In comparison to previous years, SXSW 2018
showed a lot less of the weird and out-there technology we'd come to
expect, instead focusing a lot more of how existing technologies are
already being applied and what the future uses of these technologies
might look like.
Some underlying themes of the conference were
brought up in different iterations across talks spanning very different
topics, highlighting the fact that there are significant common threads
rearing their heads in the midst of the technological shift we are only
just beginning to enter and understand.
Most major advancements were not driven by one brand, or one company -
they were the result of collaboration between players in what seemed
disparate industries. Yet, that difference is exactly what enabled the
innovation to come to fruition, like the partnerships between Uber and
Embraer that has led to the two companies developing a network of
autonomous flying cars.
Collaboration was not only hailed as the
new driver for innovation on a company level - Joseph Lubin from
Ethereum, for example, sees the future of blockchain enabling the
collaboration of people with the same interests in solving world
problems, like cancer.
This seamlessly connects to another major
theme of this year's tech conference - diversity and inclusion. Although
not directly addressed, the #metoo movement was well reflected in a lot
of talks. The major themes concentrated on bias and inclusion, with
many panels crediting the diversity of their teams for the advancements
in technologies they were able to achieve. We heard about the importance
of designing with, not for, people, and importantly, the need to show
inclusion in the products we create.
In the same vein, almost
every talk mentioned user centered design as the core of how businesses
approach their work. No matter if the discussion was dealing with flying
cars or connected cities, a design process from the user up was always
highlighted as the key ingredient. This tied in with many talks driving
home the importance for brands to create experiences for their customers
rather than just selling products/services.
From a technology
perspective, the main trend of SXSW this year was not surprising: AI and
Machine Learning. In comparison to previous years, we saw a lot of
brands and companies talk more about the practical application of these
technologies and it quickly became apparent just how heavily AI will
infiltrate everyday life in the near future - from smart cities,
autonomous transportation, the IoT to search, retail and
personalisation. We also listened to various discussions around how AI
is impacting society and how the human race can use it to augment its
own intelligence.
VR/AR found mention in a series of talks that
concentrated on the application in areas outside of entertainment and
gaming, with a lot of work being presented around VR applications that
have been developed for the health sector, professional training and
rehabilitation.
The newest kid on the block, and the technology
that drew the largest crowds, was Blockchain. There was less talk about
cryptocurrency and a lot of talk about the technology powering it. We
heard from startups using this technology in healthcare, finance,
logistics, entertainment and transportation as well as how
decentralisation will influence communities around the world.
Although
there was a general feeling that humankind is moving too fast in its
advancement of AI and its applications - a warning that we need to think
about things a bit more to ensure the technology we develop will have a
positive impact - overall the conference struck a positive vibe and
left people with a fresh sense of optimism about the abundance of
possibility and opportunity that lays ahead.