Lake Travis in Texas. An impressive lake with an even more impressive view. Lake Travis is an immense body of water, spanning a length of 102.6 kilometres and a maximum width of 7.2 kilometres. It boasts 436 miles of shoreline and covers 7,665 hectares: it nurses a potential storage capacity of 970,946,976 litres of water. However, drought conditions are affecting Central Texas, water levels at the lake are close to 10 meters lower than average, leaving the lake is 46% full.
Drought and sprinklers
We all know and love Texas for their big trucks, loud guns, and sometimes controversial political movements. Yet is this probably the reason why the average Texan isn’t really thinking about the global climate crisis. So, green lanes are drying out, dirt bikes are exploring dried out riverbeds. The sprinklers on the golf courts blast like there is no tomorrow. Part of this state catapulted itself mentally a century backwards.
Luckily, the annual SXSW Conference in Austin is a refreshing antidote for the right-wing political scene in Texas. One of the biggest innovation gatherings on the planet starts today in downtown Austin. The line-up is impressive: It promises to be an exciting and vibrant gathering of industry leaders, technologists, robots, contrarian thinkers, eth(n)ical fighters, human right organizations, students, bankers, artists, activists, techno dreamers, digital anthropologists, CEOs, influencers, investors, crypto bro’s, celebrities, creatives and flat out bizaroids from various fields and all continents. If you were to walk here, you would feel the question burning: “What more can we dream off?”
Melting pot of tracks and an impressive line-up
The SXSW Conference has 25 tracks of programming covering various topics including technology, design, marketing, transportation, ethics, and more. At the heart of the conference, you’ll find the eight Interactive Tracks are particularly future-focused and include the 2050 track for big-picture thinking, Advertising & Brand Experience for engaging audiences, Design for intentional creation, Energy for energy-related issues, Health & MedTech for healthcare changes, Markets & Economies for disruptions in commerce, Tech Industry for innovation, and Transportation for advancements in travel.
”Our group of Featured Speakers marks a significant first step towards a phenomenal SXSW 2023, representing the full spectrum of the creative industries that converge in Austin.
Hugh ForrestChief Programming Officer
The SXSW Conference is indeed unveiling a plethora of impressive speakers this year, including a star-studded lineup of industry leaders, artists, and celebrities such as musician Nick Jonas, actor Tommy Dorfman, writer Cheryl Strayed, entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian, Martin Luther King III, filmmaker Damon Lindelof, and actor and producer Eva Longoria. The lineup also features rapper Blxst, drag performer Gottmik, tech entrepreneur Austin Russell, Allyson Felix, a former Olympic track and field athlete, Douglas Rushkoff, a media theorist, Cecile Richards, a lifelong activist and advocate and the flat-out fantastic futurist Amy Webb.
Artificial Intelligence
The conference covers a wide range of topics, including quantum technology, transportation, future of work, and AI’s impact on society. AI is a hot topic with promising potential, but also raises concerns.