This Week in Business

Burcu Esmer, Senior Lecturer in Finance at the Wharton School and Co-Director of the Harris Family Alternative Investment Program, joins to discuss Electronic Arts’ proposed $55 billion acquisition involving Silver Lake, Affinity Partners, and the Saudi Public Investment Fund—exploring its implications for private equity, the gaming industry, and the future of global entertainment investments.

David Zaring, Wharton Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics, explores the legal complexities, historical precedents, and potential reforms shaping the Federal Reserve’s independence as tensions grow between central bank autonomy and presidential authority.

Stefano Puntoni, Wharton Marketing Professor and Co-Director of Wharton Human AI Research, explores the latest developments in artificial intelligence, including massive vertical integration deals, high-profile copyright settlements, and new frontiers in synthetic data that are transforming how businesses understand consumers.

Jeremy Siegel, Professor Emeritus of Finance at the Wharton School and Senior Economist at WisdomTree, discusses the Federal Reserve’s latest rate cuts, divisions within monetary policy, inflation and employment trends, and how artificial intelligence is shaping long-term economic growth and market performance.

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.

Kent Smetters, Faculty Director of the Penn Wharton Budget Model and Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy at the Wharton School, explores the potential impacts of artificial intelligence on productivity, GDP, and federal debt, offering data-driven insights that challenge assumptions about AI as a fiscal solution.

Herbert Hovenkamp, Wharton Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics, discusses the recent antitrust decision requiring Google to share its search index data, exploring how this ruling may impact market competition, consumer behavior, and the evolving role of artificial intelligence in shaping the future of online search.

Burcu Esmer, Senior Lecturer in Finance and Academic Director of the Harris Family Alternative Investments Program at the Wharton School, explores the policy, regulatory, and investor considerations surrounding the White House’s proposal to introduce private equity and other alternative assets into 401(k) retirement portfolios.

Joseph Gyourko, Wharton Professor of Real Estate, Finance, and Business Economics and Public Policy, explores 50 years of housing market data, highlighting how local regulation, slowing construction, and regional demand shifts are reshaping affordability across the U.S., particularly in high-growth Sunbelt cities.