energy pioneer Sebastián Kind helped transform Argentina into a global model for clean energy growth — despite economic crises and skepticism — by building political trust and protecting investors. Now, through his nonprofit RELP, he’s helping other countries follow the same path. What about the uncertainties no one can control? Enter climate risk advisor Amy Barnes, who reframes climate risk insurance as a warning bell. She explains why protecting lives, infrastructure and investments means getting ahead of disasters, not just reacting to them. Barnes underscores investing in resilience, both through adaptation and smarter tools, before those safety nets disappear entirely.

Electricity is empowerment. From enduring climate shocks to preserving medicine, the infrastructure we build today will shape who thrives tomorrow. Impact investor Jacqueline Novogratz shows how electrifying the hardest-to-reach places on Earth is more than a climate solution — it’s a moral test of our courage and imagination, one we can pass by mobilizing the right kind of capital. Electricity powers a lot, including your refrigerator, which is connected to an entire network of thermal control called the “cold chain.” Writer and researcher Nicola Twilley urges us to recognize the hidden force of the refrigeration systems quietly sustaining our food, health and supply networks — quite literally, the cold that keeps life going.

We can’t fight climate change with one-size-fits-all solutions. Policy expert Harjeet Singh argues that development must mean adaptation, tailoring responses to fit local realities, not global ideals. From Indian farmers braving deadly heat waves with solar-powered pumps to floating farms in flood-prone Bangladesh, real solutions are already saving lives and livelihoods. But adaptation can’t happen in isolation; it requires development, resources and justice. Climate tech leader Hao Xu turns our attention to accelerating innovation. As vice president of sustainable social value at Tencent, he explains that we already have the science to turn CO₂ into fuel, plastic, even jet fuel. The challenge now is scaling both engineering and business. Xu makes the case for making low-carbon businesses profitable and accelerate climate action through bold, tech-driven solutions.

Conservation, everywhere and anywhere. Leading Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab, AI visionary Juan M. Lavista Ferres introduces SPARROW: Solar-Powered Acoustic and Remote Recording Observation Watch. This simple yet powerful open-source technology transforms how conservationists collect, transmit and analyze biodiversity data, turning months of delay into real-time insights critical for saving species and ecosystems now. Environmentalist Isabella Tree shows that rewilding isn’t reserved for grand parks; it can begin in your own garden. She shares how letting animals roam free on her farmland brought the land back to life — reviving ecosystems, boosting biodiversity and even capturing carbon, all in just a few years. Tree leaves us with some practical tips for rewilding at home: disturb the Earth, mimic animal behavior, welcome wetlands and leave dead things be — encouraging us all to let green spaces grow wild.

4 things we learned at day 1 of TED Countdown Summit 2025

TED Countdown Summit 2025 takes place against the backdrop of a fast-moving climate crisis and an energy transition that’s fully underway. On day 1, a remarkable line-up of speakers, spanning sectors and geographies, gathered to put a thumb on the scale and tip the world in the right direction. Here are some key takeaways from day 1:

The clean energy era will be an age of radical abundance. Renewables entrepreneur Matt Tilleard tears down the old narrative of energy as a zero-sum game, showing how the renewable revolution is shifting power from those who hoard fuel to those who innovate and deploy technology. He makes the case that renewable tech will become too plentiful for any OPEC-style chokehold, so power will be shared instead of controlled. Clean energy visionary Lei Zhang picks up this thread in the Gobi desert, home to one of the world’s largest green hydrogen projects, exploring how this and other barren landscapes hold more energy reserves than the world consumes today. “Where others see emptiness, I see abundance,” he says. James Irungu Mwangi, founder and CEO of Africa Climate Ventures, completes the vision by showcasing how Africa’s young workforce is already turning waste biomass and sunshine into jobs, food security and scalable carbon removal — proving climate action can pay today and supercharge growth tomorrow.

Sustainable relationships with nature create opportunity and address climate challenges, at every scale. At the local level, Kenyan farmer Josephine Waweru demonstrates how small-scale technological solutions like solar-powered irrigation can transform individual farms and lives in the face of climate uncertainty. At the national level, civic entrepreneur Ilona Szabó de Carvalho advocates for an economic paradigm that values standing forests over cleared land, creating “nature superpowers” through bioeconomies and innovative financial mechanisms. Both Waweru and Carvalho emphasize that nature-aligned economies outperform destructive practices.

Environmental peace-building is the most realistic path to peace. Amid the bombs falling in the Middle East, another threat silently multiplies: climate change. Nada Majdalani, the director of EcoPeace Middle East in Palestine, shares how her organization is bringing together Jordanians, Palestinians and Israelis through a vision of environmental peace-building. She shows why tapping into the region’s natural resources (like abundant sunshine) can unlock shared energy solutions that foster economic interdependence and cooperation, not conflict.

