The Surveillance Challenge Facing Prediction Markets

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1. 

   9 Oct 2026 · 12 minNew

   Who Controls a Company’s Values After It Is Sold?

   What happens when a company’s social mission clashes with the priorities of its corporate owner? The legal battle involving Ben and Jerry’s raises important questions about who gets to control a brand’s values after a sale. Maurice Schweitzer, Wharton Professor of Operations, Information and Decisions, joins the conversation to examine the dispute between Ben and Jerry’s and its parent companies. Schweitzer explains the challenges of maintaining an independent board, why founders can struggle to preserve their influence, and what businesses can learn about governance, competing priorities…

2. 

   7 Oct 2026 · 12 min

   AI Safety Has Reached a Critical Point

   AI safety concerns are no longer just hypothetical. As AI systems become increasingly capable, the risks involving cybersecurity, biosecurity and unintended behavior are becoming harder to ignore. Kevin Werbach, Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics at the Wharton School, explains the different categories of AI risk and why companies alone may not be able to manage them. Werbach argues that governments need to establish standards and safeguards for frontier AI, drawing comparisons to the way financial institutions are regulated to protect against systemic risks. Hosted on Acast. See…

3. 

   2 Oct 2026 · 12 min

   The Hidden Cost of Competition in the Workplace

   Competition can bring out the best in individuals, but can it actually make an entire team worse? New research suggests that rivalry may come with an unexpected cost. Henning Piezunka, Associate Professor of Management at the Wharton School, joins the show to discuss his research examining rivalry and performance through the lens of professional basketball. Using examples like Larry Bird versus Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant versus Michael Jordan, Piezunka explains why players facing individual rivals may score more while making their teams less effective. He also explores what these findings…

4. 

   25 Sep 2026 · 15 min

   What Strong Growth Means for the Fed and Markets

   The economy remains strong, but inflation and higher energy prices could keep the Federal Reserve on alert. Jeremy Siegel, Wharton Emeritus Professor of Finance, discusses the Fed's latest rate increase and why additional hikes may still be ahead. He explores strong GDP and wage data, the effect of rising oil and diesel prices on inflation, and what the bond market is signaling about monetary policy. Siegel also examines U.S.-China trade negotiations, the potential market impact of a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and why continued investment in AI could shape corporate earnings and…

5. 

   23 Sep 2026 · 11 min

   Why Retailers Are Rethinking Risk

   Retailers face a fundamental problem: they often have to bet on what consumers will want before they actually buy it. Could changing who takes that risk transform the industry? John Zhang, Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School, explains why the traditional merchant model puts so much risk on retailers and how the store in store model changes that equation. Zhang discusses how manufacturers can take ownership of inventory, why this model has been widely used in Asia, and how platforms such as Amazon and Alibaba have adapted similar approaches. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for…

6. 

   18 Sep 2026 · 20 min

   AI Is Changing Jobs Not Eliminating Them

   AI was supposed to eliminate huge numbers of jobs. So far, the reality looks much more complicated. Peter Cappelli, Wharton Professor of Management, discusses new research on how AI is actually affecting the workplace and why the technology is changing tasks more than eliminating entire jobs. The conversation explores AI agents, workplace management, programmers, organizational change, data management and why some of AI’s most valuable applications may involve work that companies simply could not afford to do before. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

7. 

   16 Sep 2026 · 11 min

   Why More Americans Are Filing for Bankruptcy

   Consumer bankruptcies are rising, but does that mean Americans are facing a worsening economy? The answer is more complicated than you might think. Sasha Indarte, Wharton Associate Professor, joins the show to explain what is driving the increase in personal bankruptcies and why today's numbers may actually represent a return toward more normal levels. She discusses the stigma and misconceptions surrounding bankruptcy, the impact on credit scores, what the filing process looks like, and why bankruptcy can ultimately serve as an important financial safety valve for people overwhelmed by debt.…

8. 

   11 Sep 2026 · 15 min

   The FDNY's Transformation After 9/11

   What happens when one of the world’s busiest fire departments faces a catastrophe unlike anything it has experienced before? Gregory P. Shea, Wharton Adjunct Professor of Management, and Author of Rising from Ground Zero , examines how the FDNY responded to the unprecedented challenges of 9/11. Shea explains how the department transformed its psychological support, leadership training, incident management, and collaboration with outside agencies. The conversation explores how the FDNY turned lessons from Ground Zero into lasting organizational change and became an all hazards department.…

9. 

   9 Sep 2026 · 13 min

   The Business of Shared Scooters

   Shared bikes and scooters have transformed how people move through cities, but can the business model actually work? Gad Allon, Wharton Professor of Operations, Information and Decisions, explores the economics behind companies like Lime, including subscriptions, pay per trip models, utilization, and the challenges of operating across different cities. Allon also explains why cities have embraced and restricted scooters, how Lime emerged as a dominant player, and why building a culture around shared transportation may be just as important as the technology itself. Hosted on Acast. See…

10. 

    4 Sep 2026 · 13 min

    The Hidden Financial Risks of the AI Boom

    The AI boom could transform the economy, but who is financing it and where the risks are building may matter just as much as the technology itself. Joao Gomes, Wharton Professor of Finance and Senior Vice Dean of Research, Centers, and Academic Initiatives, argues that the Federal Reserve is too focused on inflation and not focused enough on financial stability. Gomes discusses the opaque role of private credit, lessons from the housing crisis and internet boom, the potential impact of AI investment on long term productivity, and why the Fed needs better models for understanding the…

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