TED Countdown Summit 2025 officially kicked off today in Nairobi, Kenya, bringing together a visionary group of global innovators, business executives, scientists, policymakers, next-generation leaders, artists and activists. This year’s gathering, taking place June 16-18, comes at a pivotal moment, as the world’s institutions falter and uncertainty mounts about the future. Yet, the Summit is grounded in optimism, highlighting real progress — from booming clean energy industries in China to the end of coal in the UK and Kenya’s own leadership in renewable energy and youth-driven innovation. By convening in Nairobi — a city at the forefront of Africa’s energy […]
It’s time for TED to embark on an exciting new chapter I’ve had the great good fortune to have overseen TED for the last 25 years. It’s been exhilarating, and I feel great pride in what TED has become. As the organization moves into its fifth decade and I approach (gulp) 70, I believe the time has come for someone new to take the reins. So today, with the support of dear friends and colleagues, I am issuing an open invitation to anyone who believes they might have the resources and the ideas to oversee TED for its next 25 […]
As 2024 wraps up, join us in celebrating the most popular, mind-blowing and must-watch TED Talks published this year. From cutting-edge AI to climate breakthroughs and transformative insights on human potential, our curated end-of-year-lists capture a compelling panorama of ideas that challenge, inspire and reimagine our collective future. From AI and technological innovation to climate change, social dynamics and global transformations, the most popular TED Talks of 2024 offer insights into the issues shaping the future: In this compelling collection of tech-focused talks, visionary speakers explore the frontiers of innovation — from AI-powered coding and entertainment to vertical farming, limitless […]
The AI revolution is here to stay, says Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI. In a probing, live conversation with head of TED Chris Anderson, Altman discusses the astonishing growth of AI and shows how models like ChatGPT could soon become extensions of ourselves. He also addresses questions of safety, power and moral authority, reflecting on the world he envisions — where AI will almost certainly outpace human intelligence. Watch the full interview.
“We are watching the collapse of the international order in real time, and this is just the start,” says investigative journalist Carole Cadwalladr. In a searing talk — the first published from TED2025: Humanity Reimagined — she details a fast-moving technological coup and the rise of the “broligarchy”: an unprecedentedly powerful class of tech executives (like Elon Musk) who are complicit in dismantling democracy and enabling authoritarian control across the world. She shares a guide on how to digitally disobey in this age of runaway corporate power, data harvesting and mass surveillance — and reminds you that you have more […]
We are thrilled to announce this year’s 2025 cohort of TED Fellows, whose work spans four continents and represents 11 countries. This year’s TED Fellows are tackling some of the world’s most urgent issues with bold and groundbreaking solutions. Among them are an entrepreneur transforming organic waste into bioplastics, a pilot teaching a generation of young African women to fly, a scientist using satellites to fight food insecurity and an illustrator capturing powerful stories that go beyond the headlines. For 16 years, the TED Fellows program has been committed to finding and supporting the next generation of innovators. The fellowship […]
TED is proud to announce a new licensing partnership with Academic Travel Abroad, the premier provider of educational travel experiences. This collaboration will introduce the TED Travel program, a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to transform travel into an immersive, educational journey. Aligning with TED’s broader 2025 initiative, “Where Curiosity Meets Community,” this partnership reinforces TED’s commitment to fostering lifelong learning through innovative and accessible formats. Launching in 2026, the TED Travel program will offer a curated portfolio of annual trips, providing lifelong learners with unparalleled access to world-renowned experts, exclusive TED-style discussions, and cultural experiences that embody TED’s mission of “Ideas […]
Across the final two sessions of TED Countdown Summit 2025, experts, changemakers and dreamers explored actionable solutions to fix today’s problems, alleviate tomorrow’s and build a clean energy future. Here are some highlights from day 3: Africa’s electric vehicle revolution is leapfrogging traditional fossil fuel transit. Electrical engineer Doreen Orishaba explores how electric bus company BasiGo is using innovative financing models and locally assembled buses to conquer Kigali’s hills, limiting environmental impact and saving operators money. With 90 percent renewable energy powering these silent electric fleets, emerging companies like BasiGo show how Africa isn’t playing catch-up in sustainable transportation — it’s […]
