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Wednesday, December 17, 2025
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Digest for 12/17/2025

Explore trending topics with matching TED talks and AI insights

3 Topics • 9 Talks

Trending Topics

Featured TED Talks

The Impact of AI on Democratic Elections
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 highlights how AI algorithms, optimized for ad engagement, create dystopian surveillance and manipulation systems that polarize societies and spread misinformation, directly paralleling concerns about AI's potential to undermine democratic elections through targeted propaganda and voter influence.

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

Discuss: In what ways might AI-driven ad algorithms exacerbate misinformation during elections, and how can we mitigate these risks?

Watch Talk (22:30)View Discussion
Rebuilding Trust in Political Institutions
How to build (and rebuild) trust by Frances Frei

How to build (and rebuild) trust

by Frances Frei

Trust is the foundation for everything we do. But what do we do when it's broken? In an eye-opening talk, Harvard Business School professor Frances Frei gives a crash course in trust: how to build it, maintain it and rebuild it -- something she worked on during a recent stint at Uber.

Summary

Frances Frei's TED talk on building and rebuilding trust via authenticity, logic, and empathy provides a blueprint for restoring faith in political institutions, emphasizing transparent leadership and empathetic governance amid widespread skepticism.

"Trust is the foundation for everything we do."

Discuss: In what ways can political leaders incorporate Frei's trust triangle to address current crises in institutional credibility?

Watch Talk (15:03)View Discussion
Rebuilding Trust in Political Institutions
Can democracy exist without trust? by Ivan Krastev

Can democracy exist without trust?

by Ivan Krastev

The Greek philosopher Diogenes held a lit lamp high in the daylight of ancient Athens, searching for an honest man. Political scientist Ivan Krastev asks: What does this anecdote tell us about democracy in a time of mistrust? He explores how the 'crisis of democracy' threatens legitimacy -- and how we might rebuild the trust that democracy requires.

Summary

In his TED talk 'Can democracy exist without trust?', Ivan Krastev examines how eroding trust undermines democratic systems, directly relating to the trending topic of rebuilding trust in political institutions by highlighting the dangers of populism and misinformation that exacerbate distrust.

"Trust is the oxygen of democracy."

Discuss: What steps can societies take to restore trust in political institutions, drawing from Krastev's analysis of trust's role in democracy?

Watch Talk (13:00)View Discussion
Rebuilding Trust in Political Institutions
Which country does the most good for the world? by Simon Anholt

Which country does the most good for the world?

by Simon Anholt

We need a new way to judge which countries are good. Policy advisor Simon Anholt introduces the Good Country Index, which ranks countries based on their contributions to the world. It's a step toward rebuilding trust in global institutions by focusing on positive impacts.

Summary

Simon Anholt's TED talk on the Good Country Index challenges nations to prioritize global contributions over self-interest, offering a pathway to rebuild trust in political institutions by fostering international cooperation and accountability.

"The Good Country Index isn't about the best country in the world; it's about the country that's doing the most good for the world."

Discuss: How might adopting a 'good country' mindset help restore public confidence in political leaders and institutions?

Watch Talk (17:00)View Discussion
The Impact of AI on Democratic Elections
Facebook's role in Brexit — and the threat to democracy by Carole Cadwalladr

Facebook's role in Brexit — and the threat to democracy

by Carole Cadwalladr

Journalist Carole Cadwalladr investigates how data analytics and targeted ads on Facebook influenced the Brexit vote and the 2016 US election, highlighting the dangers of AI-driven misinformation in democratic processes.

Summary

Carole Cadwalladr's TED Talk exposes how Facebook's data practices and misinformation campaigns influenced Brexit, underscoring threats to democracy that are now amplified by AI in elections through deepfakes, targeted ads, and algorithmic manipulation.

"Multiple crimes took place during the [Brexit] referendum, and they took place on Facebook."

Discuss: In what ways might AI exacerbate the democratic vulnerabilities highlighted in Cadwalladr's talk, and what safeguards could mitigate these risks?

Watch Talk (15:00)View Discussion
The Impact of AI on Democratic Elections
How deepfakes undermine truth and threaten democracy by Danielle Citron

How deepfakes undermine truth and threaten democracy

by Danielle Citron

Law professor Danielle Citron discusses how AI-generated deepfakes can spread misinformation, manipulate public perception, and disrupt democratic elections by eroding trust in truth.

Summary

Danielle Citron's TED talk examines how AI-generated deepfakes erode trust in information, directly impacting democratic elections by spreading misinformation that can sway voter opinions and undermine electoral integrity.

"Deepfakes are the liars' dividend, giving plausibility to the claim that nothing is true."

Discuss: What measures can governments and tech companies implement to mitigate the risks of deepfakes in upcoming elections?

Watch Talk (13:00)View Discussion
Navigating Populism in a Divided World
Nationalism vs. globalism: the new political divide by Yuval Noah Harari

Nationalism vs. globalism: the new political divide

by Yuval Noah Harari

Historian Yuval Noah Harari explores the tension between nationalism and globalism, and how it shapes our divided world.

Summary

Yuval Noah Harari's TED talk explores the shifting political landscape from traditional left-right divides to a clash between nationalism and globalism, offering insights into navigating populism in today's divided world by emphasizing the need for global cooperation on issues like climate change and AI, which populism often resists through isolationist policies.

"The real political divide of the 21st century is between nationalists and globalists."

Discuss: How can globalist approaches counter the rise of populist nationalism in addressing worldwide challenges like pandemics and technological disruption?

Watch Talk (16:00)View Discussion
Navigating Populism in a Divided World
Why Brexit happened -- and what to do next by Alexander Betts

Why Brexit happened -- and what to do next

by Alexander Betts

Refugee expert Alexander Betts discusses the rise of populism through the lens of Brexit and offers ways to navigate divided societies.

Summary

Alexander Betts' TED talk dissects the drivers of Brexit, including globalization's failures, economic inequality, and migration fears, as a prime example of populist resurgence. It provides strategies for navigating populism by rebuilding trust, addressing grievances, and fostering inclusive policies in our increasingly divided global landscape.

"Brexit is a symptom of a broader crisis of globalization, where many feel left behind by rapid change and inequality."

Discuss: What lessons from Brexit can world leaders apply to counter populist movements and bridge societal divides today?

Watch Talk (17:00)View Discussion
Navigating Populism in a Divided World
Our democracy no longer represents the people. Here's how we fix it by Larry Lessig

Our democracy no longer represents the people. Here's how we fix it

by Larry Lessig

Larry Lessig examines how populism and division have eroded democracy and proposes reforms to restore representation.

Summary

Larry Lessig's TED talk addresses how modern democracy fails to represent the people, often due to money in politics, which exacerbates populism and division in today's world. He proposes reforms like campaign finance changes to restore true representation and navigate these challenges.

"We have a Congress that has zero institutional integrity, because it has become dependent upon funding in a way that eviscerates its integrity."

Discuss: What reforms could help democracies better represent citizens and reduce the appeal of populist movements?

Watch Talk (18:00)View Discussion