PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Marek Kowalkiewicz

Marek Kowalkiewicz is a digital-economy researcher whose work examines how algorithms and AI agents affect business. He completed master's studies at Poznań University of Economics and Business, defended his doctorate there in November 2006, and moved from Silicon Valley to QUT in 2015. At QUT, he and his coauthors developed research sprints that bring researchers, industry partners and end users together to test practical solutions; he also coauthored a 2020 study of autonomous consumer buying agents. His 2024 book The Economy of Algorithms explores how algorithms shape business and society and won the Technology category of the Australian Business Book Award. In February 2026, he and Ivano Bongiovanni coauthored an article about cyber risks from interacting autonomous agents; in July 2026, he held the Professor and Chair in Digital Economy role at QUT Business School and was scheduled to give a keynote at the ABPMP Australia conference.

Born
1978
Badges

Years link to their sources.

Timeline

  1. November 2006

    A doctorate at Poznań

    He completes master's studies at Poznań University of Economics and Business and works in its Department of Information Systems. In November 2006, he defends a doctoral dissertation titled ‘Extraction and Aggregation of Information for the Needs of Economic Entities,’ summa cum laude.

  2. 2015

    The PwC Chair at QUT

    After ten years in Silicon Valley, he relocates to Brisbane in 2015 to take the PwC Chair in Digital Economy at QUT. His earlier career includes leading global innovation teams for SAP, heading SAP Research Australia's global research program, founding SAP's Machine Learning lab in Singapore, and research roles at Microsoft Research Asia.

  3. 2015–2023

    Research innovation sprints

    He and his coauthors start research sprints in 2015 and report about 40 by 2023. Their current format lasts 30 days: researchers, industry partners, end users and stakeholders tackle specific problems, then prototype and test practical solutions.

  4. 2020

    A taxonomy for buying agents

    In 2020, he coauthors ‘When algorithms go shopping: Analyzing business models for highly autonomous consumer buying agents.’ The study examines 23 cases and develops a business-model taxonomy for these agents.

  5. March 2024

    The Economy of Algorithms

    In March 2024, he publishes The Economy of Algorithms: AI and the Rise of the Digital Minions. The book explores how algorithms are reshaping the economy and society and how their growing agency can produce unintended consequences.

  6. 2024

    An Australian book award

    The Economy of Algorithms wins the 2024 Australian Business Book Award in the Technology category.

  7. February 2026

    A cyberattack without an attacker

    In February 2026, he and Ivano Bongiovanni coauthor ‘The Most Dangerous Cyberattack Has No Attacker.’ They warn that autonomous agents interacting in an uncontrolled environment can produce outcomes no one designed or intended.

  8. July 2026

    Professor and Chair at QUT

    At the July 2026 ABPMP Australia conference, he is Professor and Chair in Digital Economy at QUT Business School and is scheduled for a keynote.

Career

  1. Since 2015Queensland University of TechnologyProfessor and Chair in Digital Economy
  2. SAPGlobal innovation team leader, Founder
  3. Microsoft Research AsiaResearcher

Education

  1. 2006Poznań University of Economics and BusinessMaster's studies

From the biography.

  1. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionIncludes Queensland University of Technology. We estimate where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led. Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads with 467 former students, including 291 recorded doctorates.
  2. The company share of AI researchers’ top papers was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974Includes Queensland University of Technology. We estimate where the people shaping AI worked when their most-cited papers appeared: the company share was 31% in 2020–2024 and 8% in 1970–1974, and Google led all organizations in 2020–2024.
  3. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other universityIncludes Queensland University of Technology. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other university. We compare doctorate and 5+ year employment links, career timing and current workplaces for 187 major-prize and 1,111 best-paper winners.
  4. Among employers with 30+ full-time cases, OpenAI leads primary technical role H-1B pay at $310,000, and Amazon, Google and Microsoft file 57% of all casesIncludes Microsoft. Across 440,669 certified US H-1B filings from 44 employers (FY2020–FY2026), OpenAI leads primary technical role base pay at $310,000 and xAI leads overall base pay at $290,000.

Colleagues

People with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Marek Kowalkiewicz yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Marek Kowalkiewicz – Department of Information Systems kie.ue.poznan.pl. Checked 21 October 2026.
  2. PhD thesis defense of Marek Kowalkiewicz – Department of Information Systems kie.ue.poznan.pl. Checked 21 October 2026.
  3. Silicon Valley to Fortitude Valley: Game changers making Brisbane the new start-up destination – ABC News abc.net.au. Checked 21 October 2026.
  4. Gastvorlesung ‘Managing Alien Intelligences’ von Prof. Marek Kowalkiewicz (QUT) – EC – TU Dortmund ec.cs.tu-dortmund.de. Checked 21 October 2026.
  5. ABPMP Australia – ABPMP Conference 2026 abpmp.org.au. Checked 21 October 2026.
  6. Our Academic-Industry ‘Research Sprints’ Can Solve Problems in 30 Days – Social Science Space socialsciencespace.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  7. When algorithms go shopping: Analyzing business models for highly autonomous consumer buying agents – Technical University of Munich portal.fis.tum.de. Checked 21 October 2026.
  8. The Economy of Algorithms by Marek Kowalkiewicz | Black Inc. blackincbooks.com.au. Checked 21 October 2026.
  9. ‘I welcome our digital minions’: the Silicon Valley insider warning about algorithms – while embracing them | The Guardian theguardian.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  10. The Most Dangerous Cyberattack Has No Attacker marekkowal.substack.com. Checked 21 October 2026.