The speaker introduces the concept of trust, its fundamental importance, and the profound changes happening in how we trust.

• Trust is a fundamental aspect of human interactions.
• Modern technology is changing the way we trust strangers and institutions.
• Examples of Airbnb, Bitcoin, and Tinder illustrate new forms of trust.

The speaker discusses BlaBlaCar, a carpooling service, as an example of a 'trust leap' where users rely on social cues to trust strangers.

• BlaBlaCar pairs drivers and passengers for long-distance travel based on social profiles and reviews.
• The service demonstrates a shift in trust, allowing strangers to share rides over average distances of 320 kilometers.
• The key social identifier on BlaBlaCar is the amount of conversation passengers prefer, indicated by 'Bla' ratings.

An interactive visualization exercise is conducted to help the audience understand the concept of trust leaps.

• The audience is guided to visualize a gap between themselves and the unknown, which trust helps them to cross.
• Trust enables individuals to embrace new experiences, such as online shopping or ride-sharing.

The speaker offers a personal definition of trust and its role in enabling connection and coping with uncertainty.

• Traditional definitions of trust are challenged as being too rational and predictable.
• Trust is redefined as a confident relationship with the unknown.
• This new definition explains trust's capacity to facilitate change and innovation.

The concept of the 'trust stack' is introduced, explaining how people develop trust in new ideas and platforms, using BlaBlaCar as an illustration.

• Climbing the trust stack involves trusting the idea, the platform, and other individuals.
• Initial trust leaps can feel risky, but can quickly become normalized.
• Technology is pivotal in facilitating trust leaps and enabling change.

Trust is examined through its historical evolution, highlighting three major chapters: local, institutional, and distributed trust.

• Trust evolved from local, personal relationships to institutional trust with the growth of cities and corporations.
• Institutional trust is waning in the digital age, giving way to distributed trust.
• The shift in trust is leading to a redesign of systems to be more transparent and accountable.

Blockchain technology is discussed as a revolutionary tool for the future of distributed trust, eliminating the need for third-party intermediaries.

• Blockchain technology is complex but offers a decentralized ledger of asset transfers.
• It represents a significant shift in trust, allowing direct peer-to-peer interactions without intermediaries.

Uber is analyzed as a case study of distributed trust, showing how technology can create trust between people on a massive scale.

• Uber's success demonstrates a cultural shift to trusting strangers for transportation services.
• Distributed trust through platforms like Uber has led to increased accountability and changed behaviors.

The speaker concludes by emphasizing the importance of understanding and embracing the shift in trust to design more inclusive and accountable systems.

• The real disruption is not technological but the trust shift it creates.
• The speaker aims to help people understand this new era of trust for creating more transparent systems.