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Monday, November 24, 2025
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Digest for 11/24/2025

Explore trending topics with matching TED talks and AI insights

3 Topics • 9 Talks

Trending Topics

Featured TED Talks

The AI Revolution: Transforming Society and Ethics
Can we build AI without losing control over it? by Sam Harris

Can we build AI without losing control over it?

by Sam Harris

Scared of superintelligent AI? You should be, says neuroscientist and philosopher Sam Harris -- and not just in some theoretical way. We're going to build superhuman machines, says Harris, but we haven't yet grappled with the politics and ethics of how best to contain and manage them.

Summary

Sam Harris's TED talk 'Can we build AI without losing control over it?' delves into the risks of superintelligent AI outpacing human oversight, directly tying into the AI Revolution's societal transformations and ethical quandaries, urging proactive measures to align AI with human values.

"The concern is that we will one day build machines that are so much more competent than we are that the slightest divergence between their goals and our own could destroy us."

Discuss: What steps should society take to maintain control over AI as it revolutionizes ethics and daily life?

Watch Talk (14:30)View Discussion
The AI Revolution: Transforming Society and Ethics
We're building a dystopia just to make people click on ads by Zeynep Tufekci

We're building a dystopia just to make people click on ads

by Zeynep Tufekci

We're building an artificial intelligence-powered dystopia, one click at a time, says techno-sociologist Zeynep Tufekci. In an eye-opening talk, Tufekci explains how the same algorithms companies like Facebook, Google and Amazon use to get you to click on ads are also used to organize your access to political and social information.

Summary

Zeynep Tufekci's TED talk critiques how AI algorithms, driven by ad revenue, manipulate behavior and foster societal division, directly tying into the AI revolution's ethical challenges in transforming social norms and decision-making.

"We're building a dystopia just to make people click on ads."

Discuss: What ethical safeguards are needed to prevent AI from prioritizing profits over societal well-being?

Watch Talk (22:30)View Discussion
The AI Revolution: Transforming Society and Ethics
How to get empowered, not overpowered, by AI by Max Tegmark

How to get empowered, not overpowered, by AI

by Max Tegmark

There's a lot of talk about the need to regulate AI, but physicist Max Tegmark says we need to think bigger: what if we could design AI to make our lives better in every way? Tegmark explores the exciting possibilities of life with superintelligent machines -- and how we can ensure that the benefits of AI are shared fairly.

Summary

Max Tegmark's TED talk 'How to get empowered, not overpowered, by AI' delves into harnessing AI's potential for human benefit while addressing ethical risks, directly tying into the AI revolution's transformative effects on society and moral dilemmas.

"We need to win the race between the growing power of our technology and the growing wisdom with which we manage it."

Discuss: What steps can individuals and societies take to ensure AI empowers rather than overpowers us in the midst of the AI revolution?

Watch Talk (17:00)View Discussion
Quantum Computing: The Next Frontier of Innovation
A beginner's guide to quantum computing by Shohini Ghose

A beginner's guide to quantum computing

by Shohini Ghose

Shohini Ghose wants us to get excited about quantum computers, which operate using an entirely different logic than classical computing. She explains the basics and explores what makes quantum computing so powerful.

Summary

Shohini Ghose's TED talk 'A beginner's guide to quantum computing' provides an accessible introduction to quantum principles like superposition and entanglement, directly tying into the trending topic of Quantum Computing: The Next Frontier of Innovation by exploring how these concepts could revolutionize problem-solving in fields like drug discovery and optimization.

"Quantum computers aren't just faster versions of today's computers; they're a fundamentally different way of processing information."

Discuss: What potential ethical challenges might arise as quantum computing becomes more accessible and powerful?

Watch Talk (10:04)View Discussion
Quantum Computing: The Next Frontier of Innovation
Can we make quantum technology work? by Leo Kouwenhoven

Can we make quantum technology work?

by Leo Kouwenhoven

Leo Kouwenhoven discusses the challenges and potential of building practical quantum computers.

