6 Key Takeaways from SXSW
Diederik Veelo is the chief innovation officer and partner at creative production company Ambassadors and founded the Ambassadors Innovation Lab in 2011. At the Lab, he launched Cube, a creative production platform that streamlines how brands and agencies like Booking.com, Dyson, N26 and TBWA\NEBOKO manage and create content. Diederik also founded Vocoda.ai in 2020, an AI-voice studio that creates highly expressive voices for advertising.
As I reflect on my first experience both speaking and attending SXSW, my mind's still racing from the ideas and conversations. We're about to dive into some of the biggest takeaways on AI in the real world, brain-computer interfaces, and where tech is heading next. It's a lot to unpack, but these insights are shaping up to be game-changers for the way we interact with the world around us. Let's get into my six key takeaways:
1. The Evolution of AI Towards Real-World Understanding
AI is moving beyond simple data analysis to understand the complexities of the real world. With large language models trained on the diverse content of the internet, AI's grasp of human perceptions is deepening. However, it still lacks a fundamental understanding of, and capability for, real-world planning. This limitation becomes apparent when considering the process of making decisions ahead of time. For instance, if we're hungry and decide to grab some lunch from the fridge, this decision requires planning: recognizing the need to eat, deciding to walk towards the fridge, and then physically moving from our chair to reach the destination. Humans excel at envisioning future scenarios and determining the necessary steps to realise them. In contrast, AI models currently fall short in this aspect of planning, illustrating a significant gap in its ability to navigate and interact with the physical world effectively. Research into new model architectures that should enable this kind of training in the future are currently developed by all major players, with some interesting early signs coming from Meta with their Joint Embedding Predictive Architecture (JEPA).
2. The Challenge and Promise of Brain-Computer Interfaces
The development of brain-computer interfaces and the widespread use of wearables like the Apple Watch mark a turning point in how technology collects biometric data, emphasising privacy. These devices, though basic in appearance, are sophisticated in function, capturing detailed physiological responses under the premise of health monitoring. This ability to gather and analyse human reactions to various stimuli is crucial for the development of both external wearables and internal implants, like those by Neuralink, broadening the scope of human-technology interaction.
3. Technology’s Dual Role: Enhancing Life and Guarding Privacy
This surge in data collection brings to light potential privacy concerns and the possibility of misuse. For example, devices like the Apple Vision Pro, though early in development, demonstrate the capability to monitor eye movements and, potentially in the future, brain activity, highlighting the fine line between innovation and intrusion. The intimate connection between these devices and their users raises questions about the ethics of data usage and the need for transparency. In navigating the future of BCIs and wearables, the challenge lies in balancing technological breakthroughs with the protection of individual privacy, ensuring that advancements enhance human life without compromising personal integrity. For example, in a situation where a user is exposed to an advertisement, his biometrics might reveal his instinctive reaction to the ad without his awareness or consent.
4. Sustainability and Health: Technology’s Expanding Impact
SXSW also spotlighted the significant role of technology in promoting sustainability and health. Surprisingly, the focus was less on entertainment and more on solutions aimed at human well-being, and the use of technology in this field. Innovations in solar and geothermal energy, alongside medical advancements such as CRISPR for treating sickle cell disease, emphasise technology's capability in paving the way for a sustainable and healthy future. It was amazing to see how many Virtual Reality experiences addressed medical and mental health challenges. From navigating traumas and psychosis using VR glasses to exploring emotional states through painting on one's body, fostering self-reflection and understanding. These developments highlight technology's far-reaching impact, extending beyond digital realms to significantly influence environmental sustainability and healthcare.
5. The Emergence of Decentralised Technologies and the Evolution Exploring
The shift towards decentralised platforms marks a transformative phase in how social media ecosystems operate. Unlike traditional centralised models, where control is held by singular entities, decentralised platforms propose a paradigm where power and governance are distributed among its users. This movement not only demonstrates a significant change in managing data and content but also emphasises user autonomy, privacy, and the potential for creating more equitable digital spaces. As we witness the rise of what's termed as "Twitter killers" by MIT’s Technology Review division, the conversation extends beyond the technicalities to the broader implications for digital community building, information sharing, and the redefinition of online interactions in an era prioritising transparency and user control of Social Media. What intrigues me in this scenario is the possibility of a decentralised advertising model, and moreover, what would that look like.
6. The Dawn of Next-Generation AI
Ray Kurzweil opened up a discussion into the future of AI, illustrating a journey towards achieving and even surpassing human intelligence. By leveraging exponential growth in computational power, AI is on the verge of not only mimicking human thought processes but also integrating diverse forms of knowledge and expertise across languages and disciplines. Kurzweil's anticipation of AI passing the Turing Test by 2029 underscores an imminent era where distinguishing between human and machine intelligence becomes increasingly challenging. Furthermore, his projection towards 2045 and the concept of the singularity—a point where AI's intelligence exponentially surpasses human understanding—poses profound implications for humanity. This future beckons a paradigm shift in human-computer interaction, heralding a new age of cognitive collaboration and possibly, a redefinition of consciousness itself. This trajectory not only emphasises the acceleration of AI capabilities but also the critical need for advancements in neural interfaces to ensure humans can keep pace with AI's evolutionary path.
As we navigate this landscape, the insights point towards a future where technology enhances human capability, promotes sustainability, and requires thoughtful consideration of privacy and ethical implications. As we look ahead, it's clear that our journey with technology is only becoming more intertwined, demanding thoughtful engagement and openness to the transformative changes on the horizon.
Thank you to Digital Dutch Wave, Creative NL, and New Dutch Wave for making this experience possible by inviting me to speak on Immersive Tech for Good?, and a special shoutout to Ben Houdijk for capturing these moments.
Image credit: Ben Houdijk
