Ted Talks Daily

Each Sunday, TED shares an episode of another podcast we think you'll love, handpicked for you… by us. Today we're sharing a special episode of The TED AI Show, our newest podcast about the technology that's changing our lives.Non Player Characters --NPCs for short-- have always been a huge part of what makes video games engaging, from Cortana in Halo to Navi in The Legend of Zelda. But interactions with NPCs were always limited to a pre-written script. Until now. Purnendu Mukherjee is the CEO of Convai, a platform that enables developers to create NPCs with human-like conversational abilities. He joins The TED AI Show host Bilawal Sidhu to chat about our evolving relationship with "AI characters” and what we gain and lose when our digital relationships are so life-like, it almost doesn’t matter who (or what) is on the other end. For transcripts for The TED AI Show, visit go.ted.com/TTAIS-transcripts    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does it actually take to make meaningful change? Conservationist Kristine McDivitt Tompkins and playwright and theater director Amir Nizar Zuabi reflect on the deep connection between human suffering and environmental degradation and the community-building power of art to raise awareness. With equal parts hope and concern for the future, they speak to the urgent need to act now — and emphasize the transcendent power of compassion-fueled collaboration. (This conversation is part of “TED Intersections,” a new series featuring thought-provoking conversations between experts exploring ideas at the intersection of their experience.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When playwright David Finnigan staged a play titled "Kill Climate Deniers" in 2014, he knew it'd get a strong reaction. What he wasn't prepared for was the idea that the blowback might actually cause him to rethink his own response to climate change. But as he shares in this delightfully engaging talk, his conversations with skeptics of all stripes ultimately taught him a fresh and fascinating lesson about how we can all think about — and act upon — the climate crisis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We waste a staggering one trillion dollars worth of food each year, significantly contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and the climate crisis. Food waste expert Dana Gunders shares innovative solutions to reduce waste — from solar-powered cold rooms to apps that sell discounted restaurant leftovers — and shares tips on how you can keep good food from going to the trash. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Middle school is a time like no other, as significant biological and emotional changes coincide with profound personal growth, says educator Jerome Hunter. The middle school for boys that he founded centers on a program that helps redefine masculinity through what he calls the three "Cs" -- confidence, communication and community. He shares the growth he's seen when boys are encouraged to explore their own empathy -- and how it could lead to a more just world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you get what you want out of a negotiation? United Nations negotiation trainer Alex Carter says the best methods center on recruitment, not rivalry. Whether you're asking for a raise or resolving a family dispute, she offers five simple tips for a successful discussion — starting with one powerful question. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the United States and Canada, the first Monday of September is a federal holiday, Labor Day. Originally celebrated in New York City’s Union Square in 1882, Labor Day was organized by unions as a rare day of rest for the overworked during the Industrial Revolution. Kenneth C. Davis illustrates the history of Labor Day from Union Square to today.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Each Sunday, TED shares an episode of another podcast we think you'll love, handpicked for you… by us. Today we're sharing a special episode of Fixable, TED's business advice call-in show, hosted by Anne Morriss and Frances Frei.Where do bullies go when they grow up? New research shows they just move from the playground to the workplace. This week, Master Fixer and social psychologist Amy Cuddy joins Anne and Frances to walk us through the strikingly stable patterns bullies follow to undermine and ostracize their targets – patterns that are way more common than you might think. Get part two of this conversation where Cuddy details actions you can take to stop bullies -- and other ways to fix your problems at work -- by finding Fixable wherever you get your podcasts.What problems are you dealing with at work right now? Text 234-FIXABLE or email fixable@ted.com to be featured on the show.Transcripts for Fixable are available at go.ted.com/fixabletranscripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inform

What can acting reveal about the mystery of consciousness? Actor and producer Yara Shahidi and cognitive neuroscientist Anil Seth unpack the surprising ways that portraying different characters can reveal insights about our authentic selves — even if we're not actually performing onstage or onscreen. Explore the intersection of consciousness and identity and discover how our brains and bodies work in tandem to form our understanding of ourselves. (This conversation is part of “TED Intersections,” a series featuring thought-provoking conversations between experts navigating the ideas shaping our world.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many of the jobs that keep the world running — like cleaning bathrooms, picking up trash, caring for the elderly — pay so poorly that workers can barely make ends meet. Nonprofit leader Zeynep Ton is intent on changing that, showing why everyone wins when companies pay their people livable wages and offer opportunities for growth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Drawing on her research into the science of play, evolutionary biologist Carole K. Hooven delves into how testosterone impacts the body and brain, interacting with culture to create differences in human behavior — starting with why boys tend to prefer rougher play than girls. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you find yourself when you belong to two seemingly opposing cultures? Embracing the paradoxes of dual identity, creative disruptor Farhad Mohit explores how being both Iranian and American allows him to navigate the tension between independence and interdependence, progress and presence — and to live fully in the here and now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When we avoid feeling awkward, we often miss an opportunity for growth, says workplace performance expert Henna Pryor. She shares tips on embracing discomfort for the sake of self-betterment and shows how pushing past the "cringe chasm" — the gap between how we perceive ourselves and how others see us — can open up chances to get ahead at work and in life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The basic infrastructure that controls plumbing, electricity and more is vital to your individual agency, says engineering professor Deb Chachra. She offers a crash course on how these systems connect to shape our lives — and suggests some key improvements for providing long-term, sustainable energy to everyone. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Elise as she interviews TED speakers about their latest books and delves deep into their ideas.Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt's latest book, “The Anxious Generation,” is shaping cultural conversations -- and sparking fierce debates. The #1 NYT best seller investigates the mental health crisis among young people, and argues the cause is clear: a smartphone-based childhood, amplified by overprotective parenting. Informed by Jonathan's work, there is an international movement to limit cellphones in schools and families. But is that the right path forward? And if it is, how do you shift something so socially entrenched? Join Elise, Jonathan and TED Members for a lively exploration of these questions and more. This live conversation was recorded as part of the TED membership program. TED Members are invited to attend our live recordings and participate in Q&As with authors. To join in on the fun, sign up at go.ted.com/membership. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who gets to be an entrepreneur? Saamra Mekuria-Grillo says the image we most commonly see — a guy in a hoodie — is a limiting representation of entrepreneurial success. She highlights the importance of young Black people seeing entrepreneurship as a possibility for themselves and explains the key to making the field more inclusive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Small Indigenous communities make up only five percent of the world's population, but they defend 80 percent of the biodiversity that remains on Earth, says war reporter Anjan Sundaram. He paints a picture of Mexico's embattled ecological frontlines, where invisible heroes are fighting corporations and cartels alike to save our planet's last natural ecosystems. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Africa's smallholder farmers feed millions of people and uplift economies, yet they often lack the basic resources needed to thrive, says agricultural scientist and policymaker Agnes Kalibata. She outlines how to empower these farmers with better tools, climate resilience strategies and market access — so they can continue to nourish humanity while caring for the planet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"I'm not a pacifist, but in the end, war is the greatest human rights abuse and does not make the world safer," says Gabrielle Rifkind, director of the Oxford Process, an organization dedicated to ending armed conflict. She shares how inclusive negotiating strategies can prevent war from breaking out or stop an ongoing conflict — and shows what we can do to make peace real for all. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Malaria is a disease as old as humankind, yet we may be closer than ever to eliminating it, says medical entomologist Abdoulaye Diabaté. He explains the potential of "gene drive" technology — which aims to disrupt mosquito reproduction as a means of halting malaria transmission in Africa — and shows how his team is partnering with local communities to solve this public health challenge. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.