News and Insights

5 Takeaways from SXSW 2025

March 20, 2025

South by Southwest 2025 featured FINN Partners talent, clients, and thought leadership throughout all aspects from the event. 

From our own FINN branded stage to a client activation house,  mainstage moments to influencer events, new business meetings moments to petting robot dogs, it was an incredible year for the full team on the ground. 

I was interviewed by Digiday for their SXSW preview story here and what marketers think about brand activations here. 

As far as the content and takeaways, those were incredibly rich this year. 

The mission of SXSW is to help creative people achieve their goals. I’ve been learning from, growing with, and contributing to the SXSW community since 2007, and it’s no secret this event not only helped me achieve my goals, but establish bolder, more aspirational ones. 

From AI advancements and the creator economy to the future of social media and digital ethics, here are some of the most compelling themes that emerged from the festival:

1. AI is Growing Up, But AI 101 is Still Required

While the conversation around AI is shifting toward agentic AI—AI that can act autonomously on our behalf—most people are still catching up on the basics. The learning curve is real, and misinformation isn’t helping. Education is still a major gap, even as the technology races ahead.

2. Deepfakes Could Derail AI Adoption More Than Any Other Factor

Concerns around AI-generated misinformation, especially deepfakes, could damage public trust in AI more than ignorance or lack of utility. If people can’t distinguish reality from manipulation, skepticism will only grow. Set up a family password, folks!

3. The Fediverse is Confusing, But Everyone Understands Email

The short-form social network Bluesky feels like a breath of fresh air and everything the SXSW loved about social media in 2007. But although decentralized social networks like Bluesky and Mastodon are gaining traction, mainstream social users still struggle to understand them. Meanwhile, email remains the universal, open-protocol platform everyone can agree on—a sign that simplicity and open protocols still win. PS: Bluesky’s CEO keynote is a must-watch.

4. The Creator Economy is No Fad—It’s the Future of Marketing

With 73 dedicated tracks and packed rooms featuring Vox Media podcast recordings (and others), it remains that the creator economy isn’t a trend—it’s a fundamental shift in how brands engage audiences. Whether TikTok stays or goes next month, creators will remain central to marketing. But their diversification will be important.

5. The Era of Helper Robots is Finally Here

Robots are finally moving beyond Roombas. Thanks to generative AI, spatial data, and 3D mapping, they can now learn faster and adapt to real-world environments more effectively. Just like AI-powered robotaxis, “robot butlers” are becoming easier to train—bringing us closer to a future where they can assist in meaningful ways. We’re not there yet, but we’re getting close.

One of the biggest takeaways from SXSW 2025 is the ever-present call to be active participants in shaping emerging technology’s role in our lives. AI isn’t an unstoppable force—it’s something we can guide, shape, and use responsibly. Particularly those of us with the education, privilege, access, and voice to help shape it.