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Saturday, February 7, 2026
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Digest for 2/7/2026

Explore trending topics with matching TED talks and AI insights

3 Topics • 9 Talks

Trending Topics

Featured TED Talks

The Ethical Implications of Artificial Intelligence
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 ethical dilemmas of advancing AI, warning that superintelligent systems could escape human oversight if not properly aligned with our values, directly tying into the trending topic of AI's ethical implications by highlighting risks like existential threats and the need for safeguards.

"We are probably going to build machines that are more intelligent than we are, and we have no idea how to ensure that their goals will align with ours."

Discuss: What steps should society take to ensure AI development prioritizes ethical alignment and human control?

Watch Talk (14:30)View Discussion
The Ethical Implications of Artificial Intelligence
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, optimized for ad engagement, foster a dystopian society through surveillance, manipulation, and misinformation, directly addressing the ethical implications of AI in prioritizing profit over societal well-being.

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

Discuss: What steps can tech companies take to align AI development with ethical standards rather than solely focusing on advertising revenue?

Watch Talk (22:30)View Discussion
The Ethical Implications of Artificial Intelligence
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' directly addresses the ethical implications of artificial intelligence by emphasizing proactive strategies to harness AI's potential for human benefit while mitigating risks like loss of control and societal disruption, urging a balanced approach to AI development.

"If we don't shape our future, it will shape us."

Discuss: What steps can individuals and policymakers take to ensure AI empowers humanity rather than overpowering it, considering ethical dilemmas like bias and autonomy?

Watch Talk (17:00)View Discussion
Mental Health in the Post-Pandemic World
How to stop languishing and start finding flow by Adam Grant

How to stop languishing and start finding flow

by Adam Grant

Organizational psychologist Adam Grant shares insights on overcoming languishing, a common feeling in the post-pandemic era, and finding flow for better mental health.

Summary

In the post-pandemic world, where mental health struggles like languishing—a state of stagnation and emptiness—have become prevalent, Adam Grant's TED Talk 'How to stop languishing and start finding flow' offers practical strategies to rediscover purpose and engagement through achieving flow states, helping individuals combat the emotional toll of isolation and uncertainty.

"Languishing is that sense of stagnation and emptiness. It feels like you're muddling through your days, looking at your life through a foggy windshield."

Discuss: How can incorporating flow activities into daily routines help address post-pandemic mental health challenges like languishing?

Watch Talk (13:00)View Discussion
Mental Health in the Post-Pandemic World
Why we need to rethink anxiety by Luana Marques

Why we need to rethink anxiety

by Luana Marques

Clinical psychologist Luana Marques discusses how the pandemic has amplified anxiety and offers science-backed strategies to build resilience in the post-pandemic world.

Summary

In the post-pandemic era, where anxiety has become a widespread mental health challenge due to isolation, uncertainty, and loss, Luana Marques' TED talk 'Why we need to rethink anxiety' offers a fresh perspective. She argues that anxiety isn't inherently bad but a signal to pay attention, providing practical tools like cognitive behavioral techniques to reframe and manage it, ultimately building resilience for better mental well-being.

"Anxiety is like an alarm system—it's there to protect us, but we need to learn how to respond to it effectively."

Discuss: How has the pandemic amplified your anxiety, and what steps from Luana Marques' talk could you apply to rethink and manage it in your daily life?

Watch Talk (14:00)View Discussion
Mental Health in the Post-Pandemic World
How burnout became normal — and how to push back against it by Rahaf Harfoush

How burnout became normal — and how to push back against it

by Rahaf Harfoush

Digital anthropologist Rahaf Harfoush explores the rise of burnout during and after the pandemic, providing ways to reclaim balance for mental well-being.

Summary

Rahaf Harfoush's TED talk examines how burnout has become a normalized part of modern life, intensified by the pandemic's disruptions to work and personal boundaries, and provides actionable strategies to reclaim mental health in the post-pandemic era.

"Burnout isn't a personal failing; it's a systemic issue we've normalized."

Discuss: In what ways has the pandemic exacerbated burnout for you, and how can we collectively push back against it to improve mental health?

Watch Talk (12:00)View Discussion
Sustainable Living for a Changing Planet
The most important thing you can do to fight climate change: talk about it by Katharine Hayhoe

The most important thing you can do to fight climate change: talk about it

by Katharine Hayhoe

How do you talk to someone who doesn't believe in climate change? Not by rehashing the same data and facts we've been discussing for years, says climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe. In this inspiring, pragmatic talk, Hayhoe shows how the key to having a real discussion is to connect over shared values like family, community and religion -- and to prompt people to realize that they already care about a changing climate.

Summary

Katharine Hayhoe's TED Talk emphasizes that the most powerful action against climate change is simply talking about it, fostering awareness and collective efforts that align perfectly with sustainable living practices to adapt to our changing planet.

"The most important thing you can do to fight climate change is to talk about it."

Discuss: What conversations have you had about climate change, and how have they influenced your sustainable living choices?

Watch Talk (17:00)View Discussion
Sustainable Living for a Changing Planet
How to green the world's deserts and reverse climate change by Allan Savory

How to green the world's deserts and reverse climate change

by Allan Savory

Allan Savory has devoted his life to stopping desertification. He now believes -- and his work so far shows -- that a surprising factor can protect grasslands and even reclaim degraded land that was once desert.

Summary

Allan Savory's TED Talk advocates for holistic grazing management using livestock to mimic natural herds, restoring degraded deserts into fertile grasslands, sequestering carbon, and reversing climate change—directly supporting sustainable living strategies for adapting to our planet's environmental shifts.

"We can take enough carbon out of the atmosphere and safely store it in the grassland soils for thousands of years, and if we just do that on about half the world’s grasslands that I’ve shown you, we can take us back to pre-industrial levels, while feeding people."

Discuss: How might implementing Savory's grazing techniques in everyday sustainable living help combat desertification and climate change in your community?

Watch Talk (22:16)View Discussion
Sustainable Living for a Changing Planet
A guerrilla gardener in South Central LA by Ron Finley

A guerrilla gardener in South Central LA

by Ron Finley

Ron Finley plants vegetable gardens in South Central LA — in abandoned lots, traffic medians, along the curbs — to offer a healthy, accessible, and affordable alternative to fast food.

Summary

Ron Finley's TED talk on guerrilla gardening in South Central LA highlights transforming urban food deserts into productive gardens, linking directly to sustainable living by promoting local food production, community health, and environmental resilience amid climate change.

"Growing your own food is like printing your own money."

Discuss: What urban spaces in your area could be repurposed for guerrilla gardening to support sustainable living?

Watch Talk (10:42)View Discussion