Vaclav Vincalek examines the promises and pitfalls of artificial intelligence (AI), urging us to question the technology’s growing influence on our lives. Vaclav highlights AI's potential for biased decisions, lack of transparency, and unpredictable consequences—from self-driving car ethics to parole decisions. Drawing on decades of experience with technology, he cautions against blindly trusting AI as an impartial solution to human problems. Instead, he emphasizes the human role in designing and deploying AI systems and the need for accountability and transparency. Viewers will learn to critically evaluate AI's promises, understand its limitations, and advocate for ethical practices that protect our rights and decision-making power. CTO, Entrepreneur Vaclav aligns strategy and technology to drive growth for startups and fast-growing companies as a virtual CTO and strategic advisor at 555vCTO. He is also the founder of Hiswai, an AI search platform with a customizable reporting service.Vaclav began his career at Nokia in Europe, later moving to Vancouver to found Pacific Coast Information Systems (PCIS) Ltd., where he advised and worked with companies ranging from small startups to Fortune 50 companies.He frequently speaks at industry conferences and publishes a weekly newsletter, Recurrent Patterns, which examines trends in business, technology, and culture. He has been featured in major media outlets such as Forbes, CTV, CBC, and many others.Vaclav has advocated for treating AI as a tool rather than a replacement for the human mind. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Bill Welser worries that our relationship with technology is reaching a point of no return where technology will outpace human cognition. Recognizing that AI has the potential to transform industries and improve society, Welser believes frameworks, assessment tools and effective legislation are critical to ensure humans maintain control of AI. William (Bill) Welser IV has tackled, communicated and solved complex problems throughout his career using storytelling, multidisciplinary teams of experts, and state-of-the-art methods and technologies.Welser is the CEO, Chief Technology Officer and Cofounder of Lotic.ai, where he directs innovation, technology infrastructure and user experiences. His expertise is also crucial in advancing Lotic’s business strategy and evolution.Welser has previously served as Chief Technology Officer, Chief Operations Officer and Chief of Labs for a handful of digital and advanced technology start-ups. Welser also spent a one-year sabbatical as a senior partner at Copenhagen-based ReD Associates, an innovation and strategy consultancy.Before entering the for-profit space, Welser spent 10 years at the RAND Corporation, leading the Engineering and Applied Sciences Research Department, which is composed of 300+ PhD-level engineers and applied scientists. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Assal Habibi knows that music has the power to transform our lives. As a classically trained pianist and a cognitive scientist, Assal's research shows engaging with music is a powerful catalyst for cognitive growth and emotional well-being throughout our life. Assal Habibi is an Associate Research Professor of Psychology and the Director of the Center for Music, Brain and Society at the University of Southern California. Her research explores the impact of the arts, with a particular focus on music, on health and human development. She investigates how biological factors and experiential learning shape the development of cognitive, emotional and social abilities across the lifespan. She has been a principal investigator on innovative studies, including projects funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). An expert in electrophysiological and neuroimaging methods, her work extensively employs longitudinal and cross-sectional models to examine the effects of integrating music-based activities into school curricula and elder care, especially for those from underserved communities. Her research also explores the therapeutic potential of music for individuals across all different age groups. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Technology visionary Jonmar shares how he is leveraging AI to tackle one of the oldest issues in history - human conflict. Jonmar shows us a path for the ethical application of AI to explore human conflict and complex human emotions and to embrace AI’s potential as a tool for conflict resolution and progress. Jonmar has over 20 years of experience as an engineer and designer, founding and leading multiple app-focused companies. He’s created nearly 100 apps, with five breakthrough concepts reaching #1 globally. His work has been featured by Apple, Rolling Stone, and Guitar World Magazine, with Billboard Magazine calling his creations “Harry Potter-type magic.”Jonmar spent six years at Nike’s global headquarters as a lead engineer and designer, serving all verticals within the company. He now leads large, globally distributed teams of engineers and designers, building enterprise solutions. Popular Science Magazine recognized him as a thought leader in Augmented Reality in the summer of 2022.He’s been at the forefront of mobile software development since the birth of the iPhone. He’s also an avid fine artist, graphic designer, author, public speaker, and filmmaker. Though he’s described by friends as multi-talented, his passion at the core of his soul is the love of communication. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

Regarding activism - support and solidarity are only functional when combined with tangible change making. Especially in our digital landscape it's incredibly vital to use our technological privilege to our advantage rather than as a distraction. Who truly makes a lasting impact in our society? Not those who simply want change, but those who put in the effort to achieve it. With the facilitation of social media and online networking, it is more accessible than ever to join a movement of changemakers. The youngest ever City of Greater Bendigo Youth Mayor, Levity Camilleri is a proud representative of teenage social justice activists. They are a passionate advocate for queer and neurodiverse voices within our region and have successfully founded and run community-based organisations for global peace. Levity lives and works by the core belief that it is our human duty to strive for progress and create positive change in any way we can. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx