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Wednesday, December 24, 2025
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Digest for 12/24/2025

Explore trending topics with matching TED talks and AI insights

3 Topics • 9 Talks

Trending Topics

Featured TED Talks

The Future of Democracy in the Age of AI
Why fascism is so tempting -- and how your data could power it by Yuval Noah Harari

Why fascism is so tempting -- and how your data could power it

by Yuval Noah Harari

Historian Yuval Noah Harari warns that data and AI could enable totalitarian regimes, threatening democracy by manipulating human behavior.

Summary

Yuval Noah Harari's TED talk explores the allure of fascism through compelling narratives and warns how AI's ability to process vast personal data could enable totalitarian regimes to manipulate populations more effectively than ever, posing a dire threat to the future of democracy in an AI-driven world.

"If you have enough data, and you have enough computing power, you can understand people better than they understand themselves and then you can manipulate them in ways that were previously impossible."

Discuss: In what ways might AI and big data undermine democratic processes, and how can societies protect against such risks?

Watch Talk (17:00)View Discussion
The Future of Democracy in the Age of AI
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-driven algorithms, optimized for ad clicks, foster misinformation and polarization, directly threatening the future of democracy by manipulating public discourse and eroding trust in institutions.

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

Discuss: In what ways might AI algorithms be reformed to protect democratic processes from manipulation?

Watch Talk (22:30)View Discussion
The Future of Democracy in the Age of AI
How to upgrade democracy for the Internet era by Pia Mancini

How to upgrade democracy for the Internet era

by Pia Mancini

Pia Mancini argues that our democratic systems are outdated for the digital age and presents a platform that allows citizens to propose, debate, and vote on legislation directly.

Summary

Pia Mancini's TED talk explores upgrading democracy for the digital age through tools like open-source platforms for citizen input, directly relating to the future of democracy in the AI era where algorithms influence public discourse and decision-making, proposing tech-driven solutions to enhance participation and transparency.

"We need to upgrade democracy so that it can work in the 21st century."

Discuss: How might AI tools, inspired by Mancini's ideas, transform voter engagement while addressing risks like misinformation?

Watch Talk (13:00)View Discussion
Navigating Global Alliances in a Multipolar World
The next global superpower isn't who you think by Ian Bremmer

The next global superpower isn't who you think

by Ian Bremmer

Political scientist Ian Bremmer argues that the world is entering a new era of technopolarism, where technology companies hold unprecedented power, reshaping global geopolitics.

Summary

Ian Bremmer's TED talk challenges assumptions about global power in a multipolar world, arguing that technology companies, not nation-states like China, will become the next superpowers, reshaping how we navigate international alliances and geopolitical strategies.

"The most powerful actors on the planet are no longer governments. They are technology companies."

Discuss: In a world where tech giants rival nations in influence, how should countries adapt their alliance strategies to maintain stability?

Watch Talk (14:03)View Discussion
Navigating Global Alliances in a Multipolar World
Connectography: Mapping the global network revolution by Parag Khanna

Connectography: Mapping the global network revolution

by Parag Khanna

Migration expert Parag Khanna discusses how connectivity through infrastructure and supply chains is redrawing the world map, influencing alliances and power dynamics in a multipolar world.

Summary

Parag Khanna's TED talk 'Connectography: Mapping the global network revolution' illustrates how infrastructure, trade, and technology create interconnected networks that transcend traditional borders, offering insights into forming flexible alliances in a multipolar world where power shifts from nations to functional connectivity.

"The supply chains and energy grids that connect us are the new map of the world."

Discuss: In what ways can Khanna's vision of connectography help leaders navigate shifting alliances in today's multipolar landscape?

Watch Talk (18:00)View Discussion
Navigating Global Alliances in a Multipolar World
The end of globalization (and the beginning of something new) by Mike O'Sullivan

The end of globalization (and the beginning of something new)

by Mike O'Sullivan

Economist Mike O'Sullivan explores the shift from globalization to a multipolar world, discussing how nations and alliances must adapt to new economic and political realities.

Summary

Mike O'Sullivan's TED talk explores the decline of globalization and the emergence of a multipolar world, where nations must navigate shifting global alliances, regional blocs, and geopolitical tensions to foster new forms of cooperation and economic resilience.

"Globalization is over. The monopolar world is gone. We are entering a multipolar era."

Discuss: In a multipolar world, how can countries balance national interests with the need for strategic alliances to address global challenges like climate change and trade?

Watch Talk (14:00)View Discussion
Reimagining Political Leadership for Climate Action
The inside story of the Paris climate agreement by Christiana Figueres

The inside story of the Paris climate agreement

by Christiana Figueres

What would you do if your job was to save the planet? When Christiana Figueres was tapped by the UN to lead the Paris climate conference (COP 21) in December 2015, she reacted the way many people would: she thought it would be impossible to bring the leaders of 195 countries into agreement on how to slow climate change. Find out how she turned 'impossible' into 'possible' -- and how you can, too.

Summary

Christiana Figueres recounts the diplomatic triumphs and challenges in forging the Paris climate agreement, illustrating how visionary political leadership can unite nations for bold climate action, offering a blueprint for reimagining governance in the face of global warming.

"We must, we can, and we will move forward."

Discuss: What innovative leadership strategies from the Paris Agreement could today's politicians adopt to enhance climate action?

Watch Talk (15:00)View Discussion
Reimagining Political Leadership for Climate Action
New thinking on the climate crisis by Al Gore

New thinking on the climate crisis

by Al Gore

In this brand-new slideshow (premiering on TED.com), Al Gore presents evidence that the pace of climate change may be even worse than scientists recently predicted. He challenges us to act.

Summary

Al Gore's TED talk 'New thinking on the climate crisis' urges a paradigm shift in addressing global warming, aligning perfectly with reimagining political leadership for climate action by emphasizing bold, innovative policies and the moral imperative for leaders to act decisively on renewable energy and sustainability.

"We can solve the climate crisis. We have the technology. We have the know-how. What we lack is the political will."

Discuss: In what ways can political leaders incorporate Al Gore's 'new thinking' to drive effective climate policies in their countries?

Watch Talk (28:00)View Discussion
Reimagining Political Leadership for Climate Action
Why climate change is a threat to human rights by Mary Robinson

Why climate change is a threat to human rights

by Mary Robinson

Climate change is unfair. While rich countries can fight against rising oceans and dying farm fields, poor people around the world are already having their lives upended -- and their human rights threatened -- by killer storms, starvation and the loss of their own lands. Mary Robinson asks us to join the movement for worldwide climate justice.

Summary

Mary Robinson's TED Talk highlights climate change as a profound human rights crisis, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations and exacerbating inequalities. Linking to reimagining political leadership for climate action, she urges leaders to adopt justice-centered approaches, prioritizing human rights in global policies to drive equitable and urgent climate solutions.

"Climate change is the greatest threat to human rights in the 21st century."

Discuss: In what ways can political leaders reframe climate action through a human rights lens to foster more inclusive and effective global responses?

Watch Talk (17:34)View Discussion