How Small Human Shifts Create Big Change in the Age of AI | Dr. Ankita Sarmah | TEDxGIPE

Описание: In a world captivated by unicorn valuations and headline making IPOs, this talk challenges us to rethink what real progress truly looks like. Meaningful systemic change rarely begins with grand announcements, instead, it starts quietly in the subtle moments where inefficiencies and frustrations exist beneath the surface. The talk introduces the idea of the “hum”, the persistent discomfort people often learn to accept as normal within broken systems. While traditional economics speaks of land, labour and capital as key drivers of production, a fourth factor is proposed which is the ability to recognize patterns of inefficiency and ask a transformative question - What if the system itself could work differently? A distinction is drawn between business and entrepreneurship. While business asks, “Will this sell?”, entrepreneurship asks a deeper question, “Will this matter?” Through examples such as greenhouse farming-in-a-box and live transit data systems, the talk highlights how profit may fuel innovation, but impact remains the ultimate destination. Like an avalanche, change rarely begins with fanfare. It starts quietly when one person chooses to question a system others have learned to live with and decides to act. The Alumni Committee is delighted to welcome Dr. Ankita Sarmah to TEDxGIPE 2026. An alumna of the Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics and an Assistant Professor at the Indian Institute of Information Technology Guwahati, her work lies at the intersection of developmental economics, entrepreneurship and MSME research.

What distinguishes her is a rare ability to anchor abstract economic frameworks in the practical realities of entrepreneurship. She arrives on the TEDX stage not to explain the economy, but to reframe how we see growth, work and impact. 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