SXSW 2027 Sessions Focus on AI

South by Southwest has revealed the lineup for its 2027 innovation, music, and film and television conferences. The festival will run from March 15 through March 21. Organizers selected more than 325 sessions from a pool of over 3,300 proposals submitted through the PanelPicker application.

PanelPicker allows the public to vote on speaker ideas. The process determines which topics have the strongest interest from attendees. This year, the submissions reflected a shift toward practical applications rather than abstract concepts. Artificial intelligence emerged as the dominant theme across all categories.

The festival’s press release noted that 19 percent of proposals focused on trust and transparency. Community-related topics appeared in 17 percent of submissions. Workplace issues showed the largest increase in submissions compared to the previous year. Speakers plan to discuss how these shifts impact various industries.

Greg Rosenbaum, the senior vice president of programming, stated that the event has moved past theoretical hype. He described the current era as pragmatic. According to Rosenbaum, the focus is no longer on defining the technology but on how it integrates into daily and creative life. He also highlighted a counter-movement where participants seek authentic human connection and personal wellbeing.

The innovation conference features sessions on specific industry challenges. One panel titled How to Break the Playbook, Not the Brand includes speakers from Quality Meats and System 1. Another session, Physical AI: Autonomous Infrastructure for Smart Cities, features Thomas Kiessling of PassiveLogic. A group of experts from Cornell University and the Cancer Research Institute will discuss whether AI can cure cancer based on data availability.

Additional innovation sessions address design, gaming, and sports. John Maeda of GitHub will speak on the costs and benefits of AX in tech. Charles Hambro of GEEIQ will discuss lessons from Grand Theft Auto 6 and Roblox. A panel on the modern sports experience includes representatives from Google, ESPN, and the PGA Tour. Jonathan Adashek of IBM and Mike Treff of Code and Theory will examine the new software and services model.

The music conference includes a session on AI detection to protect recordings. Speakers from HumanStandard, Sony Music, and Copyright Delta will participate. The film and television conference offers a look at special effects and behind-the-scenes work. Edward Douglas, the VFX supervisor for A24’s Backrooms, will join a discussion on maintaining unease in visual effects. A panel on women in film and television will feature editors and production designers.