Knowledge at Wharton

Most brands compete against other brands. Liquid Death competes against entertainment. Greg Fass, Vice President of Marketing at Liquid Death, joins Barbara Kahn and Americus Reed to explain how the company builds campaigns designed to “win the internet.” From hiring comedians and creators instead of traditional marketers to developing ideas in a writer’s room environment, Greg shares the unconven...

Artificial intelligence is changing how financial professionals research, analyze information, and get work done — while raising new questions about the skills people will need in an AI-enabled industry. In this episode, host and Wharton professor Itay Goldstein speaks with Wharton professor emeritus Jeremy Siegel and Jeremy Schwartz, Global Chief Investment Officer at WisdomTree, about AI’s impac...

AI is driving enormous investment and soaring valuations, but what do financial markets reveal about its long-term economic impact? Jesús Fernández-Villaverde, Howard Marks Presidential Professor of Economics at the University of Pennsylvania, and Maryam Farboodi, Associate Professor at Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, examine how investors are pricing the promise and risk of transformative...

AI can help financial institutions detect fraud, manage risk, and improve productivity. But when AI systems begin acting autonomously, they may also create risks at a speed and scale people cannot easily oversee. Sarah Breeden, Deputy Governor for Financial Stability at the Bank of England, explores what agentic AI means for financial markets and financial regulation. She explains why regulators m...

AI is changing what investors can analyze, how quickly they can act, and what it takes to find an edge. Nikolai Roussanov, Moise Y. Safra Professor of Finance at Wharton, and Ingrid Tierens, Head of the Data Strategy team in the Global Investment Research division at Goldman Sachs, explore AI's expanding role in quantitative finance. They discuss how large language models and alternative data are...

What determines whether a cryptocurrency succeeds or fades into obscurity? In this episode, Wharton professor Itay Goldstein speaks with Shimon Kogan, adjunct associate professor of finance at Wharton and longtime instructor of Wharton’s fintech course, to explore the economic and behavioral forces behind token success. From network effects and user adoption to coordination challenges and the phen...

Stablecoins and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) are at the center of a global shift in how money moves. In this episode, professor Itay Goldstein speaks with Heath Tarbert, president of Circle and former CFTC chair, about the role of stablecoins in modern finance, how they compare to CBDCs, and the regulatory frameworks needed to support their growth. Editor’s Note: This episode was record...

As cryptocurrency moves further into the mainstream, regulators are stepping up efforts to define its legal and financial framework. But how far will regulation go, and what will it mean for investors, businesses, and the future of digital assets? In this episode, professor Itay Goldstein is joined by Wharton professor Jessica Wachter, recently the chief economist at the SEC, and former CFTC chair...

Cryptocurrency has evolved from a niche experiment to a global financial force. But how did we get here? In this episode, professor Itay Goldstein is joined by Duke professor Campbell Harvey and Neha Narula, director of the MIT Media Lab’s Digital Currency Initiative, to explore the milestones that led to crypto’s rise, the forces that shaped its growth, and what the crypto landscape will evolve i...

Which NFL teams are the numbers backing before the 2026 season begins? Aaron Schatz, NFL Analyst at ESPN and Chief Analytics Officer at FTN Fantasy, explains why the Houston Texans stand out in the AFC and why the Seattle Seahawks project as one of the league's strongest teams. He breaks down the Rams' Super Bowl outlook, the Bills' defense, the Eagles' path through the NFC East, and the teams tha...

David Reibstein, Wharton Marketing Professor and lead researcher behind the Best Countries Report, discusses how a nation’s reputation influences investment, tourism, trade, and global influence. Drawing on data from more than 15,000 respondents worldwide, Reibstein explains why Switzerland continues to rank among the world’s most respected countries, why the United States fell out of the top 10 f...

Henning Piezunka, Associate Professor of Management at the Wharton School, explores how competition in the AI industry can shift from healthy rivalry to destructive behavior, discusses the psychology behind executive decision-making, explains why successful organizations balance competition with collaboration, and shares insights from research spanning business, sports, and innovation ecosystems....

