Live from TED2025 Big ideas from day 3 of TED2025 Posted by: Brian Greene, Maria Ladias and Oliver Friedman April 9, 2025 at 8:00 pm EDT Tech entrepreneur Juliana Rotich and Lily James Olds, director of the TED Fellows program, host Session 5 of TED2025: Humanity Reimagined on April 9, 2025, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED) 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. Below, some highlights from an action-packed day. Jacqueline Novogratz (left) interviews Sitoyo Lopokoiyit at TED2025: Humanity Reimagined on April 9, 2025, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED) 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 businesses, going beyond aid and fostering genuine empowerment. Similarly, impact investor Jacqueline Novogratz has a thought-provoking conversation with Sitoyo Lopokoiyit, the CEO of M-PESA,  Africa’s largest fintech platform. He describes how M-PESA’s digital banking ecosystem has revolutionized financial access across Africa — demonstrating how financial inclusion can uplift entire communities. Tech policy visionary Nanjira Sambuli delves into the potential of AI to be both ethical and inclusive, and how it can thrive when guided by African philosophies like Ubuntu, which emphasizes the collective well-being of society. Myriam Sidibe speaks at TED2025: Humanity Reimagined on April 9, 2025, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jason Redmond / TED) The secrets hidden in your cells. Just like your mind, your immune system remembers every illness you’ve faced. Neuroscientist and TED Fellow Beck Brachman reveals why the cure for chronic diseases may lie in decoding these “memories.” She explains how her organization, Imprint, uses machine learning to explore this hidden history. Also in the realm of health breakthroughs with huge impact, TED Fellow Chris Bahl, CEO and founder of the biotech company AI Proteins, introduces miniproteins: a technology that enables more effective communication with our cells for safer, more targeted treatments of diseases ranging from cancer to diabetes. Meanwhile, public health expert Myriam Sidibe challenges businesses to rethink profit and frame it through the lens of impact — sharing a blueprint for how companies can thrive by aligning with societal needs, not just their bottom line. Hamish McKenzie speaks at TED2025: Humanity Reimagined on April 9, 2025, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Jasmina Tomic / TED) The most significant media disruption since the printing press. Hamish McKenzie, one of the founders of Substack, says we’re in the age of “chaos media”: there’s a cacophony of voices online, driven by algorithmic whims and viral trends, but the rewards go primarily to the platforms. He paints a picture of an alternative reality that’s on the rise: a decentralized media ecosystem where creators make money directly from their audiences through platforms like Substack and Patreon. Offering a different take, Washington Post columnist Megan J. McArdle explores her deep anxiety about AI threatening her career as a writer … while also wrestling with her belief in progress as a libertarian. The future may be uncertain and even frightening, she says, but we owe it to our descendants not to rob them of the potential of new technologies.  Lei Cheng speaks at TED2025: Humanity Reimagined on April 9, 2025, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED) Freedom is fragile. As protests broil across college campuses in the US, attorney Greg Lukianoff warns against “mob censorship,” where disruptive protests silence opposing views. He calls on young people to reclaim their historic role as defenders of free expression, reminding us that free speech is a crucial safeguard for truth, safety and the powerless. Journalist Lei Cheng, who was imprisoned by China for false accusations of supplying state secrets overseas, drives this message home: it’s only through losing freedom that we learn to truly appreciate it. When our canvas is bare, she says, we celebrate one drop of color. Avni Patel Thompson speaks at TED2025: Humanity Reimagined on April 9, 2025, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED) Focusing on what matters most. From packed calendars to single-parent realities, meaningful connections blossom right in the midst of life’s chaos. In tech innovator Avni Patel Thompson’s world, her AI creation, Milo, becomes a forcefield that shields busy parents from mind-numbing administrative tasks so that they can more deeply connect with the people they love. Meanwhile, Nixon CEO Andy Laats underscores how logistical tasks and seemingly mundane moments can actually open the door to transcendent encounters with our children — those wordless, profound flashes of empathy that tie us together. Their stories show that we don’t need to eliminate friction; rather, by harnessing technology wisely and staying present for the messy, beautiful bits of life, we create the scaffolding of love and understanding. Attendees in the theater at TED2025: Humanity Reimagined on April 9, 2025, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED) Attendees in the theater at TED2025: Humanity Reimagined on April 9, 2025, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Gilberto Tadday / TED)