Will AI make humans useless? | Akram Awad

"As jobs disappear, so will identity," says AI futurist Akram Awad, outlining the three types of people that will emerge as AI continues to replace the workforce. He introduces the blueprint for a society built not on wealth and job titles but on societal contributions, offering a framework to reimagine who you are — and a way for society to avoid a collective identity crisis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scientists estimate that 80 percent of life on Earth is still unknown to humanity. But as global temperatures rise, habitats shrink and food and water sources dry up, we're losing these species faster than we can discover them. AI naturalist Sara Beery reveals how the knowledge to study (and save) the natural world may already exist, buried in millions of images, recordings and observations. We just need to learn how to read them before it's too late. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if your kitchen fridge is just the tip of an iceberg that's reshaping the world? Food storyteller Nicola Twilley reveals how the massive “artificial Arctic” we built to keep our food fresh is simultaneously melting the real one. She shows why we're at a critical moment to rethink our relationship with the cold chain and refrigeration — and explores the emerging technologies that could keep food fresh without putting the planet on thin ice.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Loving where you live means caring for the people who make that place home, says cultural critic Hanif Abdurraqib. He invites poet Sarah Kay and Chris Duffy, host of the podcast “How to Be a Better Human,” to his hometown of Columbus, Ohio, to show off what makes it so special. From sneaker shops and record stores to public parks, Abdurraqib talks about how he builds community — and how anyone can learn to love their hometownThis episode is part of a series of bonus videos from "How to Be a Better Human." You can watch the extended video companion on the TED YouTube Channel and the extended interview on the TED Audio Collective YouTube Channel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For decades, investor and business leader Steve Howard watched companies pour money and effort into sustainability initiatives ... and still fall short. The problem isn’t a lack of will, he says; it’s that capitalism and climate have been wired to work against each other. He shares four realities that explain why even well-intentioned businesses fail at climate action — as well as a plan to flip the system, making green innovation so powerful the market can’t resist it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Impact investor Tom Chi challenges a dangerous assumption: that economic growth and ecological health are opposing forces. He reveals how advances in AI and robotics are enabling a radical shift towards innovation as a force for restoration. Imagine mines that extract less, farms that regenerate soil and fleets of robots that can plant 100,000 mangroves in a single day. What if the same technologies that power our economy could actively repair the planet at the same time? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a world that prizes certainty, hot takes and instant answers, what happens when we celebrate the power of ... not knowing? Scientist and storyteller Harini Bhat shares how she built a mega-popular YouTube channel where curiosity, not credentials, drives discovery. From ancient brains turned to glass to the origins of life itself, she reminds us that science isn't just for scientists — it's for anyone willing to ask, "Why?" Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who let the dogs out? Jennifer Crank, a world champion in dog agility competitions like Westminster, brings her border collie onto the TED stage to demonstrate the secrets of interspecies communication. Watch as her four-legged friend bounds through an obstacle course at lightning speed — as Crank gives a lesson on how to effectively communicate with any kind of audience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you've ever been swept away by the worlds of "Wicked," "Hamilton" or "West Side Story," you've seen Paul Tazewell's breathtaking costumes. The Oscar-winning designer (whose work features in "Wicked: For Good") explores the subconscious language of clothing and how it shapes who we view as heroes — and who we view as villains. (Followed by a short Q&A with TED's Monique Ruff-Bell) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nearly 20 trees are cut down every second in the Amazon rainforest, as authorities struggle to monitor millions of acres and stop illegal clear-cutting. But land reformer Tasso Azevedo and his team at MapBiomas have changed the game, transforming satellite imagery into precise, real-time maps that make every clear-cut visible — and every actor accountable. Learn how they're helping slash deforestation in the Amazon, proving that transparency is a forest's strongest defense. (This ambitious idea is part of The Audacious Project, TED’s initiative to inspire and fund global change.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.