Sustainability, AI in video games, and your very own Darth Vader chamber.
By Timothy Beck Werth on March 17, 2026
SXSW isn’t just about movies or music. The annual Austin festival has also become a hub for inventors and entrepreneurs who use technology in exciting new ways.
While my colleagues in the entertainment section score interviews with Dropout TV stars and hit the I Love Boosters red carpet, I went looking for the latest in tech. Here’s what I learned while attending panels on robots, playing next-gen VR games, interviewing AI experts — and consuming a lot of tacos for energy.
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AI Doom is out. AI Apocaloptimism is in.
If it feels like they’re adding AI to everything, it’s because they are. Every other booth and event at SXSW seemed to feature some new AI integration. It’s a gold rush, still loves a bubble until it pops.
SXSW offered panels about runaway AI, job loss, environmental crisis, cognitive decline, and everything else to fuel a panic attack, followed by a consoling round of drinks at the IBM AI Sports Club for humans who feel obsolete.
But between AI doomers and the AI goldrush crowd, a middle path is emerging: AI Apocaloptimism.
The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist is a new documentary at SXSW. Mashable hosted a panel about the movie with its producer, Daniel Kwan (one half of the “Daniels” duo that directed 2023 Oscar winner Everything Everywhere All At Once).
An Apocaloptimist, according to Kwan’s movie, is someone aware of AI’s perils but also its promises. The AI Doc calls for responsible AI development and regulation. Catch it in theaters from March 27.
Bleeding-edge tech on display at XR Exhibition
As in years past, SXSW’s XR Exhibition showcased artists, pranksters, and game developers with installations on XR technology’s cutting edge. It wasn’t new, but it showed more staying power than the AI trend. Crowds were most excited about this event; there was a queue and rush as the hall opened.
Ironically, this event’s popularity may signal that XR isn’t popular in the wider world. Most people don’t own Meta Quests, Galaxy XR headsets, or Snap Spectacles, so they seize the chance to try them.
SXSW saw the global debut of Fabula Rasa, a virtual reality game driven by fully improvised and AI-generated conversations. I wrote about the experience immediately after trying it, and it could preview what RPG games might become in the AI era.
Imagine no more dialogue trees or circular conversations—you can talk, in real time, to every character you meet.
SEE ALSO: ‘Fabula Rasa’ is the new AI VR game that made me ask: Is this the future of RPGs?
Snap also hosted the U.S. debut of a new augmented reality art exhibition with Jonathan Yeo, the painter behind a controversial portrait of Sir King Charles, powered by Snap Spectacles.
Some AI is doing good
ElevenLabs, the AI audio company, announced a new initiative at SXSW: restoring 1 million voices for people with permanent voice loss.
The news was shared with Rebecca Gayheart Dane, actress and wife of the late actor Eric Dane, who passed after battling ALS. Dane worked with ElevenLabs to clone his voice, which he used to communicate with family and care team. ElevenLabs is now seeking global participants for the 1 Million Voices Initiative.
“Because [AI] can be used for good, and maybe this will inspire others, other AI companies, to do something good with their capabilities instead of something nefarious,” Gayheart Dane said.
A Silicon Valley founder noted ElevenLabs is “dialed in,” and the company is rapidly releasing products and models. Despite a less successful AI music album, the company is generating buzz with new models and AI tools. Several at SXSW mentioned using ElevenLabs voice models in their products, including Fabula Rasa.
Robotaxis are everywhere
In Austin and San Francisco, robotaxis are old news. As someone from New York, I took my first Waymo robotaxi rides in Austin. It was weird!
Rivian sponsored SXSW, showing a self-driving electric truck. I also saw numerous Zoox robotaxis, and Tesla showcased its new Tesla Robotaxis. (I saw a Robotaxi in a display case being towed by a Cybertruck.)
Welcome to the future. The cars aren’t flying, but they are driving themselves.
Sustainability tech
Climate and sustainability remain popular SXSW topics, and this year was no exception. Several sustainability startups were recognized at the annual SXSW pitch competition, with preventing waste a common theme among winners.
Startups like PLNTmatter turn plant waste into sustainable fabrics, EcoSphere Organ