Over the last 16 years, the Wesley College Foundation Business Breakfast has gone from strength to strength, covering topics from Director’s duties to Trump’s tweets, football codes to competition policy. In 2024, our esteemed convenor, Graeme Samuel AC (OW1963) challenged members of the Wesley College community to ponder the potential gains and losses of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI).
This year, Graeme gathered an outstanding panel of experts to consider whether regulation will keep us safe or lead to the fall of the human race! This year’s panel of experts included:
- Stephen King, Commissioner at Australia’s Productivity Commission and Professor of Practice at Monash University. Since joining the Productivity Commission in 2016, Stephen has worked on a range of projects including inquiries into mental health, human services, airport regulation, financial services and the 2023 Five Year Productivity Inquiry. Prior to joining the Productivity Commission, he was a Professor of Economics at Monash University where he was Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business from 2009 to 2011. He was also a Member of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission from 2004 to 2009. Stephen has a PhD in Economics from Harvard University, is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia and a Lay Member of the High Court of New Zealand.
- Alan Kohler - Finance presenter on ABC News and a columnist for The New Daily. Alan Kohler is an Australian financial journalist and newspaper editor. He is the founder of Eureka Report, Australia's most successful investment newsletter, and Business Spectator, a 24-hour free business news and commentary website. Kohler currently writes for his own online financial publication, The Constant Investor.
- Peter Crone, Commissioner of the ACCC. Peter was appointed by the ACCC in December 2020 and has more than 30 years’ experience in economic policy and commercial strategy at the highest levels of government and business in Australia. He has served as an adviser to state and federal governments, including as Senior Economic Advisor to Australia’s Prime Minister from 1997 to 2006, and filled chief economist roles at the Business Council of Australia, Ernst and Young, and Coles Group.
Moderator Rae Johnston drew on her background as the first Science and Technology Editor for NITV at SBS, the first female editor of Gizmodo and a leading commentator on technology, science and pop culture to navigate the discussion that covered the rise and risks of sentient beings, incentives for investment and innovation, and the need for government intervention and regulation, but not so much that is stifles the opportunities that may develop.
Planning for the 2025 Business Breakfast is already underway, with Graeme determined to tackle another challenge facing businesses worldwide. His ability to curate differing and sometimes controversial views is unique, and we look forward to more engaging conversations and debate again next year.
