Are you looking at the right data when making big decisions? Data deconstructor Sharon Zicherman challenges our reliance on averages, showing how they can be misleading — especially in life-changing moments. By rethinking the way we interpret data, he reveals a smarter approach to assessing risk and making better choices.

Leo Villareal is an artist, but his tools aren't paint and canvas; he manipulates light, color and computer code to create monumental works of public art. In a dazzling talk, he takes us inside his efforts to light up some of the world's most iconic bridges — including an installation of 25,000 LED lights on San Francisco's Bay Bridge and a piece uniting nine bridges along London's River Thames — and shows how public art can transform a city.

Self-love isn’t self-indulgence — it’s the learnable skill of treating yourself with the kindness you'd offer a friend, says mindfulness expert Dan Harris. He shares science-backed tips for improving your relationship with yourself and shows how a little more tenderness can enhance the rest of your life, too. (This live conversation was hosted by TED’s Whitney Pennington Rodgers and was part of a TED Membership event. Visit ted.com/membership to support TED today and join more exclusive events like this one.)

The key to deeply connecting with others is about more than just talking — it's about asking the right kinds of questions, says journalist and author Charles Duhigg. He explores research-backed tools to have more meaningful conversations, sharing a simple yet powerful approach to transform how you communicate.

Agriculture is key to solving the climate crisis, but most farmers don’t have the financial incentive to switch to more eco-friendly practices, says banker and farmer Berry Marttin. He explores how improving the systems around carbon and biodiversity credits could bolster the economic viability of a green transition, offering hope for a world in which sustainable produce is not only possible but also profitable.

What happens when personal grief collides with your professional life? Drawing on her experience as the CEO of a crisis management firm and a hospice chaplain, Meredith Wilson Parfet breaks down the reality of grief — at work and beyond — and shares practical tools for navigating chaos, without toxic positivity.

Tired of “privilege walks” and black squares on social media that feel hollow? Workplace inclusion expert Y-Vonne Hutchinson peels back the superficial layer of performative DEI to reveal a fresh approach that meets people’s real-life anxieties — from climate chaos to political instability — and helps us connect with compassion and respect. It’s a spark of optimism for anyone looking to replace empty gestures with thoughtful, practical solutions that actually make a difference. (Created in collaboration with Ignite Talks)

Generative AI is built on three key resources: people, compute and data. While companies invest heavily in the first two, they often use unlicensed creative work as training data without permission or payment — a practice that pits AI against the very creators it relies on. AI expert Ed Newton-Rex has a solution: licensing. He unpacks the dark side of today's AI models and outlines a plan to ensure that both AI companies and creators can thrive together.

Headlines have been swirling as President Trump enters his second month back in office and his policies come into focus. In this urgent, fast-paced conversation, political scientist Ian Bremmer defines what we should pay attention to, digging into a newly fractured US-Europe relationship, the potential future of Ukraine and moves in Gaza, China and within the United States itself. (This interview, hosted by TED’s Helen Walters, was recorded on February 24, 2025.)

How can the lessons of the past help us navigate the turbulence of the present and future? Social philosopher Roman Krznaric explores why history isn’t just a record of what’s gone wrong — it’s also full of solutions, resilience and radical hope. From Edo Japan’s circular economy to the peaceful coexistence of cultures in medieval Spain, he reveals why looking backward can actually help us move forward.