Rosalie Kennedy, Senior Director of Marketing at Athletic Brewing, discusses how the company helped transform non alcoholic beer from a niche category into a mainstream lifestyle brand. Rosalie shares how Athletic Brewing built cultural relevance around wellness, taste, and social connection, why authenticity matters in a crowded beverage market, and how changing consumer behavior is reshaping the...

Can the Philadelphia 76ers turn a roster featuring LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown, and VJ Edgecombe into a championship team? Basketball analytics pioneer and ESPN data scientist Dean Oliver joins the Wharton Moneyball team to examine how Philadelphia might distribute possessions among so many high-usage players, whether LeBron can succeed as a point forward, and who should...

Matthew Bidwell, Professor of Management at the Wharton School, explores how the job search process is evolving for today’s graduates and what it takes to break into the workforce. As hiring has slowed across traditional pipelines like consulting and tech, the path to a first role has become more competitive and fragmented. In this episode, Bidwell explains how AI is transforming applications, mak...

Wharton dean Erika James reflects on the history, impact, and future of business education as part of Knowledge at Wharton's "American Business Innovation" series ahead of the USA's 250th anniversary. Founded in 1881 by Joseph Wharton, the Wharton School was the world's first collegiate business school, pioneering modern business education and helping professionalize management while shaping gener...

Jeremy Siegel, Wharton Emeritus Professor and Senior Economist at WisdomTree, discusses Alan Greenspan's lasting impact on monetary policy, reflects on the lessons of the 2008 financial crisis, analyzes Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh's early leadership, and explains why more forward-looking economic data could shape future interest rate decisions while also revisiting the long-term economic eff...

Ryan O'Hanlon, ESPN staff writer, author of Net Gains, and Syracuse University instructor, joins the Wharton Moneyball team to analyze the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup, assess the favorites and dark horses, evaluate the outlook for the U.S. Men's National Team, and explain how analytics-driven innovations such as set pieces and long throw-ins are transforming soccer, before Cade Massey, Adi Wyner,...

Patrick Harker, Wharton Professor of Operations, Information, and Decisions, and former President of the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank, reflects on Jerome Powell’s tenure leading the Federal Reserve through the pandemic, inflation concerns, and political pressure, while also examining what Kevin Warsh’s leadership could mean for monetary policy, Fed independence, and the U.S. economy moving fo...

Tyrel Stokes, Senior Manager of Hockey Analytics at Teamworks and a statistician specializing in causal inference, joins the team to break down the Stanley Cup Playoffs, explain how NHL teams use analytics and tracking data for player evaluation and strategy, and explore how emerging technologies like Hawkeye and AI could transform hockey analysis, while the hosts also examine tennis betting odds,...

Arthur van Benthem, Wharton Professor of Business, Economics and Public Policy examines how European Union land protection policies—despite meeting ambitious coverage targets—may fall short in delivering meaningful biodiversity and ecosystem restoration impacts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joshua Spanier, Vice President of AI and Marketing Strategy at Google, joins Barbara & Americus to discuss how artificial intelligence is transforming marketing from efficiency-driven automation to creative empowerment, redefining customer value, and enabling more personalized, “quest”-based consumer experiences. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sam Fuld, Vice President and General Manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, joins the Wharton Moneyball team to discuss his transition from MLB player to executive and how analytics, player development, and business strategy drive success. Cade, Eric and Shane also analyze recent the college basketball finals, NHL playoff races, and Masters Tournament storylines. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priv...

Philip Nichols, Wharton Professor of Legal Studies & Business Ethics, explains how Iran has built a complex and adaptive banking and payments infrastructure under decades of sanctions while exploring its future in an evolving global financial system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This Wharton webinar, featuring Eric Bradlow, Cade Massey, and Adi Weiner, examines how generative AI is reshaping sports analytics, improving efficiency, enhancing decision-making, and helping organizations evaluate tools while balancing data-driven insights with human judgment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.