Everything, everywhere at SXSW
ChatGPT, Peter Deng, said that “fundamentally, AI makes us more human” by making us ask the bigger questions.
“If you take a look at AI as a tool, it unlocks the ability for us to go deeper and explore some of the things we’re wondering about,” Deng said.
In another session, Michael Dell, founder of Round-Rock based Dell Technologies, also discussed artificial intelligence and humanity saying, that technology has always been about “enabling human potential.” He also acknowledged that such a rapidly changing technology poses challenges.
AI development has “got to be done in a thoughtful way and reflect our humanity, and I believe it’s going to be enormous,” Dell said. — Kara Carlson
Austin needs to creatively address transportation issues
At a panel on transportation, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi and Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said they want to “make mobility weird” by investing in the city’s future transportation options, especially sustainable and affordable ones. — Kara Carlson
Is Austin ready for driverless cars?
Autonomous vehicles, or self-driving cars, were the topic of a number of sessions at SXSW. With “no playbook” for the emerging technology, industry leaders said it’s important for companies to build trust and educate cities and communities, including Austin where both Waymo and Volkswagen are currently testing autonomous vehicle technology. During a session examining the company’s road map, Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said her role as CEO involves “a lot of trusting (her) gut.”
“If (an update) doesn’t stay within our safety bar, we’ll pull back,” Mawakana said. “We’ve stayed disciplined.”
Mawakana said Waymo is engaged with the city leaders and community groups as it continues testing and as the company aims to launch driverless ridebooking in Austin later this year.
“We understand that. We want to engage in a way that makes us part of the community,” Mawakana said.
In a separate session Katrin Lohmann, president of Volkswagen Autonomous Driving Mobility & Transportation said VW has aimed to work with the city of Austin and community to explain the benefits of autonomous technology.
“You really have to build that trust long term,” Lohmann said. — Kara Carlson
I expected self-aggrandizing bullet points and hubris but came away inspired by former Bezos colleague Ann Hiatt’s “Unicorn Boss DNA” panel. She shattered the myth of the creative male genius and made a convincing case that anyone can be an amazing leader by being helpful, selfless, kind, conscious, and willing to challenge yourself by adopting ideas that can come from anyone. She explained how interns helped the Crocs CEO make them look cool; how the IBM CEO took a non-traditional path to success and regularly gives back; and how the Canva CEO took up kitesurfing so she could have face time with investors. — Ramon Ramirez, special to American-Statesman
After it debuted at SXSW in 2022, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” quickly became popular among casual moviegoers and critics.
The film’s directors, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, returned to SXSW this year to discuss with quirky flair how they found synthesis in contradicting ideas in their work on the Oscar-winning film.
In making the film, Kwan and Scheinert played with the tension between ideas: kung fu and peace; complexity and absurdity.
“When you look around the world right now, it’s really confusing,” Kwan said. “Our stories are all crossing and smashing up against each other. They’re really contradictory.”
The filmmakers also spoke about their broader creative process and their quest to find projects that intersect with what they love and what the world needs.
“It’s such a beautiful moment when you realize your superpower, and everybody has one,” Scheinert said. — Keri Heath
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