Wharton professor Stefano Puntoni will speak at an upcoming panel on artificial intelligence policy at the 2025 South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas.
SXSW is known for attracting leading and up-and-coming musicians to perform at the festival, and drew approximately 345,000 attendees in 2024. In an interview with the Daily Pennsylvanian, Puntoni — who also serves as the co-director of the Wharton Human-Centered Technology Initiative — discussed his upcoming appearance at the festival.
Puntoni’s published findings on human behavior, artificial intelligence, technological adoption, and consumer decision-making will be a core part of his upcoming talk. He submitted his proposal to speak at the festival in collaboration with Google Chief Strategist and Wharton Senior Fellow Neil Hoyne.
According to the official SXSW website, the event will focus on “celebrating the convergence of tech, film, music, education, and culture.” The musical lineup for the 2025 festival has not yet been announced, but previous editions have included popular artists such as Billie Eilish, Lizzo, and Megan Thee Stallion.
2010 College graduate John Legend has performed at the festival three times, in 2015, 2016, and 2019.
Puntoni told the DP that, through his research, he hopes to answer questions about “the integration of AI into workflows, the psychological threats, and consumer welfare issues.” He said that the festival provided him an opportunity to target a very distinct audience and “engage in larger platforms” that he had not previously reached with his research.
Although the content of his talk is still being discussed, Puntoni said that he hopes to convey the overall message of his research to the audience. He also stressed the importance of understanding the proper role of technology in human lives when speaking about AI and identity.
“I think it is important for companies to think and speak to employees with an authentic voice and make them understand that the role of technology is not to make humans obsolete, to make them irrelevant," Puntoni said. "The goal of technology is to make them more productive.”
Puntoni currently teaches a Wharton course titled “AI in our Lives: The Behavior Science of Autonomous Technology” which is heavily based on his research of the behavioral science of AI. His work has been published in the Harvard Business Review, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan Management Review, and various other publications.
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