Our Minds Under Siege

Our Minds Under Siege A conversation on AI, information, trust and the future of human judgment Artificial intelligence is transforming how we search, read, decide and form opinions. As AI systems become increasingly capable of generating persuasive text, images and videos, distinguishing truth from manipulation becomes more difficult—and more important. Join us for an evening with writer and former TED curator Bruno Giussani to discuss one of the defining challenges of the AI era: how to preserve human judgment in a world shaped by algorithms. The conversation will explore the forces that influence what we see and believe, the changing relationship between humans and intelligent machines, and what it takes to remain informed, critical and autonomous in the age of AI. Featuring Bruno Giussani, writer and former Global Curator of TED Prof. Emily Cross, ETH Zurich Moderated by Dr. Chris Luebkeman, ETH Zurich 📅 21 October 2026🕕 18:15📍 ETH AI Center, OATAndreasstrasse 5, 8050 Zurich (14th Floor) About Bruno Giussani Bruno Giussani is a writer and podcaster. He is the author of Our Minds Under Siege: How to Avoid Being Manipulated in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (June 2026), forthcoming in German as Der belagerte Geist. For nearly two decades, he served as Global Curator and European Director of TED, where he curated more than one thousand TED Talks. Previously, he was an Internet columnist for The New York Times, a writer for numerous publications in Switzerland and across Europe, Head of Online Strategy at the World Economic Forum, a JSK Fellow at Stanford University, Chairman of the Geneva International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights, and co-founder of the Swiss technology companies Tinet and Tinext. He has lectured at universities around the world and lives in Switzerland. About the Book In Our Minds Under Siege: How to Avoid Being Manipulated in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, Giussani explains how AI and other algorithmic technologies shape the information we consume and the choices we make. He examines the economic incentives and power structures behind these systems, explores the evolving relationship between humans and intelligent machines, and offers practical guidance for becoming informed, capable users of AI - without becoming controlled by it. The event will conclude with an audience Q&A, followed by a networking reception.