Tuesdays With TED: Looking to the Future

Tuesdays with TED
Looking to the Future
April 11 • 12-1 pm
In-person at Trailside
April 25 • 12-1 pm
Online via Zoom/Dial-in

The nonprofit TED, standing for Technology, Entertainment, Design, offers knowledge and inspiration from the world’s foremost thinkers under the moniker “ideas worth spreading” free online. These talks give access to the world’s most inspiring voices, discussing a vast range of themes. Join educator Mike Trebilcock on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month during lunch to watch a TED talk (typically 10-20 minutes each) and participate in lively discussion about the ideas presented.

Is humanity smart enough to survive itself?
With quick wit and sharp insight, writer Jeanette Winterson lays out a vision of the future where human and machine intelligence meld — forming what she calls “alternative intelligence” — and takes a philosophical look at our species, asking: Are we smart enough to survive how smart we are?

Intelligent floating machines inspired by nature
Taking cues from soft robotics and the natural world, conceptual artist Anicka Yi builds lighter-than-air machines that roam and react like autonomous life forms. Her floating “aerobes” inspire us to think about new ways of living with machines — and to ponder how they could evolve into living creatures. “What if our machines could be more than just our tools, and instead, a new type of companion species?” she asks.

A sci-fi vision of life in 2041
Sci-fi writer Chen Qiufan doesn’t fear a dystopian future. Instead, he believes developments in artificial intelligence will make all of our lives better, healthier and safer. He takes us on a tour of the next 20 years of AI and shares some astonishing predictions for the advancements in science and technology that could await us. “For every future we wish to create, we must first learn to imagine it,” he says.

Please note: TED is again concurrent with lunch. If you would like to get a meal the day of the program, please be sure to register for your meal by 9 am the day of the program or on the form below. Be sure to arrive prior to the program start time, by between 11:30 and 11:45 am to begin lunch.

Reserve your spot below or by calling 989-633-3700! Online registration is available up until 2 hours prior to the program start time. If you are attempting to register less than 2 hours prior, please call 989-633-3700 for assistance.