From the future of the internet to the growing influence of artificial intelligence, The Wheeler Centre has unveiled a packed new program bringing some of the world’s most compelling thinkers, writers and cultural commentators to Melbourne.
Presented across the coming months, the lineup spans technology, politics, literature, music, media and storytelling, with several headline events forming part of the city’s Now or Never festival.
Among the most anticipated sessions is tech critic and author Cory Doctorow’s deep dive into what he calls “enshittification”, the process through which digital platforms gradually deteriorate as profit takes priority over user experience. Joining Lisa M. Given, Doctorow will explore the decline of once-beloved online spaces and what it might take to build a healthier internet future.
Internet historian Mindy Seu will bring her acclaimed A Sexual History of the Internet to the State Library Victoria Reading Room, transforming the audience into active participants in a large-scale lecture performance examining the unexpected and often provocative origins of digital culture.
Artificial intelligence also takes centre stage when author and musician Anna Goldsworthy discusses her new Quarterly Essay, The God We Made. Accompanied by a live musical performance, the event explores how AI is reshaping creativity, culture and the way humans understand themselves.
The program also features a timely conversation on the future of music criticism, with broadcaster Sosephina Fuamoli, journalist Al Newstead and critic Sarah Smith examining what happens when algorithms replace traditional cultural gatekeepers.
The Wheeler Centre CEO Erin Vincent said the season brings together some of the most influential voices working today.
“We’re thrilled to welcome this extraordinary line-up of local and international voices. These new events bring together some of the most incisive thinkers and cultural commentators working today to help us make sense of the world in a time of rapid transformation.”
“From the profound impact of artificial intelligence and the changing architecture of the internet to questions of ethics, creativity, politics and public discourse, these events invite audiences to engage deeply with the ideas shaping our collective future,” she said.
Elsewhere, audiences can hear from Waleed Aly, Geetanjali Shree, Alice Pung, Stan Grant, Alan Joyce, Tim Rogers and George Megalogenis, alongside poetry events, emerging writer showcases and community writing sessions.
Explore the full program and book tickets at https://www.wheelercentre.com
