Was the Beatles' Paul McCartney right - is it getting better all the time? On GZERO World, Ian Bremmer and Harvard psychologist Stephen Pinker talk about human progress and how we define it. Sure, it's great that we're not currently being chased by saber-toothed tigers. Life is better than death. Health is preferable to sickness. Freedom? We'll take it over tyranny any day of the week. In short, we know life is better today than it was for most of our ancestors, but how do we measure that progress? And at what point does the technology that has improved our lives come back to bite us? We're looking at you, AI.

Pinker shares his counterintuitive take on the state of the world. How does his optimism (as welcome as it might be) stack up against the undeniable sorry state of the world today? From war in Ukraine to a persistent pandemic to a resurgence of extreme global poverty, things feel...bad. And yet, Pinker remains relatively positive.

Watch GZERO World with Ian Bremmer every week at gzeromedia.com/gzeroworld and on US public television. Check local listings.

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Chris, an Army veteran, started his Walmart journey over 25 years ago as an hourly associate. Today, he manages a Distribution Center and serves as a mentor, helping others navigate their own paths to success. At Walmart, associates have the opportunity to take advantage of the pathways, perks, and pay that come with the job — with or without a college degree. In fact, more than 75% of Walmart management started as hourly associates. Learn more about how over 130,000 associates were promoted into roles of greater responsibility and higher pay in FY25.