See This From SXSW: Transformation Tales
The Forrest Four-Cast: April 5, 2018
If you couldn’t make SXSW 2018 in person, then you missed an incredible ride through a dense thicket of bold ideas from innovative thinkers taking on nothing short of global and personal transformation. But you can view what you might have missed at March Magic 2018 by visiting the SXSW YouTube Channel. Or, for a more curated tour of this content, check out the below videos for some life-altering, mind-bending thinking.
The Power of Ideas to Transform the World: Called “the restless genius” by The Wall Street Journal and “the ultimate thinking machine” by Forbes, Ray Kurzweil (pictured above) sat down with Mashable’s Jessica Coen for a conversation about the rapidly moving frontier of artificial intelligence — the implications and possibilities. Kurzweil predicts that by 2029, artificial intelligence will pass the Turing Test, meaning it will match (and exceed) human intelligence in every area. Progress is at a steep part of the exponential curve and Kurzweil believes his prediction is, if anything, conservative. He sees this not as an alien invasion of intelligent machines, but rather as an ultimate tool to extend our own reach. Essentially, we will use AI to intensify human intelligence in the way that a lens can intensify the power of the sun. Ultimately, this new form of hybrid intelligence will enable us to solve humanity’s grandest challenges.
The Power of Purpose in Business and Life: In today’s world of hyper-connectivity and cultural divide, people feel disconnected from themselves and their core purpose — both in their life, work and even country — especially in America. This is where the power of Purpose comes in. In his address, Roy Spence launched The Promiseland Project, a long-term grassroots campaign to unleash the power of Purpose to bridge the cultural divide in America. Politics is the great divider. Purpose is the great uniter. That is why Purpose — not politics — is the key to opening doors, and unlocking America’s promise and full potential. Roy Spence, CEO and cofounder of The Purpose Institute, has made it his life’s journey to discover the path to purpose for leaders of companies. Now, he’s focused on America.
An audio recording is also available.
Reconnecting the Mind to the Body: As we continue to advance health in the 21st century, we must go beyond treating physical conditions in isolation. Bernard J. Tyson, chairman and CEO of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. and Hospitals — known as Kaiser Permanente, one of America’s leading integrated health care providers and not-for-profit health plans, discusses how mental health affects physical health and vice versa. Just as you would schedule an appointment with your physician if you develop high blood pressure, primary care visits should be used to proactively discuss and educate people about mental health and wellness.
Create the World You Want to Live In: It takes open eyes to see what we can change for the better. It takes creativity to turn ideas into action, and just a single voice to speak. We live in a world where the brands we love can help solve the issues we care about, and where one person’s story, shared at scale, can inspire a movement. In a conversation with Guy Raz, supermodel and entrepreneur Karlie Kloss talked about how learning to code inspired her to launch a nonprofit that empowers girls to learn to code and become leaders in tech, and adidas Head of Global Brands Eric Liedtke addressed channeling the power of sport as a connector to change the industry so we can protect our oceans and world.
Find more great video content here. Also, SXSW podcast content is available by exploring the SXSW online schedule. When you click on a session and see an audio bar, then you’ve got your listening assignment for the day! We’ve made it easier by recapping some of the SXSW highlights. Check out previous roundups of audio content related to Senator Bernie Sanders, The Future of Work, Boosting Benefits, Politics Matters, Culture Changers, Fresh Media Voices, Tech and News, Community Rules, Fake News Facts, Lessons from Vets, Love Rules and Building Inclusion.
If you have an idea for a session for SXSW 2019, mark your calendar for Monday, June 25. That day, we will begin accepting speaking proposals for next year’s event via the SXSW PanelPicker interface. This application process will close Friday, July 20.
Hugh Forrest serves as Chief Programming Officer at SXSW, the world’s most unique gathering of creative professionals. He also tries to write at least four paragraphs per day on Medium. These posts often cover tech-related trends; other times they focus on books, pop culture, sports and other current events.