Summary

In his TED talk, physicist Leo Kouwenhoven delves into the challenges and breakthroughs in developing practical quantum technology, including the pursuit of topological qubits using Majorana particles. This aligns with the trending topic of quantum computing as the next frontier of innovation, highlighting how overcoming quantum decoherence and scaling up qubits could revolutionize computing power for complex problems in AI, cryptography, and materials science.

"We are at the brink of a quantum revolution, where quantum computers will solve problems that are impossible for classical computers."

Discuss: What potential ethical concerns arise from the advancements in quantum computing discussed in Kouwenhoven's talk?

Watch Talk (18:00)View Discussion
Quantum Computing: The Next Frontier of Innovation
Quantum computing: Harnessing the power of uncertainty by Jeremy O'Brien

Quantum computing: Harnessing the power of uncertainty

by Jeremy O'Brien

Jeremy O'Brien explores how quantum computers leverage uncertainty to perform computations that could transform industries.

Summary

Jeremy O'Brien's TED talk 'Quantum computing: Harnessing the power of uncertainty' delves into how quantum principles like superposition and entanglement enable unprecedented computational power, directly tying into the trending topic of Quantum Computing: The Next Frontier of Innovation by showcasing its potential to transform fields such as cryptography, materials science, and optimization problems.

"Quantum computers are not just faster versions of today's computers; they're a fundamentally new way of processing information that harnesses the weirdness of quantum mechanics."

Discuss: What ethical challenges might arise as quantum computing becomes more accessible, and how can we address them?

Watch Talk (16:00)View Discussion
Sustainable Tech: Building a Greener Future with Innovation
Innovating to zero! by Bill Gates

Innovating to zero!

by Bill Gates

Bill Gates unveils his vision for the world's energy future, describing the need for 'miracles' to avoid planetary catastrophe and explaining why he's backing a dramatically different type of nuclear reactor. The essential goal? Zero carbon emissions globally by 2050.

Summary

Bill Gates' TED talk 'Innovating to zero!' emphasizes the critical need for groundbreaking innovations in energy to eliminate carbon emissions, directly supporting the trending topic of sustainable tech by showcasing how inventive solutions can drive a greener, zero-emission future.

"We need energy miracles."

Discuss: What innovative technologies do you think could help achieve zero carbon emissions in the next decade?

Watch Talk (27:48)View Discussion
Sustainable Tech: Building a Greener Future with Innovation
A roadmap for sustainable energy by Amory Lovins

A roadmap for sustainable energy

by Amory Lovins

Physicist Amory Lovins lays out a plan for weaning the US off oil and revitalizing the economy by focusing on energy efficiency and renewable sources.

Summary

Amory Lovins' TED talk 'A roadmap for sustainable energy' aligns perfectly with the trending topic of Sustainable Tech by outlining innovative strategies for energy efficiency, renewable integration, and redesigning systems to reduce fossil fuel dependence, paving the way for a greener, more innovative future.

"If you do the right things right, even in a tough neighborhood, you can make a clean-energy future affordable."

Discuss: How can Amory Lovins' energy efficiency principles be applied to modern sustainable tech innovations to accelerate the transition to a greener future?

Watch Talk (19:30)View Discussion
Sustainable Tech: Building a Greener Future with Innovation
Freeing energy from the grid by Justin Hall-Tipping

Freeing energy from the grid

by Justin Hall-Tipping

What would happen if we could generate power from our windowpanes? In this moving talk, entrepreneur Justin Hall-Tipping shows the materials that could make that possible, and how questioning our notion of 'normal' can lead to extraordinary breakthroughs.

Summary

Justin Hall-Tipping's TED talk 'Freeing energy from the grid' explores nanotechnology innovations for capturing and storing solar energy independently, directly linking to Sustainable Tech by showcasing how such advancements can drive a greener, grid-free future through efficient, accessible energy solutions.

"What if we could generate power from our windowpanes?"

Discuss: How can nanotechnology innovations like those discussed by Hall-Tipping accelerate the transition to sustainable energy systems worldwide?

Watch Talk (10:54)View Discussion