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Thursday, January 1, 2026
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Digest for 1/1/2026

Explore trending topics with matching TED talks and AI insights

3 Topics • 9 Talks

Trending Topics

Featured TED Talks

The AI Revolution: Transforming Business Models
The coming of age of AI by Kevin Kelly

The coming of age of AI

by Kevin Kelly

Kevin Kelly talks about the history of AI and where it's headed, touching on the idea of machines becoming conscious or superintelligent.

Summary

In 'The coming of age of AI,' Kevin Kelly discusses AI's evolution from infancy to maturity, emphasizing its potential to reinvent industries and create new economic paradigms, mirroring the AI Revolution's transformation of business models through innovation and efficiency.

"AI is the electricity of the 21st century—it will power everything."

Discuss: What business model disruptions do you foresee from AI's maturation, as described by Kevin Kelly?

Watch Talk (17:00)View Discussion
The AI Revolution: Transforming Business Models
The key to growth? Race with the machines by Erik Brynjolfsson

The key to growth? Race with the machines

by Erik Brynjolfsson

As machines take on more jobs, many find themselves out of work or with raises indefinitely postponed. Is this the end of growth? No, says Erik Brynjolfsson -- it's simply the growing pains of a radically reorganized economy.

Summary

Erik Brynjolfsson's TED talk 'The key to growth? Race with the machines' aligns with the AI Revolution by emphasizing that businesses should collaborate with AI to drive innovation and growth, rather than competing against it, thereby transforming traditional business models into more efficient, machine-augmented ones.

"The key to growth is not to race against the machines, but to race with the machines."

Discuss: How might integrating AI into your business model change your competitive strategy?

Watch Talk (12:00)View Discussion
The AI Revolution: Transforming Business Models
What will future jobs look like? by Andrew McAfee

What will future jobs look like?

by Andrew McAfee

Economist Andrew McAfee suggests that, yes, probably, droids will take our jobs -- or at least the kinds of jobs we know now. In this far-seeing talk, he thinks through what future jobs might look like, and how to educate coming generations to hold them.

Summary

Andrew McAfee's TED talk 'What will future jobs look like?' explores how technology and automation are transforming employment, directly relating to the trending topic of embracing hybrid work models and the gig economy by emphasizing flexible, skill-driven jobs that blend human ingenuity with machine efficiency.

"The great decoupling of productivity and employment means that we're going to have to rethink what work means in our society."

Discuss: How might advancements in AI further influence the rise of gig work and hybrid models in the future?

Watch Talk (14:30)View Discussion
Sustainable Leadership: Navigating ESG in Modern Enterprises
The business logic of sustainability by Ray Anderson

The business logic of sustainability

by Ray Anderson

At his carpet company, Ray Anderson has increased sales and doubled profits while turning the traditional 'take / make / waste' industrial system on its head. In a gentle, understated way, he shares a powerful vision for sustainable commerce.

Summary

Ray Anderson's TED talk 'The business logic of sustainability' illustrates how he transformed his company Interface into a model of eco-friendly practices, proving that sustainable business models enhance profitability and resilience—directly relevant to today's ESG-driven leadership in enterprises, where environmental, social, and governance factors are key to long-term success.

"Someday people like me will end up in jail."

Discuss: How can contemporary leaders draw from Anderson's journey to integrate ESG principles into their corporate strategies for sustainable growth?

Watch Talk (21:00)View Discussion
Sustainable Leadership: Navigating ESG in Modern Enterprises
How big brands can help save biodiversity by Jason Clay

How big brands can help save biodiversity

by Jason Clay

Convince just 100 key companies to go sustainable, and WWF's Jason Clay says global markets will shift to protect the planet our consumption has already outstripped. Clay lays out how.

Summary

Jason Clay's TED talk explores how major brands can drive biodiversity conservation through supply chain influence, directly supporting sustainable leadership in ESG by encouraging enterprises to prioritize environmental stewardship alongside business goals.

"The 100 largest companies control 25% of the trade of 15 of the most significant commodities on the planet. If they agree to change, the world changes."

Discuss: How can modern enterprises incorporate biodiversity initiatives into their ESG strategies to foster sustainable leadership?

Watch Talk (17:00)View Discussion
Sustainable Leadership: Navigating ESG in Modern Enterprises
The surprising thing I learned sailing solo around the world by Ellen MacArthur

The surprising thing I learned sailing solo around the world

by Ellen MacArthur

What Ellen MacArthur learned from sailing around the world solo led her to advocate for a circular economy -- a regenerative system in which nothing is wasted.

Summary

Ellen MacArthur's solo circumnavigation highlighted the finite nature of resources, inspiring her shift to circular economy advocacy. This mirrors sustainable leadership in ESG, urging enterprises to rethink waste, reuse, and regeneration for long-term viability.

"You have a finite amount of everything, and if you run out, that's it."

Discuss: How can modern enterprises apply circular economy principles from MacArthur's sailing insights to enhance their ESG strategies?

Watch Talk (11:00)View Discussion
The Future of Work: Embracing Hybrid Models and Gig Economy
What will future jobs look like? by Andrew McAfee

What will future jobs look like?

by Andrew McAfee

Economist Andrew McAfee suggests that, yes, probably, droids will take our jobs -- or at least the kinds of jobs we know now. In this far-seeing talk, he thinks through what future jobs might look like, and how to educate coming generations to hold them.

Summary

Andrew McAfee's TED talk 'What will future jobs look like?' explores how technology and automation are transforming employment, directly relating to the trending topic of embracing hybrid work models and the gig economy by emphasizing flexible, skill-driven jobs that blend human ingenuity with machine efficiency.

"The great decoupling of productivity and employment means that we're going to have to rethink what work means in our society."

Discuss: How might advancements in AI further influence the rise of gig work and hybrid models in the future?

Watch Talk (14:30)View Discussion
The Future of Work: Embracing Hybrid Models and Gig Economy
A new kind of job market by Wingham Rowan

A new kind of job market

by Wingham Rowan

Many people are worried about the future of work in the face of automation and globalization. Wingham Rowan proposes a new kind of job market -- for the many jobs that don't need a human being behind a desk, but just a few hours of work here and there.

Summary

Wingham Rowan's TED talk 'A new kind of job market' advocates for technology-driven platforms that create fluid, on-demand employment opportunities, directly supporting the shift towards hybrid work models and the expanding gig economy in the future of work.

"We can create a job market that's as dynamic and accessible as the rest of the internet."

Discuss: What challenges and benefits do you foresee in transitioning to a gig economy dominated by tech-enabled job markets?

Watch Talk (13:00)View Discussion
The Future of Work: Embracing Hybrid Models and Gig Economy
The way we think about work is broken by Barry Schwartz

The way we think about work is broken

by Barry Schwartz

What makes work satisfying? Apart from a paycheck, there are intangible values that, Barry Schwartz suggests, our current way of thinking about work simply ignores. It's time to stop thinking of workers as cogs on a wheel.

Summary

Barry Schwartz's TED talk 'The way we think about work is broken' critiques the flawed assumption that work is inherently unpleasant and must be incentivized, advocating for meaningful, engaging jobs. This perspective aligns with the future of work's hybrid models and gig economy, where flexibility and purpose can foster greater satisfaction and productivity over rigid structures.

"Why do we work? Are we working just for money, or is there something more?"

Discuss: How might redefining work as meaningful rather than merely incentivized impact the adoption of hybrid work models and participation in the gig economy?

Watch Talk (11:47)View Discussion