Artificial Intelligence Can Help Grow Emotional Intelligence | Michael Ronen | TEDxSouth Congress

Most founders ask: “How do I get more users?”
This talk is a way to the answer:
Theater-director-turned-startup-strategist Michael Ronen shares what he learned from asking people to do
something radical: play the enemy.
In a theater company made up of Israelis and Palestinians, role-play changed everything. It built
understanding where no conversation could. Years later, he discovered the same principle helps businesses
build better products: when founders become their users, really embody them, things click.

From Airbnb’s early days to Lufthansa’s AI-simulated travelers, the best companies don’t just listen to
customers - they rehearse them.
This talk introduces The Play Economy: a mindset that uses role-play and AI to unlock real customer insight
and build products that actually resonate.
If you want to serve people better, stop guessing and start becoming. I’m Michael Ronen, an immersive designer, AI strategist, and founder of Wonderland Immersive Design. I combine my background in immersive theater and creative storytelling with cutting-edge technologies like AI and XR to help organizations innovate through play. My Play Economy Framework empowers teams to discover customer insights, rapidly prototype ideas, and solve challenges with empathy and creativity. I’ve presented this work at AWE, authored The Guide to the Play Economy, and collaborated with startups, SMEs, and innovators globally to create experiences that inspire human flourishing. 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