Timm Chiusano speaks at TEDNext 2025 on November 10, 2025, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)
Curious about what happened on day 2 of TEDNext? Think of this as your backstage pass to a day full of bold ideas, daring feats and fresh perspectives that will flip the way you think, feel and create.
From using AI to enhance your life (without losing your humanity) to decoding love and flirting in a high-tech world — and from exploring the language of money to catching breakthroughs in science and creativity — here’s a taste of what made day 2 unforgettable.
What exactly is TEDNext? A vibrant, three-day exploration of what’s next, propelling the “future you” to think expansively at every level, from personal to global. The second-ever TEDNext conference, held in Atlanta, continues an expansion of the annual slate of conferences from TED, with a conference designed to spark imagination, embrace possibility and foster dreams about what the next version of “you” can be.
Watch TEDNext 2025 on TED Live, check out more photos from the event and learn more about attending a future TED conference.
Some key takeaways from day 2:
Priya Lakhani speaks at TEDNext 2025 on November 10, 2025, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)
Don’t compete with AI — work with it. Taking a clear-eyed look at the collective fear that AI is coming for our jobs, technologist Priyanka Vergadia shows why human instincts still catch nuance that algorithms miss — especially when it comes to building products people actually want to use. Meanwhile, AI education entrepreneur Priya Lakhani shows how a one-size-fits-all approach to the classroom strains teachers and fails students. By pairing human judgment with AI’s pattern-recognition abilities, as well as integrating neuroscience into personalized learning paths, both of these talks make a compelling case for how this tech can amplify what humans do best — and reveal how irreplaceable we truly are.
Governor Matt Meyer (left) and Governor J. Kevin Stitt (right) speak at TEDNext 2025 on November 10, 2025, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Erin Lubin / TED)
On the Spot: Bipartisan leadership is still possible. Democratic Governor of Delaware Matt Meyer and Republican Governor of Oklahoma J. Kevin Stitt sit down for TED’s On the Spot segment (a rapid-fire Q&A) to show how state leaders can deliver results, restore trust in government and lead with compassion across party lines. From improving classrooms and healthcare systems to driving workforce and energy innovations, they share concrete examples of bipartisan cooperation — showing it isn’t just possible, it’s essential. “Go and talk to someone who disagrees with you,” says Governor Meyer. “Not to argue with them, but actually to listen to them, empathize with them, understand the position that they come from.”
Vivian Tu speaks at TEDNext 2025 on November 10, 2025, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)
Anyone can learn the language of money (and appreciation). Wall Street trader-turned-financial educator Vivian Tu shares how everyday people can build wealth by learning financial terms, talking openly about money and using modern tools that are actually built for today’s economy. As the founder of Your Rich BFF, she shows how financial literacy can shift power — and give everyone a real shot at getting rich. Meanwhile, emotional intelligence coach Timm Chiusano shares how one terrible workday unlocked a life-changing habit: noticing the good that’s already here. He calls it being “addicted to appreciation,” a way of paying attention that asks nothing in return, rewires how we see strangers and makes ordinary things suddenly fascinating.
Michelle Khare speaks at TEDNext 2025 at November 10, 2025, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)
Two words can change your life: “challenge accepted.” Daredevil Michelle Khare is known for testing human limits through extreme physical and mental feats — training as a chess grandmaster, escaping Harry Houdini’s deadliest magic trick, trying to earn a Taekwondo black belt in 90 days (it typically takes three to five years). But all these stunts haven’t left her a woman without fear; rather, she’s learned that fear is information. She explains how embracing fear, building a great team and adopting an amateur’s mindset turns the impossible into possible.
Francesca Hogi speaks at TEDNext 2025 on November 10, 2025, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)
In an age of AI intimacy, we need a new blueprint for love. Drawing on research with thousands of couples, social psychologist Sara Nasserzadeh breaks down six essential ingredients for thriving relationships: attraction, respect, trust, compassion, shared vision and loving behaviors. But what happens when intimacy becomes engineered? Sextech expert Bryony Cole explores how AI relationships — always available, perfectly empathetic and nearly effortless — can erode our tolerance for the friction and growth that make human intimacy real, revealing how to set healthy boundaries. Shifting the focus back to human interactions, dating educator Francesca Hogi reframes flirting as a superpower that can strengthen both new and existing relationships. She shows how anyone can make others feel seen, special and acknowledged by practicing attentiveness, giving thoughtful compliments and sprinkling in playfulness.
Jermaine Dupri speaks at TEDNext 2025 on November 10, 2025, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Erin Lubin / TED)
On the Spot: Making hits, breaking rules and putting Atlanta on the map. Music mogul Jermaine Dupri takes the stage for On the Spot, sharing how he turns ideas into era-defining music. In a speedy Q&A, he dives into his creative process, the city that shaped him and the thinking behind hits like Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together” and Usher’s “Nice & Slow”. From experimenting in the studio to spotting what will resonate with listeners, Dupri shows that intuition and risk-taking are the true secrets to lasting success in music.
Lope Gutiérrez-Ruiz speaks at TEDNext 2025 on November 10, 2025, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Erin Lubin / TED)
Stand out, stay curious and let creativity lead the way. Exploring how new perspectives spark innovation, TED Senior Fellow Lope Gutiérrez Ruiz shows why building diverse teams, drawing inspiration from unexpected fields and trusting your own perspective can help creative people craft memorable, authentic work — like his studio’s funky, experimental fonts that push the boundaries of what’s possible with tech. Meanwhile, scientist and storyteller Harini Bhat celebrates the power of not knowing, revealing how curiosity (and a lifelong obsession with unanswered questions) drives discovery. Through her popular science channel, she distills groundbreaking research into captivating, accessible stories that make science feel thrilling and human. Her message: seek what excites you, embrace what you don’t understand and let wonder transform how you see the world.
TED’s Joey Katona (left) and Rachell Morris (right) host Session 2 of TEDNext on November 10, 2025, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)
TED’s Logan Smalley (left) and Cloe Shasha Brooks (right) host Session 3 of TEDNext 2025 on November 10, 2025, in Atlanta, GA. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)
Watch TEDNext 2025 on TED Live, check out more photos from the event and learn more about attending a future TED conference