Continual Learning

My review of the 2024 SXSW Conference in Austin, TX

March 9th 02:30 PM – 3:30 PM CST

Speakers:
Charlott Koh – EVP, Acquisitions & Co-Productions, Lionsgate
Bryn Mooser – Founder and CEO, XTR
Addie Morfoot – Journalist
Prentice Penny – Writer/Director/Producer – A Penny for Your Thoughts

Description:
How do filmmakers decide what stories deserve to be told and in what medium (narrative vs documentary)? In the last few years, the industry has seen a spike in true stories inspiring the films and series that we see on screen. In this panel, the audience will hear from industry leaders on how to determine the best medium to make the most impactful, creative, and respectful adaptation of delicate subject matter.

Mar 9th 04:00 PM – 06:00 PM CST

Speakers:
Tahnee Gehm – Lead, BrightEye Studio
Partik Suketu Shah – Filmmaker/Creative Technologist, tikiLabs
Adriana Vecchioli – Filmmaker/XR Designer, Velvet Unicorn

Description:
Are we, artists, condemned to edit AI-generated drafts? Can we learn how to wield AI, XR, & emerging technology to supercharge our craft? The AI/XR revolution is causing intense anxiety for creators. We’ll explore how to harness these tools to fuel your creativity and thrive. We are indie artists and filmmakers, who have adapted their creative process by fusing traditional film know-how with cutting-edge tech. Discover the transformative power of these tools, from AI-driven VFX to accessible immersive storytelling. Our mission: empower artists to lead the charge in the new revolution.

Mar 9th

It is so tough being a gregarious introvert. Walking around town, I had no less than six different strangers come up to me to tell me know much they liked by look or to tell me intimate details of their life. I appreciate that I have a prescence that puts people at ease, but it takes a dramatic toll on my emotional psyche. I have been up since 4 AM and going non-stop, being a social animal. Time now to avoid the massive lines and crowds. I will take the back streets, the long way around, and look for the little hidden things that will begin to re-energize my creative battery.

Mar 10th 09:00 AM – 11:00 AM CST

Up bright and early to check out the new tech at SXSW.

Mar 10th 11:30 AM – 12:30 AM

Speakers:
Mayim Bialik – Actor/Writer/Producer/Neuroscientist, Sad Clown Productions
Jonathan Cohen – Co-Founder, Lotic AI / Co-Creator and Executive Producer of Mayim Bialik’s Breakdown

Description:
Science is just now starting to back up what the hippies and mystics have known for centuries. This live recording of the successful podcast MAYIM BIALIK’S BREAKDOWN will break down the relationship between spiritual experiences and our overall well-being, i.e. the intersection between spirituality and science as it relates to mental and physical health.

Mar 10th 02:30 PM – 03:30 PM CST

Speakers:
Ray Kurzweil – Author/Inventor/Futuris
Nick Thompson – CEO, The Atlantic

Description:
Twenty-five years ago, Ray Kurzweil predicted computers would reach human-level intelligence by 2029, unlocking solutions to the world’s grandest challenges. Today we are on track to reach this milestone. During the 2030s, AI will become superintelligent, vastly outstripping our capabilities and enabling dramatic medical breakthroughs to overcome aging. This is not an alien invasion. AI is evolving from within us and will reflect our humanity. By 2045, we will connect our brains directly to the cloud, enhancing our intelligence a millionfold and expanding our consciousness in ways we can barely imagine. This is the Singularity.

Mar 10th 04:00 PM – 05:00 PM CST

Speaker:
Joost van Dreunen – Video Games Professor, Aldora.io

Description:
In this featured session, Joost will provide a data-driven overview of the current state of interactive entertainment. Discover where the $300 billion industry is heading – from shifting business models to emerging tech and consumer behavior. Gain strategic intel, including perspectives on why non-gaming firms are pushing into the sector, the impact of Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Meta and Apple’s pushes into mixed reality platforms, and more. Whether you’re an investor, developer, brand, or just a gaming enthusiast, this session will give you a deeper understanding of this fascinating industry.

Mar 10th

All the party animals are prepping to come out, so that is my cue to find an amazing burger and slink back to my den to re-energize. As I attend SXSW, I note that there are over 100,000 attendees from every walk of life here to tell their stories. There is no one right way to do this. You might as well do it your way and forget about the critics.

Mar 11th 11:30 AM – 12:30 AM CST

Speakers:
Josh Constine – Venture Partner, SignalFire VC
Peter Deng – Head of ChatGPT/VP of Consumer, OpenAI

Description:
AI is changing us from creators and answerers into curators and askers. In this provocative talk with OpenAI’s VO of consumer product and head of ChatGPT Peter Deng, we’ll explore the role of humans in the age of AI. What are AI’s practical and philosophical implications? How will it change our perception of ourselves? And are we all destined to become prompt engineers or happily unemployed artists? Deng will bring his background leading product at Instagram, Uber, and Airtable and as a dad of four to his fireside with Josh Constine, consumer VC at SignalFire and former TechCrunch editor.

Mar 11th 02:30 PM – 03:30 PM CST

Speakers:
Jimmy Acevedo – Stem Educator, NASA
David Aveline – Atomic Physicist and Quantum Research Technologist, NASA
Erin McGee – Scan Intern, NASA
Devin Willey – Postdoctoral Researcher, NASA

Description:
What once was fodder for science fiction is now part of everyday life. The benefits of quantum research are all around us today: Cell phones, computers, medical imaging technology, GPS navigation, solar panels, and more. We’ve only barely scratched the surface of understanding quantum physics. What new discoveries are yet to be revealed? Join us for an outside and inside look at NASA’s current and future quantum efforts. Panelists will share how NASA is pioneering quantum discovery in space, developing new exploration technologies, and paving the way for the future.

