Can a robot testify in court proceedings, who is the customer when an AI agent makes a purchase instead of a person, and what can a CEO delegate to artificial intelligence while responsibility for certain decisions must remain human? The fifth edition of the Game Changer 5.0 Zagreb conference, taking place on October 14 at Z Centar, in the CineStar cinema halls, will be built around precisely these questions, which increasingly extend beyond the technology industry.
This year’s programme shifts the focus from what artificial intelligence can do to how companies and people will use what it is already capable of. Across five stages, discussions will explore the changes technology is already bringing to business models, commerce, mobility, the creative industries and the way we make decisions.
One of the central topics will be AI transformation. Dejan Turk, CEO of A1 Croatia & Slovenia, and Siniša Krajnović, CEO of Ericsson Nikola Tesla, will discuss the limits of delegating decisions to artificial intelligence and the responsibility that remains with the people leading companies.
Josip Ćesić, CEO and founder of Gideon Brothers, will speak about the future of mobility, presenting a vision of a system in which a car is no longer necessarily just a place for a driver, but part of a broader technological infrastructure.
The programme will also enter areas where the application of technology raises significantly more sensitive questions. Roboticist Dr Bruna Gerardi from Sheffield Hallam University will join legal experts in discussions about the role of humanoid robots in important life situations.
Another programme block will focus on Web3 technology and next-generation infrastructure. After years of debate about who controls data, the focus is shifting to the question of who will control the infrastructure on which digital decisions will take place.
Speakers across the different stages will also include Joško Mrndže, former Google Regional Director, Tvrtko Stošić, Solutions Consultant at Avaya, Aco Momčilović, Vlaho Hrdalo, president of the UBIK association, Sanda Mamić from Friendly Fire, Joseph Tenzin Oliver, CEO of Vision Plan, Marko Đurđević from Superteam Balkan / Solana Foundation, Karol Cagáň, CEO of Aegic, Željko Šustra, Managing Director of the Corporate Governance Sector at APIS IT, and Nikola Škorić, CEO of Electrocoin.
One of the questions that could very quickly become important for retailers, advertisers and brands will be raised on the E-commerce / SmartCommerce / AdTech stage: who is the customer when an AI agent makes the purchase?
As digital agents begin taking over parts of the process of searching for products, comparing prices and making purchases, the way companies reach customers is changing as well. Speakers on the topic will include Nikola Jovanović, Managing Director of Havas, Ivan Andabak, CEO of Recomendo, Ivana Prakiš, Country Director of Coob Ads, Davor Aničić, CEO of Velebit AI, and Kristijan Gregorić, CEO of Valicon, who will speak about the Croatian consumer in 2027.
The Gamify & Hyperpersonalisation stage will focus on algorithms that already influence the content we watch, how long we engage with it and what is shown to us next. Part of the discussion will also be dedicated to growing up in an algorithmic environment.
Andrej Levenski from Gamepires will speak about the gaming economy, while Jan Mikulčić, president of the Croatian Esports Federation, will address the infrastructure supporting the growth of the esports industry.
Also coming to Zagreb is John Newbigin OBE, one of the UK’s leading experts on the creative industries, who will join Davor Bruketa in a conversation about culture as a new technological platform and the relationship between new tools and the people who create culture.
Startups and investments will be the focus of the Foundry Club – Investor & Startup Stage, where company founders, investors and representatives of institutions that decide which projects have the potential to grow will meet. Participants include Alexander May from AWS, Ivana Gažić, CEO of the Zagreb Stock Exchange, Janko Bobetko, member of the Management Board of HAMAG-BICRO, Vedran Blagus, Associate Partner at LAUNCHub Ventures, and Georg Bauser.
Game Changer Zagreb is celebrating its fifth edition this year. The conference was first held in Zagreb, after which the platform expanded its activities to Slovenia, Italy, Montenegro, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The organisers will announce additional speakers in the days leading up to the conference.
