5 Hot Takes From This Year’s SXSW

The future of humanity is more uncertain than ever, according to the speakers at SXSW, and our chances of making it out with any shred of grace seem slim.

SXSW (South by Southwest) started as a music festival in 1987 and has since evolved into a melting pot where tech, culture, and the future collide in a swirl of innovation, hype, and a constant stream of new buzzwords. Every year, entrepreneurs, creators, and visionaries gather in Austin, Texas, making SXSW one of the world's most influential conferences for future trends.

Here are some of the trends that stood out this year.

1. Alcohol Is the Path to Mental Health

Loneliness is the new smoking, but the solution doesn't seem to be sobriety. At SXSW, "mental health" has been replaced by "social health," and believe it or not - alcohol played a supporting role, neither as the villain nor the hero. While non-alcoholic options are trending like never before, especially among the youth, studies show that moderate drinking in social settings can have positive effects on our mental well-being. Several speakers even encouraged us to "drink more, experience more, and make some truly bad decisions."

2. We’ve Sold Our Souls and We’re Not Getting Them Back

We live in an era where your phone knows more about you than your friends do. Privacy is the new currency, and we’re all broke. SXSW featured discussions on everything from blockchain solutions to "privacy-first AI," but the big question remains: Is it actually possible to regain control over our data, or is the battle already lost? The coolest person at SXSW, who perhaps received the loudest applause, was Signal CEO Meredith Whittaker. She argued that the entire economic engine of the tech industry is built on data collection and mass surveillance - and that the only way to protect data is to stop collecting it altogether.

3. The Tech Bros Have Picked a Side, and It’s Not Yours

The tech industry and its representatives have gone from being the toast of Austin to being left out in the cold. Provocative professor, serial entrepreneur, and podcast star Scott Galloway tore the tech moguls to shreds, stating clearly that anyone involved in the installation of Donald Trump is supporting fascism. While Musk & Co. play at politics, women like Jay Graber (CEO of Bluesky) and Meredith Whittaker (CEO of Signal) are building a digital future where we don't have to choose between mass surveillance and billionaires with messiah complexes.

4. The First Species on Earth Smarter Than Us – LI

The next level of AI goes by the name Living Intelligence (LI). It’s a combination of AI, advanced sensors, and biotechnology, creating systems that don’t just process data but actually sense, learn, and evolve over time without humans needing to program every single step. This is expected to impact almost everything. LI will change how we interact with technology and perhaps even how we define intelligence. But it’s not just a game-changer for business and research - it changes the very terms of human existence in a world where tech doesn't just react to us but actually understands and anticipates our needs. "LI must be seen as a new species on Earth, the first in recorded human history that is more intelligent than us," argued futurist and speaker Niel Redding.

5. Chocolate Is More Interesting Than Democracy

SXSW is an international meeting place, but this year it also became a stage for a geopolitical balancing act. Dubai went all-in with its Museum of the Future - an impressive, high-tech installation showcasing a futuristic vision of AI, innovation, and sustainability. But honestly, most people were lining up because they were giving out their famous Dubai chocolate. The whole thing felt rather distasteful, and I’m firmly saying no to a future without democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) chose to pull out of their Canada House initiative, officially due to diplomatic tensions. The contrast between Dubai's massive investment and Canada’s protest served as a reminder that culture, tech, and innovation do not exist in a vacuum. When one nation's vision of the future is meticulously scripted and another's absence becomes a political statement, it’s worth asking if SXSW truly reflects the future or just the most well-funded version of it.

Maria Hazard, CEO of Obeya.

This text was also published in Veckans Brief here.