Mar 11th 04:00 PM – 05:00 PM CST

Speakers:
Dan Burger – CEO and Co-Founder, Frontier Collective
Amy Peck – CEO, EndeavorXR

Description:
In this engaging SZSW panel, we delve into the transformative impact of Apple’s latest breakthrough, the Vision Pro, on the realm of spatial computing and its profound implications for the future of workspaces. We are witnessing a revolution in how digital and physical realms interact, reshaping our perceptions and interactions with the digital world. A portal to a new realm of possibilities that melds the physical and digital worlds in unprecedented ways. This will showcase how this will change the way we work forever and tactical advice on how to lean in.

Mar 11th

I treated myself to Gus’s Famous Fried Chicken for my birthday meal and then a little stroll downtown. Perfect finish to an adventurous day.

Mar 12th 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM CDT

Speaker:
Ian Beacraft – CEO, Signal and Cipher

Description:
The AI honeymoon is over, but its impact has barely begun. What happens when we no longer interact with AI on discrete tasks, but it’s pervasive in our work? We’ll reach that reality faster than we did with the digital revolution. We’ll explore the ability and practices of AI-enabled individuals and teams to provide exponential value; This is the era of the billion-dollar team. We’ll show examples of how new team structures, workflows, and cultures are built, including several experiments within our own organization using AI to enhance employee productivity 10x and more on specific tasks.

Mar 12th 01:00 PM – 02:00 PM CST

Speakers:
Daniel Kwan – Filmmaker
Daniel Scheinert – Filmmaker

Description:
Join award-winning writers and directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert as they talk about the process of developing, creating, and releasing their surprise hit movie that took the world by st- okay, look, if you’re still reading this, we should tell you that we’ve run out of new things to say about Everything Everywhere All At Once, so although we’ll try our best to stay on topic, we’ll most likely go on a bunch of tangents about the state of the world, the impending climate crisis, the collapse of consensus of truth, the rise of AI, the importance and impossibility of self-care, and our collective responsibility as storytellers to confront the issues of our time, because that’s probably going to be what’s on our mind, but we can’t make any promises, but at times we don’t feel qualified to talk about any of that stuff, anyway, we hope you enjoy our SXSW keynote.

Mar 12th 02:30 PM – 03:30 PM CST

Speakers:
Joan Donovan – Assistant Professor of Journalism and Emerging Media Studies, Boston University
Tiana Epps-Johnson – Founder and Executive Director, Center for tech and Civic Life
Lindsay Foreman – Head of Technology and Geopolitics, German Marshall Fund’s Alliance for Securing Democracy
Jena Griswold – Secretary of State, Colorado Department of State

Description:
The emergence of artificial intelligence technologies has game changing implications for American Democracy – and not all of them good. While disinformation has been used in recent election cycles to sow doubt in elections and democratic processes, AI takes this threat to new levels. How do we protect our democratic institutions, make sure voters receive accurate information, and ensure American Democracy survives in the years to come? Hear first-hand from officials who oversee elections, experts in the field of AI and national security and see what the future may hold for American elections.

Mar 12th 04:00 PM – 05:00 PM CST

Speakers:
David Ayllon – Senior Art Director, Peapod Digital Labs
Shannon Beveridge – Creator and Director
Zoya Biglary – Founder/Creator, Fysh Foods
Lauren Zoltick – Director of Performance Marketing, Storyblocks

Description:
There is a power that real, queer stories have that cannot be replicated in the LGBTQ+ narratives Hollywood creates. In a moment where LGBTQ+ perception, acceptance and equality feels highly volatile, the need for positive LGBTQ+ representation is high. Authentic queer joy expressed on social media by LGBTQ+ creators has proven to be a lifeline to queer youth and educate and build acceptance amongst the non-LGBTQ+ population. This panel will discuss why we need even more happy queer stories, the impact of LGBTQ+ creators, what Hollywood can learn from them, and how brands can support.

Mar 13th 02:30 PM – 03:30 PM CST

Speakers:
Will Cady – Global Brand Ambassador, Reddit

Description:
Many people feel anxious about getting creativity right. What if anxiety itself is the source of your best creativity? Will Cady, author and founding head of Reddit’s creative strategy team, KarmaLab, walks through a fresh vision for cultivating creativity informed by his years of experience as a leader of creative teams and ad intuitive meditation guide. This session will inspire with lessons learned at the crossroads between art, marketing, and spirituality; three roads of life that meet together to ask, ‘where does creation come from? And what is the role we humans play in it?

Mar 13th 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM CST

Speakers:
Goldie Chan – Founder & CEO, Warm Robots
Jordan Dene’ Ellis – Community Manager, Adobe

Description:
In the digital-first and visually-centric world we live in, high-quality content and unique branding is essential to standing out. With generative AI giving everyone superpowers to work at the speed of their imaginations and make custom designs faster, it’s removing barriers between creative vision and the blank page. Join Jordan Dene’ Ellis and Goldie Chan to explore how generative AI is building creative confidence and making authentic branding achievable for all.