The Best of SXSW 2025
10 Articles Exploring Sustainable Development, Innovation, and the Ethical Implementation of AI
South by Southwest (SXSW) may be best known for its vibrant music and film scenes, but it’s also home to two sizable conferences featuring over 2,000 sessions on a wide range of topics. Over the past month, our team closely followed these sessions — listening, distilling key insights, and writing articles — so you wouldn’t miss any of the crucial updates emerging from Austin. This is especially important if you’re passionate about the Sustainable Development Goals, data innovations, and breakthrough uses of AI for Good.
Here’s an overview of our ten in-depth articles from SXSW 2025 and the EDU pre-conference:
- Focus on Food Systems at SXSW
- Clean Energy Discussions at SXSW 2025
- 5 Featured AI Sessions from SXSW 2025 you can watch now
- Empowering Responsible AI
- 10 Breakthrough Technologies Shaping Sustainable Development
- From AI Arms Race to Global Collaboration
- Harnessing Data for Academic Improvement
Be sure to also check out the articles written by our sister-publication for insights in social entrepreneurship, startups, and philanthropy.
Session Spotlights
SXSW 2025 showcased a diverse range of sessions across both the main conference and the EDU pre-conference. Here are seven articles covering thirteen sessions most relevant to our readers.
Focus on Food Systems at SXSW
Panelists from the public and private sector discuss how innovations in food-tech can provide meaningful impact across 9 of the 16 Sustainable Development Goals.
Clean Energy Discussions at SXSW 2025
An overview of five sessions at SXSW that address climate and environmental concerns through the lens of clean energy, including discussions on grid optimization, advanced battery storage, next-generation nuclear solutions, and the untapped potential of ocean energy.
5 Featured AI Sessions from SXSW 2025 you can watch now
While audio is available for most sessions, these five featured discussions can be viewed on YouTube. They offer diverse perspectives — from rethinking corporate AI transformations and redefining user interfaces to revolutionizing media production, exploring the convergence of AI and quantum computing, and democratizing AI evaluation.
Empowering Responsible AI
Dr. Rumman Chowdhury is a leading voice in the field of ethical and safe AI. In this article, we break down 10 quotes from an interview with her at SXSW to bring readers up to speed on this essential conversation.
10 Breakthrough Technologies Shaping Sustainable Development
Every year, MIT releases its list of 10 breakthrough technologies. We examine each technology and break down what they could mean for sustainable development.
From AI Arms Race to Global Collaboration
Experts from academia and international non-profits discuss the future of global AI governance. We examine the key insights and what they mean for the SDGs.
Harnessing Data for Academic Improvement
During this EDU pre-conference session, education leaders examined how data-driven strategies can transform academic recovery efforts in the post-pandemic era.
Thematic Overview Articles
The following articles were written ahead of the SXSW conference to highlight specific sessions on important topics. In many cases, audio for the spotlighted sessions is available.
Powering the Future
Seven sessions that offer a global perspective on how innovative technologies and integrated energy systems are driving the clean energy transition in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
AI For Global Impact
Ten sessions bring together global leaders, tech innovators, and policy experts to explore the transformative role of data in powering clean energy, advancing health equity, ensuring smart urban growth, and more.
Exploring AI at SXSW EDU
The EDU pre-conference provided education leaders with the opportunity to discuss emerging trends and tools. While almost every session mentioned AI at least tangentially, here are ten sessions focused on the technology.
In addition to these articles, be sure to check out the pieces from our sister organization, ! Their focus is on discussions related to social enterprise, startups, and philanthropy.
You can also review our full list of SDG and Data events that we will be following in 2025:
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