Events

From your DNA to your data, ownership is being redefined.

Ownership shapes how we organise resources, assign rights, and understand value. As society evolves, new forms of ownership will continue to emerge, raising complex legal, technological, and ethical questions that will affect us all.

The Future of Ownership will explore key discussions, from Indigenous perspectives on land as custodianship, to the ownership of personal data, inventions, and knowledge in a digital world. It will also consider enduring questions. Who will own your DNA and the information it contains? What rights will define ownership in practice, and how far will they extend?

Panellists will examine how ownership operates across law, commerce, information technology, and the arts, including the role of copyright, patents, and privacy law in governing intangible assets. The discussion will also address emerging technologies such as blockchain, ownership tokens, and smart contracts, and their implications for financial systems and control.

Bringing together experts from academia, government, and industry, this research showcase offers a forward-looking exploration of one of the most fundamental concepts shaping our future.

The Future of 2026 series is presented in partnership with Lendlease.

Event Agenda
5pm: Doors Open

5.30pm - 7.30pm: Main Event