Jim Licko

Artificial intelligence didn’t just dominate SXSW 2026; it reframed nearly every conversation about marketing, search, content and trust. For more than 15 years, GroundFloor Media has made the annual trip to Austin to spot what’s next before it becomes standard operating procedure. This year, after returning from SXSW (and recovering from one too many tacos), GFM hosted its 12th annual Denver Download to unpack the biggest ideas shaping the future of communications.

This is the second of a three-part series about key learnings from this year’s South by Southwest (SXSW) technology conference from our colleagues Becky Cole and Adrienne Schafer. Artificial intelligence (AI) has been a part of our world for decades, but only in recent years has it come into its own. As with many technologies, the cultural moment and user experience had to align before AI could reach its full potential.

This is the first of a three-part series about key learnings from this year’s South by Southwest (SXSW) 2023 technology conference from our colleagues Becky Cole and Adrienne Schafer. At SXSW 2023, it was clear that while technology is the main attraction, humans are the heart and soul of it all. From the creators and makers of technology to the end-users, people firmly surround the digital world.