SXSW 2026: The tech trends people are buzzing about

SXSW isn’t just about movies or music. The annual Austin festival has also become a hub for inventors and entrepreneurs using technology in new and exciting ways.

So while my colleagues in the entertainment section are doing interviews with Dropout TV stars and hitting the I love boosters red carpet, I went in search of the latest in technology. Here’s what I learned from attending robot panels, playing next-gen VR games, interviewing AI experts — and eating a dangerous amount of tacos to propel me through it all.

AI Doom is released. AI apocalyptic optimism is all the rage.

If it feels like they’re adding AI to everything, that’s because they’re adding AI to everything. It seemed like every other booth and event at SXSW was about some new way to integrate AI into… anything that didn’t have it yet. It’s a gold rush, he still loves bubbles until they burst.

SXSW offered panels on runaway AI, job loss, environmental crisis, cognitive decline, and everything else you need for your full-blown panic attack before heading to the IBM AI Sports Club for a comforting drink with other seemingly obsolete humans.

But between the AI ​​pessimists and the AI ​​gold rush enthusiasts, a middle path is emerging: AI apocalyptic optimism.

The AI ​​Doc: or how I became an apocaloptimist is a buzzy new documentary at SXSW. Mashable hosted a panel on the film with its producer, Daniel Kwan (one half of the “Daniels” duo that made the 2023 Oscar winner Everything everywhere at the same time).

An Apocaloptimist, according to Kwan’s film, is someone whose eyes are wide open to the perils of AI, but also to its promises. The AI ​​document is also a call to action for viewers to support the responsible development and regulation of AI. You will be able to find it in theaters from March 27.

Cutting-edge technology on display at XR

As in previous years, SXSW hosted an XR Expo, where artists, pranksters, and game developers showcased their first installations of cutting-edge XR technology. This wasn’t new, but it showed more resistance than the AI ​​trend. Of all the tech I saw at SXSW, this was the event that had the audience the most excited. There was a line and a rush out the door when the lobby opened.

Ironically, however, the popularity of this event could be a sign that XR worldwide is not popular. Most people don’t have Meta Quests, Galaxy XR headsets, or Snap Spectacles, so they jump at the chance to try them.

SXSW saw the global debut of Fabula Rasaa virtual reality game driven by entirely improvised and AI-generated conversations. I wrote about the experience immediately after trying it, and it could be a preview of what RPG games will become in the AI ​​age.

Imagine this: no more dialogue trees or circular conversations. You can talk in real time to any characters you meet.

Snap also hosted a new augmented reality art exhibition in the US featuring Jonathan Yeo, the painter behind a controversial portrait of Sir King Charles. Yeo’s exhibition powered by Snap Spectacles.

Some AI does good

ElevenLabs, the AI ​​audio company, announced a new initiative at SXSW that is truly exciting: the company has committed to restoring 1 million voices for people suffering from permanent voice loss.

The company announced the news with Rebecca Gayheart Dane, the actress and wife of actor Eric Dane, who recently died after a battle with ALS. Dane worked with ElevenLabs to clone his voice before his death, which he used to speak to his family and healthcare team. ElevenLabs is now looking for people from around the world to participate in the 1 Million Voices initiative.

“Because [AI] can be used for good, and maybe it will inspire others, other AI companies, to do something good with their capabilities instead of something harmful,” Gayheart Dane said.

A Silicon Valley founder told me that EleveLabs was “wired,” and the company’s lawyer said they were shipping products and models at a breakneck pace. Even though the company’s AI music album was a flop and a flop, the company is certainly generating buzz with its new AI models and tools. Several people at SXSW told me they use ElevenLabs voice models in their own products, including Fabula Rasa.

Robotaxis are everywhere

Two Waymos and a Cybertruck enter a bar…
Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

For Austin residents and visitors to San Francisco, robotaxis are old news. As someone coming from New York, I had the opportunity to take my first Waymo robotaxi rides in Austin. It was weird!

SXSW itself was sponsored by Rivian, which showed off an electric self-driving truck. I also saw a lot of Zoox robotaxis, and Tesla took the opportunity to show off its new Tesla Robotaxis. (I saw a Robotaxi in a large window… towed by a Cybertruck.)

Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

Welcome to the future. Cars don’t fly, but they drive themselves.

Sustainability technology

Climate and sustainability have long been a popular topic at SXSW, and this year was no exception. Several sustainable startups were recognized at the annual SXSW pitch competition, and preventing waste was a common theme among the winners.

Promising new companies like PLNTmatter are transforming plant waste into sustainable fabrics. EcoSphere Organics is sending a robot around Detroit to collect food waste to make recycled products. MayimFlow helps eliminate water waste in data centers.

I also saw a startup called Flotier that wants to install compact wind turbines on commercial rooftops, so buildings can harness solar and wind energy. It’s one of those ideas that makes you think: why aren’t we doing this already?

The Undying Chamber, built for Darth Vader

Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

Have you ever wanted to have your own Darth Vader room that you can climb into when you need to cool off?

That’s how I described my experience inside the Immortal Chamber, the $160,000 rejuvenation machine that combines light therapy, molecular hydrogen, breathwork, vibroacoustics, pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF), and guided meditation into an experience that will refresh even the grumpiest Dark Lord of the Sith.

As the Ammortal sales rep told me, it lets you plug in like a cell phone. If you frequent medical spas, you may soon see Ammortal Chambers on the spa menu. These devices are also popular with professional athletes, I’m told.

The creator economy is growing

Gone are the days when creators negotiated brand deals themselves in lengthy negotiations with a huge power imbalance. Or at least that’s the idea. I interviewed Arthur Leopold, CEO and co-founder of Agentio, a platform that allows creators to connect with brands and sign deals in just a few clicks.

AI analyzes all of their work to find natural brand partners, and creators don’t have to worry about sketchy contracts they don’t understand.

Agentio hosted a panel with YouTube megastars Rhett and Link, the company’s flagship clients, and they made a compelling case that billions of advertising dollars will soon be shifted to creator marketing.

I also spoke with the head of Snap’s Creator Partnerships team, who introduced me to monetization tools like Snap Spotlight and the new Creator Subscriptions tool, currently in beta.