TED Countdown Summit 2025 takes place against the backdrop of a fast-moving climate crisis and an energy transition that’s fully underway. On day 1, a remarkable line-up of speakers, spanning sectors and geographies, gathered to put a thumb on the scale and tip the world in the right direction. Here are some key takeaways from day 1: The clean energy era will be an age of radical abundance. Renewables entrepreneur Matt Tilleard tears down the old narrative of energy as a zero-sum game, showing how the renewable revolution is shifting power from those who hoard fuel to those who innovate […]
For one remarkable week each year, a wing of the Vancouver Convention Centre in Vancouver, BC, Canada transforms into the TED Theater: a custom-built, 1,200-seat space that hosts bold ideas designed to spark conversation, deepen our collective understanding and ignite meaningful change. In a world where so many familiar roles are ripe for re-invention, TED2025 poses the urgent question: “What are humans for?” — and challenges us to harness our full creativity, imagination and curiosity to envision a future we can genuinely look forward to. Below, find a sampling of the stunning photography from TED2025. And check out our live […]
Day 4 of TED2025 was a jaw-dropping tour of everything from the “girl internet” to what homes could look like in outer space. Learn more about how babies’ minds work, why voting by phone might be the reboot democracy needs and a future where roads can mend their own cracks. Day 4 included talks curated by writer, researcher and co-host of Radiolab, Latif Nasser. Here are some things you won’t want to miss from the day: Internet, politics and power. Digital strategist and activist Deja Foxx welcomes us to the “girl internet” — the new ecosystem of platforms, built by […]
On the third day of TED2025, speakers explored the theme of empowerment — whether through entrepreneurship for refugees, groundbreaking health tech, ethical AI or parenting strategies that spark joy. Day 3 included talks curated by tech entrepreneur Juliana Rotich; founder and editor-in-chief of Quillette, Claire Lehmann; and writer and podcaster Kelly Corrigan. Below, some highlights from an action-packed day. Entrepreneurship against the odds. For many refugees, opportunities are limited — yet Julienne Oyler sees entrepreneurship as a powerful path to rebuilding lives. Backed by The Audacious Project, TED’s funding initiative, she highlights how her team at Inkomoko is investing in refugee-led […]
Celebrating the joy of learning unexpected things, day 2 of TED2025 kicks off with a bang — or, more specifically, a howl, as we learn about the communication of wolves. From there, speakers explore a wide range of ideas, from the surprising parallels between evolution and language to jaw-dropping live demos of humanoid robots, AI-powered 3D games and more. Learn about bold visions for cleaning up the ocean, ending child hunger and aligning AI with humanity’s best interests. Are you ready to dive into what you didn’t know you needed to know? Day 2 included talks curated by linguist John […]
Who says climate talks can’t come with a plot twist? Day 2 of TED Countdown Summit 2025 flipped the script on what we think of as the drivers of climate progress. It’s not just solar panels and policy — it’s in the flow of money, trust and imagination. Informal economies are bursting with potential. Even refrigeration and rewilding got their spotlight as unsung heroes of resilience. The common thread? Climate action works best when it works for people. Here’s what stood out from day 2: Capitalism, but make it work for everyone. Entrepreneur Anuj Tanna sees Africa’s informal economies not […]
We’ve been working on a secret project for the past year, and we couldn’t be more excited to finally share it with you. Games and puzzles have long been a part of TED’s identity in an unofficial way. We’ve presented thought leadership through TED Talks about games, built an award-winning TED-themed escape room in Marriott hotels around the world and created the TED-Ed riddle series of math and logic puzzles, which has been viewed more than 400 million times. Today we’re making it official by inviting you to participate in the TED Games beta. TED Games shares TED’s guiding ethos […]
As the curtain falls on TED2025: Humanity Reimagined, a week spent at the intersection of innovation and introspection comes into focus. This year’s conference wove together themes reflecting our complex, rapidly evolving world — from the awe-inspiring potential and sobering risks of artificial intelligence to nature-inspired solutions for the world’s most challenging problems. More than eighty speakers and performers challenged us to reimagine established systems, harness the power of community and navigate the delicate balance between technological progress and ethical responsibility. One final session on day 5 revealed how our collective wisdom and action have never been more crucial in […]