AI Impact: 2025 Business Outlook Series

Panelists share optimism about the post-election economy and predict AI’s influence

In February, the McCombs School of Business hosted its annual Business Outlook Series in Dallas, Houston, and Austin. Each event featured a panel of experts to analyze and forecast what’s next within their respective industries. The events were co-sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and moderated by Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Ethan Burris.

At the year’s first event, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas – Houston Branch welcomed 75 guests. Focusing on the future of energy, Houston panelists were Garrett Golding, assistant vice president for energy programs at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas; Jeff Gustavson, MBA ’99, president of Chevron new energies; and Joshua Rhodes, research scientist at The University of Texas at Austin.

They shared their perspectives on scaling up lower-carbon solutions from hydrogen to carbon capture biofuels.

The second event hosted 240 guests at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas – Dallas Branch and invited discussions about population booms and development, housing affordability, and emerging trends in sustainability. Panelists included Laila Assanie, senior business economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas; John Goff, BBA ’77, founder and managing principal of Goff Capital Partners, co-founder of Crescent Real Estate, and a McCombs advisory board council member; and Greg Hallman, director of the Texas Real Estate Center and faculty director of the John C. Goff Real Estate Investment Fund at McCombs.

The series wrapped up in Austin at the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center on The University of Texas at Austin campus with 45 people in attendance. The conversation centered around fintech and how it’s transforming the financial sector.

“We assembled an exceptional panel of experts who shared their perspectives on AI’s revolutionary impact on areas like personalized banking, risk assessment, and fraud detection,” Burris said.

Panelists included Ally Hoffman, assistant vice president in banking supervision, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas; Raul Rodriguez, MBA ’13, product management with the creative global consultancy known as frog, part of Capgemini Invent; and Cesare Fracassi, associate professor of finance and director of McCombs Blockchain Initiative.

In every sector — energy, real estate, and fintech — panelists explored a recurring theme: Artificial intelligence is impacting the future.

“It’s the new shiny thing,” said Gustavson. “And we are all learning how to use it in a way that has lasting positive impact.”

The Business Outlook series takes place annually across Texas and has been offered for more than 12 years. The goal is to encourage conversation around the issues affecting industries.

“These vibrant dialogues are designed to inspire, educate, and empower,” Burris said. “We’re glad to amplify the voices of leaders who can help businesses navigate the uncertainties of industry with informed confidence.”