#SXSW: Stay hungry, stay foolish
In Austin, the international tech community recently came together for #SXSWInteractive to discuss future technologies, ranging from artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing, to the Internet of Things and blockchain. There was a focus on completely tangible applications that are well within our reach such as self-driving vehicles, in addition to supposedly far off scenarios like State Minister for Digitization Dorothee Bär’s often-quoted air taxis. In Germany she has been laughed at for being a dreamer by those who would rather she focused on expanding Germany’s fiber optic network.
Air taxis were also a big topic at #SXSW — a very promising one, too. They could soon become part of our daily lives, as shown by the likes of Chinese drone manufacturer, Ehang, Uber, Google founder Larry Page’s Kitty Hawk and the all-electrical, vertical take-off Lilium Jet. Frank Thelen has also invested in the latter. A recent study conducted by my colleagues at Porsche Consulting on the topic of “The Future of Vertical Mobility” gives us a bit of background information on this issue. In short: not all Germans think this topic is utopian rubbish or a ridiculous dream 😉
And that’s just as well.
Never stop dreaming, never stop asking: what was unthinkable a few years ago, is ever-present today
Even just a few years ago, intelligent, digital assistants like Alexa were unthinkable or only seen as something from an episode of Star Trek. Back in 2006 only a few dreamers believed that we would be able to operate machines with our natural speaking voices and that they would understand us and make our everyday lives easier. And yet, this is now a reality. A major reason for this is the exponential development of technology, in which the performance of machines increases more and more significantly in less and less time. Frank Schmiechen’s guest contribution to Welt online is worth reading on this topic. He classifies which future technological scenarios are utopian — and which are entirely realistic. The bottom line of this is also my most important takeaway from the SXFX digital festival: never stop dreaming. Never stop asking.
I wouldn’t call myself a dreamer. Nor am I a silicon valley fan girl who welcomes every development from California and wants to turn Germany into an offshoot.
But I do have a vision of a smarter future in which technology plays a crucial role and helps to make our lives better. Of course technology is no panacea but rather a tool that allows creative, intelligent minds to address the challenges of our time and in doing so, ensure that our traditions, people and values are not forgotten. But at the same time, I strongly believe in its potential, its transforming power. This deviates significantly from the general techno-sceptic attitude in Germany — here, change is all too often regarded negatively. But change is the only constant.
The future will emerge from a combination of creativity and technology
For this reason, I found the atmosphere, the talks and above all the ideas from the SXSW community insanely inspirational. One of the things that really particularly impressed me was the talk by Walter Isaacson and his comparisons with Leonardo da Vinci.
I really wish that this spirit was more prevalent here in Germany — at the same time, I’m also grateful that I get to work with so many wonderful people and startups such as XAIN, evopark and home-ix, who all think the same way as I do. Who all dream, fantasize and never stop asking questions. Who have the courage to turn a dream into a vision and put it into action. Who don’t just tell others about their vision, but want to show them exactly what is possible. And who are also breaking new ground, developing and testing new methods and processes. In this way, they combine creativity and technology, creating free spaces in which innovation can emerge — in short: #bestteam!
More inspiration?
For more inspiration and to further broaden your horizons, here are two tangible and practical tips that I’ve taken away from SXSW. Take a look at the incredibly extensive, but definitely worth reading, “Tech Trends Report 2018” by Amy Webb. In his talk (and book) about “Non-obvious Trends”, author Rohit Bhargava also recommends going to a newsstand and buying a magazine that you’re not the target reader of. This will open up completely new perspectives! With this in mind: Stay hungry, stay foolish — maybe read something about fishing, knitting, or French interior design.
And if that’s a bit too far for you, read about our latest project at the Porsche Digital Lab in Berlin.
