First SXSW Sydney ‘select’ sessions reveal big focus on AI and future of work

SXSW Sydney revealed its first Session Select submissions that will be featured during the futurist event in October. And from what we can see so far there is heavy representation when it comes to AI, robotics and the future of work and marketing.

This is the first time that SXSW will be held outside the US, landing in Sydney from October 15-22.

The week-long festival is a celebration of interactive media, tech & innovation, film & television, games, music and so much more.

Just last week SXSW Sydney confirmed that Vans and Dr Martens had signed on as major sponsors alongside Young Henrys. Both are prominent sponsors of SXSW Austin.

Sung-su Lee, Chief A&R Officer and former CEO of SM Entertainment was also announced as a speaker. You can check out other speakers announced back in February here.

The news kept coming this week with the first release of its Session Select program where members of the public were able to vote on the submitted panels they wanted to see at SXSW Sydney.

And there’s certainly a running theme, with many of the sessions so far focusing on the technical flavour of 2023: AI and robots.

Some of the sessions include: It’s 2050 and The Robots are Among Us, Thriving in the Future (of Work), Our Moonshots to Net Zero by 2030 and Rage with The Machine: Harnessing AI creativity in Music and Songwriting; and more.

Future workplaces is also finding a solid home in the program so far, with sessions such as Thriving in the Future (of Work), the Full Stack Human and Finding work life balance: Can we achieve the ultimate goal?

You can discover the entire first round of SXSW Sydney Session Select proposals here.

“We’ve received an unbelievable number of incredible sessions shortlisting them down to 300 for the conference is proving tough but what a great problem to have. The sessions presented today are just a taste of some of the incredible conversations at SXSW Sydney that will shape our future,” Colin Daniels, SXSW Sydney Managing Director, said in a statement.

SXSW also revealed that Main Sequence Ventures, the investment arm of the CSIRO, will be co-partners of the 2050 Conference Track. This program is designed to explore the challenges the world face and the scientific and technological solutions.

“CSIRO and Main Sequence Ventures are proud to partner with SXSW Sydney on their ‘205’ Conference Track’, which will take a big-picture perspective on how innovative science and technology can help solve intractable problems from climate change and health to space exploration and food security,” Professor Elanor Huntington, executive director of Digital, National Facilities & Collections at the CSIRO, said in a statement.

If you’re looking to head along to SXSW Sydney, there are still badges available across different interest areas such as Screen, Gaming and Music. There are also Platinum Badges if you want to see it all. But get in quick because they aren’t getting any cheaper.