Climate action is unstoppable — and “climate realism” is a myth. Nobel Laureate Al Gore thoroughly dismantles the fossil fuel industry’s misleading narrative of “climate realism,” which aims to discredit climate goals, distort public perception and maintain the destructive status quo. Ticking through the current state of the climate crisis, Gore highlights the clear signs of progress, like the plummeting cost of solar energy and the surging adoption of electric vehicles, while calling on us all to reject fossil-fueled defeatism. “Political will itself is a renewable resource — so let’s renew it,” he says.

TED Countdown Summit 2025 kicks off in Nairobi, Kenya

TED Countdown Summit 2025 officially kicked off today in Nairobi, Kenya, bringing together a visionary group of global innovators, business executives, scientists, policymakers, next-generation leaders, artists and activists. This year’s gathering, taking place June 16-18, comes at a pivotal moment, as the world’s institutions falter and uncertainty mounts about the future. Yet, the Summit is grounded in optimism, highlighting real progress — from booming clean energy industries in China to the end of coal in the UK and Kenya’s own leadership in renewable energy and youth-driven innovation.

By convening in Nairobi — a city at the forefront of Africa’s energy transition and home to one of the world’s greenest electricity grids — the Summit aims to harness the collective wisdom and creativity of its diverse participants. Over the coming days, attendees will collaborate to fast-track solutions, bridge divides and inspire new commitments to climate action. With support from local partners and a global network of changemakers including Countdown’s Strategic Partners, Vision Council and TED Future Forum, the Summit aims to bring the best ideas from around the world to the TED stage, united in a commitment to building a brighter future.

Check out the full speaker program — featuring Nobel laureate Al Gore, environmental peacemaker Nada Majdalani, clean energy visionary Lei Zhang and many more — and watch out for talks from the Summit to be published on TED.com soon.

TED Partners with Academic Travel Abroad to launch TED-branded travel program

TED is proud to announce a new licensing partnership with Academic Travel Abroad, the premier provider of educational travel experiences. This collaboration will introduce the TED Travel program, a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to transform travel into an immersive, educational journey. Aligning with TED’s broader 2025 initiative, “Where Curiosity Meets Community,” this partnership reinforces TED’s commitment to fostering lifelong learning through innovative and accessible formats. 

Launching in 2026, the TED Travel program will offer a curated portfolio of annual trips, providing lifelong learners with unparalleled access to world-renowned experts, exclusive TED-style discussions, and cultural experiences that embody TED’s mission of “Ideas change everything.”

Joey Katona, Senior Director, Sales at TED, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration: “TED spreads ideas that spark curiosity, learning and conversations. By partnering with Academic Travel Abroad, we look forward to bringing the desire for meaningful exploration and connection to the world of travel with unique destinations, themes and hosts.”

Kate Simpson, President of Academic Travel Abroad, noted, “It is such an honor to collaborate with TED, an organization that has revolutionized how we share ideas, learn and connect across cultures. The TED Travel offering will reflect this ethos in a compelling way by pairing expert TED speakers with themed trips and engaging with TED communities around the globe.” 

As a leader in the educational travel space, Academic Travel Abroad was selected for its expertise in crafting high-quality learning experiences that inspire and engage. The program will leverage TED’s global network of thought leaders, expert speakers and passionate communities, making each trip an enriching exploration of ideas in real-world settings. 

Trips will be available for booking through TED’s official travel website, ted.com/travel, with pricing based on trip specifics at the time of launch.

The partnership was brokered by Beanstalk, TED’s exclusive global licensing agency.

Explore the “Loop” at TED2025 — in photos

Sure, a TED conference is about the talks — but there’s a whole other side to the TED experience that makes our flagship annual event magical. The playful exhibits, communal art, groundbreaking tech, coffee shops and delicious treats that comprised the “Loop” at TED2025 were designed to provide attendees with moments of connection, rest and excitement. Below, explore some highlights that made this year’s Loop a labyrinth of endless discovery. (Plus, check out our live coverage of the conference and keep an eye out for new TED Talks from TED2025.)

TED2025 Photo Team: Felicia Chang, Ella De Gea Truelove, Jason Redmond, Callie Shields, Gilberto Tadday, Jasmina Tomic and Elizabeth Zeeuw

Unlimited imagination: The epic interstitials of TED2025

The interstitials of TED2025: Humanity Reimagined helped answer the question: “What are humans for in the age of AI?” Showcasing the work of creatives from around the world, these shorts offered an uplifting and, at times, humorous response to anxieties around AI and the state of the world, highlighting how humans always find new ways to innovate, create and thrive.

The following shorts were curated for TED2025 by TED producer CC Hutten in collaboration with Flux Festival creative director Jonathan Wells.

OK Go — “Love”

Directed by Damian Kulash, Aaron Duffy, Miguel Espada

The TED audience got an exclusive first look at OK Go’s brilliant new video the day before its public release. The intricately choreographed “Love” was filmed in a single continuous take (number 39) inside a historic train station in Budapest, using 29 robotic arms and 60 mirrors.

“Submerged”

Created by Jason Zada based on TED2025 audience prompts

Jason Zada is an American filmmaker, creative technologist and creator of the viral “Elf Yourself” holiday season advertising campaign. In an inspired collaboration at TED2025, he took prompts from the audience to create this generative AI video. Featuring a sock with googly eyes, a beaver with a monocle and a steampunk futuristic world, this experiment shows that human creativity matched with AI can have wondrous results.

