SXSW 2026 Updates: What We Expect on Tech and Culture From Austin

Film producer Cheryl Miller Houser speaks during a session on human-centered storytelling during SXSW 2025 in Austin, Texas.

The internationally recognized South by Southwest festival, which officially kicks off Thursday for a week of panels and performances, is set to bring icons from TV, film, music, comedy, tech and more to Austin, Texas. SXSW sits at the intersection of technology and culture, giving the floor to a variety of innovators and talent mapping out the future. 

Legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg, actor Jamie Lee Curtis, fitness guru Robin Arzón and chef José Andrés make up just a fraction of the star-studded lineup. Executives from companies such as Spotify, Nothing, Google DeepMind, OpenAI, Signal, Cloudflare, and more will also be there. 

Artificial intelligence will naturally be the talk of the ...