TED Talks Daily

Sara Giusto is a talent manager, but not in the sense you might imagine. Her biggest client is imma, an influencer with pink hair ... who isn't human. Giusto discusses what the rise of "virtual humans" means for the real world — and invites imma onstage to explore an important question: In an increasingly digital world, what's really real? Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt's latest book, "The Anxious Generation," is shaping cultural conversations and sparking fierce debates about the role of smartphones in society. In this timely conversation, he investigates how a smartphone-based childhood, amplified by overprotective parenting, is driving the mental health crisis among young people. He also explores the push for phone bans in schools and the concrete steps we can take to improve the mental health of young people around the world. (This conversation was hosted by Elise Hu, the host of TED Talks Daily. Visit ted.com/membership to support TED today and join more exclusive events like this one.) Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AI has the potential to impact the way humans interact with the world — and each other. Social psychologist Brian S. Lowery and AI technologist Kylan Gibbs dive into the ramifications of emerging technologies on people's mental health and social dynamics. Hear why Gibbs thinks, counterintuitively, the more we use AI, the less real it will feel — and how Lowery suggests we fulfill our intrinsic need for connection amid dizzying technological advances. (This conversation is part of "TED Intersections," a series featuring thought-provoking conversations between experts exploring ideas at the intersection of their experience.) Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why aren't restaurants part of the climate solution? This question inspired chef Anthony Myint to go from opening buzzy pop-ups to pushing for a shift to regenerative farming practices in the food system. He explains how it didn't go the way he expected at first — and how restaurants are now teaming up with farmers and eaters alike to restore the climate while serving up delicious food. Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Online democracy advocate Eli Pariser explains the details surrounding the August 2024 arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov by French authorities — and what it means for the future of tech oversight and free speech. (Recorded live on Wednesday, September 4, 2024) Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are traditional philanthropy efforts actually taking money from the poor? Former UK Member of Parliament Rory Stewart breaks down why many global development projects waste money on programs that don't work. He advocates for a radical reversal rooted in evidence: giving unconditional cash transfers directly to those in need, a method that could unlock the secret of addressing extreme poverty worldwide. Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could math help make American democracy more responsive to the people? From detecting gerrymandered districts to predicting the impact of alternative election methods like ranked-choice voting, neuroscientist Sam Wang outlines how computer simulations can help fix the bugs in US democracy — and put it on the path to repair. Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why are some people really funny and others ... not so much? Comedian Chris Duffy shows how you can sharpen your sense of humor and start laughing every day — by seeing the world like a kid. Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Each Sunday, TED shares an episode of another podcast we think you'll love, handpicked for you… by us. Today we're sharing a special episode of The TED AI Show, our newest podcast about the technology that's changing our lives. Non Player Characters --NPCs for short-- have always been a huge part of what makes video games engaging, from Cortana in Halo to Navi in The Legend of Zelda. But interactions with NPCs were always limited to a pre-written script. Until now. Purnendu Mukherjee is the CEO of Convai, a platform that enables developers to create NPCs with human-like conversational abilities. He joins The TED AI Show host Bilawal Sidhu to chat about our evolving relationship with "AI characters” and what we gain and lose when our digital relationships are so life-like, it almost doesn’t matter who (or what) is on the other end.  For transcripts for The TED AI Show, visit go.ted.com/TTAIS-transcripts    Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it actually take to make meaningful change? Conservationist Kristine McDivitt Tompkins and playwright and theater director Amir Nizar Zuabi reflect on the deep connection between human suffering and environmental degradation and the community-building power of art to raise awareness. With equal parts hope and concern for the future, they speak to the urgent need to act now — and emphasize the transcendent power of compassion-fueled collaboration. (This conversation is part of “TED Intersections,” a new series featuring thought-provoking conversations between experts exploring ideas at the intersection of their experience.) Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.