“Ready/Not Ready” — An AI experiment for TED2025 

Directed by Ari Kuschnir, founder of m ss ng p eces

Ari and m ss ng peces have been connected to TED since 2007, when they were first invited to film and share TED with the world. This year, Ari was commissioned  to create one of his AI short experiments, and he chose to explore the question: “What would happen if an alien came to Earth now (and gave a TED Talk along the way)?”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ari Kuschnir (@arikuschnir)

Jungle — “Let’s Go Back”

Directed by Charlie Di Placido

The official video for Jungle’s “Let’s Go Back” features some very real and very talented human dancers performing electric choreography. 

“Tiny Pocket”

Performed by Elle Cordova and Toni Lindgren

Elle Cordova is an American singer-songwriter, lead of the folk rock band Reina del Cid and a former TED speaker. In this short, she sings about the mystery of the tiny pocket on blue jeans, a question many of us might have pondered before.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Elle Cordova (@ellecordova)

“The Drill”

Created by the Dor Brothers

Berlin-based AI video production company the Dor Brothers created a playful AI-generated music video starring some familiar faces. In all their work, the Dor Brothers aim to push the boundaries of AI art using recognizable public figures. 

“Shackle” (excerpt)

Written and directed by Ainslie Henderson

A mesmerizing and intricate stop motion animation starring three adorable woodland sprites, this short film explores the very human reasons of why we create and who we create for.

WWF — “In Hot Water” (excerpt)

Directed by Yannis Konstantinidis, Agency/Production Co.: NOMINT

Music: “No Surprises” by Radiohead

NOMINT, an award-winning animation production company, delivers a stop motion film shot entirely on a thermal camera. Using Radiohead’s moving “No Surprises”, the short film highlights the urgency of our climate crisis.

Coldplay — “We Pray”

Various directors

Taken from A Film For The Future, the 44-minute visual companion to Coldplay’s tenth studio album Moon Music. In the creation of their visual film, Coldplay also showcased collaboration with AI by partnering with Microsoft to launch an AI-powered remix experience, allowing fans to interact with the film.

“Macro Pollock”

Animated and directed by Phil Evans

A short video showing artist Phil Evans’s unique works of art painted directly onto Super 8 film. Colorful, unique and a reminder of how many ways there are to create.

@superprocess

Macro Pollock #2danimation #handmade #super8film #handdrawn #motiondesign #fyp #foryou

♬ original sound – superanimations

Lawrence — “Whatcha Want (acoustic-ish)”

Directed by Gracie Lawrence and Clyde Lawrence

As the title suggests, this is an “acoustic-ish” live performance by the band Lawrence. With incredible vocals and wildly mood-lifting beats, this performance is a testament to the power of song.

“Ideas Are Like Fish” — David Lynch animated tribute

Created by Yuval Haker

Animation: Arthur Guttilla & Zoë Kahana

Sound design: Joe Basile

Featuring an interview sound bite from American Film Institute

A sweet animated ode to David Lynch and his incredible impact, featuring his own words on creativity and the true genesis of an idea. 

Telefónica — “Neuron”

Directed by Nicolás Méndez

Production Company: CANADA

Agency: &Rosas

Beginning with the smallest example — a neuron reaching for connection — this beautiful short film tells a story of humanity, reminding us of the importance of maintaining and creating connections between people. 

“Cats Working In The Forbidden City” (excerpt)

Created by Ring Hyacinth and Simon Lee

Have you ever wondered about a cat’s commute to work? This short film creates a whimsical alternate reality for the felines that inhabit the Forbidden City complex in Beijing, China.

Ffern — “A Dance on Wild Ice”

Directed by Sam Finney

This scenic and breathtaking short was shot on 16mm at Whitegoat Lakes, to the north of Banff National Park. Featuring professional figure skaters Carlotta Edwards and Elladj Baldé, it’s a testament to human athleticism and artistry. 

“We flow together like water”

Created by James Gerde

This animation created with the help of AI depicts characters made out of water enjoying a teeter totter, reminding us of our shared humanity. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by James Gerde (@gerdegotit)

“You can abuse a robot”

Created by Dan Yang

A humorous but timely question: How nice do we have to be to robots? Will we regret not being nice to robots while we still can? This short proves that laughter can be very thought-provoking. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dan Yang (@realdanyang)

Jeshi — “3210”

Directed by Will Dohrn

An ode to patience and craftsmanship, this short film is actually comprised of 4,000 photos. Featuring music by Jeshi, the video takes viewers on a strikingly smooth journey through captured movement. 

ArtistsCAN — “Lean On Me”

Conceptualized by musicians Tyler Shaw and Fefe Dobson

Video produced by The Young Astronauts

To celebrate the late singer-songwriter Bill Withers, an assembly of some of  Canada’s most influential artists came together to sing his song “Lean on Me.” Filmed during 2020, this short also raised donations to support the Canadian Red Cross and their COVID-19  initiatives.