Knowledge at Wharton

Eric Bradlow, Cade Massey, Shane Jensen, and Adi Wyner explore how advanced analytics are influencing modern sports—from reshaping baseball’s Gold Glove selections to refining NFL power rankings and playoff projections—while dissecting how the new 12-team College Football Playoff format heightens uncertainty and reshapes championship probabilities.

Listen to a special episode from Where AI Works, a podcast hosted by Wharton faculty, sponsored by Accenture. The show dives into how artificial intelligence is transforming the way we live and work, with real-world stories and insights from leaders across industries.In this episode, Wharton's Peter Cappelli is joined by Vivian Sun, senior director for data and AI at Jabil, one of the world’s largest manufacturing companies. Together, they explore how Jabil started small with computer vision to improve quality control, built early wins that inspired broader adoption, and transformed the way teams work alongside AI across the enterprise.🎧 Search Where AI Works in your podcast app to discover more episodes, or click this link to follow along: Listen to more episodes

Wharton’s Philip Nichols explains why AI isn’t useful for combatting corruption, at least not yet. This Ripple Effect episode is part of the “Research Roundup” series.

Rob DiGisi, Lecturer in Legal Studies and Business Ethics at the Wharton School, joins the show to discuss how recent gambling indictments involving NBA figures reveal the complex intersection of legality, ethics, and integrity in professional sports—and why issues like prop bets, player vulnerability, and federal cooperation continue to shape the future of regulated sports wagering.

Sean Bruich, Senior Vice President of AI, Engineering and Data Science at Amgen, joins Barbara Kahn and Dr. Americus Reed, II to discuss how AI’s rapid evolution is transforming industries—not by replacing humans, but by creating new opportunities that blend human expertise with advanced technology to drive innovation and efficiency.

Wharton's Eric Bradlow, Shane Jensen, and Adi Wyner debate Bill Belichick’s legacy in the post-Brady era, explore how analytics have reshaped baseball strategy, and speak with Dan Szymborski—Senior Writer at FanGraphs and creator of the ZiPS projection system—about forecasting player performance and team success in today’s evolving sports landscape. They also analyze the remarkable victory of 204th-ranked tennis player Valentin Vacherot in a Masters 1000 tournament, using insights from sports analytics and probability theory to uncover what his unexpected win reveals about talent, randomness, and ranking systems.

Cait Lamberton, Wharton School Vice Dean and Professor of Marketing, explains how businesses can balance enthusiasm for new technologies, such as AI, with historical lessons, market fundamentals, and strategic analysis to identify sustainable innovation and avoid costly missteps.

Shannon Shae Montoya, Global Head of B2B Marketing, Sponsorships, and Events at Yahoo, joins Barbara Kahn to explore how Yahoo leverages data, creativity, and nostalgia to craft experiential marketing campaigns that leave lasting impressions—revitalizing the brand for new generations and reinforcing its relevance across digital and physical spaces.