The Omnipresent AI – 2018 SXSW Programming Trends

Each year, different trends emerge from SXSW programming and act as identifiers for where we’re at and where we’re headed. From the 12 significant trends identified by the SXSW Programming Team for the 2018 event, The Omnipresent AI explores the potential outcomes of opening the Pandora's box that is AI. Get to know this trend and related-SXSW sessions below that we think will dominate discussions this March.

The Omnipresent AI Trend

A data-driven, high-tech future, filled with humanoid machines and hover-cars, is a popular trope seen in film and literature, but these fictional worlds aren't so distant from our own. Information technology has been rooted in our society for decades, but at this accelerating rate of innovation within today's tech industry, AI's growing presence is bridging the gap between today and the future – and stirring both concern and excitement in the process.

As AI integrates further into our lives, how will lawmakers adjust regulations that allow this unpredictable technology to grow at a safe distance? Join Andrew Burt in the session Regulating AI: How to Control the Unexplainable to learn more. Joanne Chen of Foundation Capital, Dr. Fei-Fei Li of Stanford University, and shift7's Megan Smith will challenge the issue of fear surrounding AI by discussing the positive repercussions of broadly distributing this tech to more users and developers in the session Democratizing AI for Individuals & Organizations.

The potential role of learning machines as artists in creative industries will be addressed by Nicole McDonald of MARRY the MOON, TechCrunch's Mike Butcher, and others in the session Will AI Change the Future of Creativity?, and Zohar Dayan of Wibbitz and NYC Media Lab's Justin Hendrix will discuss the relationship between AI and media industries in Content Creation in the Age of AI. AI's promising future will also be explored from the industry of beauty and fashion in the session AI: Transforming Luxury, Fashion and Beauty, led by speakers Guive Balooch of L'Oreal, Megan Berry of by Reveal, Kenya Wiley of the Fashion Innovation Alliance, and Heuritech's Tony Pinville.

Add these sessions to your 2018 SXSW Schedule so you can experience the AI conversation for yourself in March. Stay tuned for more programming announcements.

The Omnipresent AI Session Highlights

• Democratizing AI for Individuals & Organizations
• Regulating AI: How to Control the Unexplainable
• Will AI Change the Future of Creativity?
• Content Creation in the Age of AI
• AI: Transforming Luxury, Fashion and Beauty

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Teaser Photo by Michael Caulfield