The human mind, electric, embodied, relational, is among the most extraordinary forces on Earth. It dreams, adapts, remembers, intuits and wonders. Long before machines could mimic cognition, the cortex was creating symphonies, solving problems, navigating love, grief, complexity and meaning.

In a world increasingly enchanted and entranced by artificial intelligence, TEDxSydney 2026 turns its gaze toward natural intelligence: the astonishing system of biological and social thinking that defines us. We’ll explore the frontiers of neuroscience, intuition, culture, psychedelics and creativity, and hear from those working at the intersection of mind, body, and collective wisdom.

Yes, we’ll reckon with AI too. Not just its novel tools, but its deeper human implications. What happens when we outsource memory, attachment and meaning-making to autonomous systems? Which societal vulnerabilities lie ahead as we embed these technologies into our daily lives, economies and even biology? How can we steward this evolution wisely?

Amid this uncertainty, we return to what is ancient and awe-inspiring: the human capacity for wonder, imagination, empathy and insight. Cortex is a celebration of consciousness. Not only what we can build, but what we must protect.

Join us for TEDxSydney 2026: Cortex. A gathering of minds, natural and otherwise.