The Forrest Four-Cast: October 18, 2016

Hugh Forrest

Oct 18, 2016·4 min read

A month ago, I put together 10 predicted trends for March 2017 in Austin. For today’s offering, I want to review those predictions in the context of the giant content SXSW announcement from Monday, October 17.

Generation Z. The strong focus on Millennials at SXSW over the last few years will fade as more 2017 content addresses the actions and behaviors this even younger demographic. Sampling of SXSW 2017 content that will push this predicted trend:

1. #OTTNO: Shifting Marketing to Gen Z
2. Good is the New Cool: Market Like You Give a Damn
3. How New Media is Redefining the Meaning of Luxury
4. How to Win the Hearts and Wallets of Young Donors
5. Not Just Another Whiny Millennial Panel

Health and Med-Tech. More and more of the dialogue in March will tackle new ways to heal and disrupt the human body. Jennifer Doudna’s keynote on CRISPR will kick things off. Sampling of SXSW 2017 content that will push this predicted trend:

1. Anthony Bossis Featured Session
2. Can I Trust My AI Therapist?
3. Collaborative Innovation in the Digital Health Age
4. Mind the Machines: Neurotech & AI for Brain Health
5. Patient Centric Healthcare: The Future of Health

Artificial Smartness. The Kevin Kelly term for the kind of computer-enhanced functionality that improves human efficiency will gain even more momentum by next spring. Sampling of SXSW 2017 content that will push this predicted trend:

1. AI and Deep Learning Tech — Are We Ready
2. AI and the Suburbanization of the Mind
3. AI in America: Preparing Our Kids
4. AI on the Horizon: Challenges, Directions, Futures
5. AI Replaces Search: Future of Customer Acquisition

Neuroscience. Judging from the 28 proposals related to this topic in the 2017 PanelPicker, digital creatives want to know more about how our brains process information. Sampling of SXSW 2017 content that will push this predicted trend:

1. Brain, Behavior, Story: Mind-Changing Narratives
2. Brain Computer Interfaces
3. Next Generation Marketing with Neuroscience
4. The Symbiosis of Brains, Marketing, and Design
5. This Is Your Brain On Story: Neuroscience+The Moth

Transportation 2.0. From self-driving cars to lightning-quick trains to commercial spacecraft excursions, geeks are completely re-inventing the process of getting from Point A to Point B. Sampling of SXSW 2017 content that will push this predicted trend:

1. Accelerating the Race to Self-Driving Cars
2. Boom! Bringing Back Supersonic Flight
3. Designing Infrastructure for Autonomous Cars
4. One Answer to Driverless Cars: Keeping the Driver
5. Padmasree Warrior Featured Session

International / China. International attendees are coming to SXSW in higher and higher numbers. Expect even more of this next spring — with an even bigger push from Chinese entrepreneurs and startups. Sampling of SXSW 2017 content that will push this predicted trend:

1. Beyond Borders: Mexico’s SMART Funds & Innovation
2. How Musical.ly Stormed the Tween World from China
3. Made in China: The Maker Movement Goes East
4. Next Innovation Nation: Inside Pakistan’s Startup Culture
5. Reinventing Japan’s Innovation Culture

Diversity Rocks. The message that diversity (in all of its many forms) more often than not makes for better business results will always be trending in March in Austin. Sampling of SXSW 2017 content that will push this predicted trend:

1. Candice Morgan Featured Session
2. Diversity-Friendly Software
3. Diversity in Tech: Readiness to Recruitment
4. Diversity Now: Pushing Boundaries Forward
5. Elephant on Madison Avenue

Chatbots. The fire that Facebook Messenger helped light will only get larger in the next few months. Attend Ben Brown’s upcoming event to learn more much sooner on this one. Sampling of SXSW 2017 content that will push this predicted trend:

1. Build a Chatbot: The New Consumer Engagement Tool
2. Could Bots Do Your Job Better Than You?
3. Designing Intelligent Conversations with Chatbots
4. How Bots Are Automating Fact-Checking
5. Ready Or Not, The Bots Have Risen!

Television Re-Imagined. From next generation content to ever-more functional delivery devices, even more conversation at SXSW will address the many ways that TV continues to improve. Sampling of SXSW 2017 content that will push this predicted trend:

1. Bingers & Time-Shifters: The Future of TV Marketing
2. Kathryn Hahn Featured Session
3. Lee Daniels Keynote Speech
4. Live Sports & Cordcutters: The Future of Streaming
5. Livestreaming and the Future of Food TV

Convergence. A more inclusive badge system for March 2017 will help blur the increasingly irrelevant lines between the industries previously known as music and film and interactive. Sampling of SXSW 2017 content that will push this predicted trend:

1. Adam Savage Featured Session
2. Gareth Edwards Keynote Speech
3. Jill Soloway Keynote Speech
4. Peggy Orenstein Featured Session
5. Zane Low Keynote Speech

The list above is extensive, but clearly does not reflect all the new, innovative, and exciting ideas that we will be covering at SXSW 2017. Browse the 750+ session titles announced yesterday to come up with your own ideas on what topics will get the most buzz in Austin next spring.

Also, reminder to buy your SXSW badge before the end of the day on Friday, October 21 to save up to $400 on the walkup rate for March Magic in Austin. View this short video for a reminder on the enhanced badge functionality for the 2017 event.