South by Southwest (SXSW) has unveiled more than 250 sessions for the 2026 Innovation, Music, and Film & TV Conferences, taking place March 12–18 in Austin, Texas. The announcement marks the 40th edition of SXSW and includes programming developed through the festival’s PanelPicker platform, which allows the public to help shape the event’s agenda through community voting and feedback.
This year’s lineup reflects an extraordinary cross-section of industries and ideas, with leaders from Adobe, Anthropic, Disney, Mars Wrigley, Microsoft, MIT, Nuuly, Paramount+, PGA Tour, Pinterest, Ubisoft, Wikipedia, and many others set to explore the future of technology, marketing, health, design, and entertainment. From discussions about humanity’s role in the age of artificial intelligence to the evolving psychology of marketing, the topics continue SXSW’s tradition of blending creativity, innovation, and social impact.
While AI remains a dominant focus, the submissions revealed an increasing interest in its human implications—how creativity, ethics, and emotion persist in a tech-driven world. Branding and marketing followed closely behind, comprising nearly one-third of all proposals, with attention on consumer evolution, creator-led storytelling, and resource-conscious brand strategy. Health-related sessions rounded out the top three, including conversations on longevity, innovation in medicine, and the growing emphasis on mental health, which accounted for about 10% of all submissions.
Greg Rosenbaum, SXSW’s Senior Vice President of Programming, described the 40th edition as a milestone that reinforces SXSW’s role as a meeting ground for visionaries across industries. He emphasized that “humans” were at the center of this year’s programming, with each track exploring how innovation affects people, creativity, and the planet.
The 2026 Innovation Conference will span ten key tracks, from Tech & AI and Brand & Marketing to Health, Design, Sports & Gaming, Startups, and Workplace, alongside the Music and Film & TV Conferences. Highlights include physicist Anthony Aguirre and ethicist Tristan Harris in “How We Could Lose Control: Avoiding the Paths to Runaway AI,” a fireside chat exploring the real risks of advanced AI systems; “The Anime Advantage: Brand Strategy Meets Cultural Power,” featuring voices from Crunchyroll, Twitch, MLB, and more, examining anime’s expanding influence in global branding; and “An Influential Conversation with Jordan ‘The Stallion,’” a session delving into authenticity, audience connection, and the creator economy with Influential CCO Chris Detert and viral storyteller Jordan Howlett.
Other standout panels include “Launching a New WNBA Team: The Story of the Toronto Tempo,” offering an inside look at the league’s first Canadian team ahead of its 2026 debut, and “The AI-Powered Bionic Revolution Has Already Begun,” where bionic limb pioneer Aadeel Akhtar will discuss how artificial intelligence is reshaping assistive technology and human potential.
Beyond the conference sessions, SXSW 2026 will introduce several new features designed to enhance the attendee experience. Downtown Austin will transform into a connected creative village anchored by three Clubhouses—Innovation, Film & TV, and Music—serving as gathering points surrounded by thematically linked events. A refreshed badge system will also debut, allowing attendees to make daily session reservations and plan their schedules with greater flexibility.
Those looking to participate still have opportunities to join through the Music Festival, which will feature seven nights of performances across Austin’s most celebrated venues, or SXSW Pitch, where startups can showcase new technologies to industry leaders and investors.
Founded in 1987, SXSW has evolved into one of the world’s most influential gatherings for creative professionals, spanning film, music, technology, education, and culture. The 2026 event follows SXSW EDU, which runs March 9–12. With its recent expansion to Sydney in 2023 and London in 2025, SXSW now spans three continents, offering a global platform for innovation and creative exchange.
SXSW 2026 runs March 12–18 in downtown Austin and is driven by Rivian. More details, including the full schedule of sessions, are available at sxsw.com.
