SXSW 2026 Updates: Day 2 Has the All-American Rejects, Mythical Kitchen and More

One thing about me, I like to go fast. Really fast. Concerningly fast. And thanks to Rivian’s new R2 lineup, we can go 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds. 

I piled into one of Rivian’s sleek new R2 mid-size electric SUVs with a CNET social producer and the R2’s chief engineer, Max Koff. (I wasn’t driving.) We went as fast as we could go while taking a joyride in the middle of downtown Austin, Texas. 

Rivian assembled huge piles of dirt in the middle of N. Congress Avenue to create an off-roading experience that showcases R2’s dexterity and ability to drive on all types of terrain. From cruising through the busy streets of Austin to taking an incline at a 30-degree angle to plunging straight down a huge hill rollercoaster-style (yes, my stomach dropped), Rivian’s new model was smooth and, well, really dang fun to ride in.

Before I hopped into the back seat for a showcase of the dynamic, precise driving experience, I met with Wassym Bensaid, Rivian’s chief software officer, for an in-person demo of the new software updates and features. 

Bensaid told me about Rivian’s new in-cabin AI assistant. But I was also impressed by the new Haptic Halo Wheels — dials built into the steering wheel capable of scrolling, pushing, pulling, and tilting — and the large, sleek center screen, designed to be easy to use for both driver and passenger. I think my favorite new feature, though, was a camera that lets you check in on your pet in the back seat. Yeah, that’s awesome.

Movie buffs have a lot to look forward to this week at SXSW. Documentaries, romance, comedy, horror and drama flicks are all set to make their debuts at the festival. Our friends at CNET’s sibling site Mashable break down 17 movies attendees shouldn’t miss. 

If you’re not attending SXSW this year, you’ll have to wait a while before you can get a chance to see many of these movies, as it can take time before films move from the festival circuit to theaters. Some, however, are available soon. Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist, Pretty Lethal and They Will Kill You all receive theatrical releases later this month. 

It’s Day 1 of SXSW in Austin, but you don’t have to be in Texas to enjoy it. You can watch several conference sessions live on YouTube. Here’s what’s on the schedule today (all times are CT):

• 9:30 a.m.: Welcome to SXSW with the event’s head of programming, Greg Rosenbaum. 
• 10 a.m.: Moonshots that Move the Needle: A panel discussion on helping develop technological innovations and programs aimed at teaching and learning. 
• 11:30 a.m.: Strategy in the Times of Chaos: Imagining Futures of Education. Experts will discuss ways of “building more just and equitable futures.”
• 1 p.m.: Keynote: Jennifer B. Wallace: The bestselling author will talk about mattering, our need as humans to “feel valued and add value” as a key to wellbeing. 
• 2:30 p.m.: How to Support Resilient Youth in an AI World: AI experts, including Google DeepMind’s Miriam Schneider, will discuss how AI is changing how young people learn and develop. 
• 4 p.m.: Social Health Trends & Predictions: Connection is the New Frontier. Author Kasley Killam will explore the future of our social relationships. 

It’s hard for me to picture what my world looked like before the advent of computers in our pockets, the constant routine of toggling between apps and scrolling through endless notifications. We live our lives inside the attention economy — and never really step out of it. 

That’s the tension the new documentary Your Attention Please confronts, premiering this week at SXSW. 

I got to speak with director Sara Robin, alongside Trisha Prabhu, a participant in the documentary and the inventor of the anti-cyberbullying technology ReThink, about the film. We discussed the process of making the documentary, how social media rewired what we value as humans and how AI is exacerbating the anxieties already brought about by the digital age. You can read my full story on Your Attention Please here. 

SXSW starts Thursday and runs through March 18. It takes place in Austin across dozens of venues, from big downtown hotels to small music venues.

SXSW is actually several events in one. There’s a music festival, a film and TV festival, a comedy festival and an education conference. SXSW 2025 drew more than 300,000 people across all of the events. 

Want to see what’s happening at SXSW yourself? The full schedule is available on the website, but much of the programming is limited to on-site attendees who paid for a pass.

Not everything is exclusive to those in Austin, however. You can watch live streams of several events each day, especially keynotes and featured sessions with some of the biggest names. That schedule is here, and streams will be available on YouTube and other platforms. 

I’m not making the trip to Austin this year, but I was there last year, where I heard a lot of discussion about AI. So much AI. I spoke with experts grappling with the future of this technology and listened to panel discussions about the risks posed by superintelligence and synthetic data. 

I wondered: Can AI and human creativity get along? While some are using the technology to explore new artistic avenues, others see it as competition — tech that’s stealing their work for training data.

Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, posed a critical question for AI developers when it comes to creating systems users can trust: “Who does it work for?”

While many conversations around AI dealt with how it’ll affect the workplace, Nickle LaMoreaux, the chief human resources officer at IBM, said the result will likely be that workers will be judged more on the things only a human can do. 

Sometimes the thing that makes news isn’t what a person says. Then-Bluesky CEO Jay Graber took a jab at Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg without saying his name — just a carefully and cleverly designed T-shirt. Mashable’s Chance Townsend had the story. 

Austin is known for its barbecue, live music and vibrant, lively atmosphere. It’s also known for its ideas, which are as tempting to me as the brisket I’m hoping to devour. 

I’m heading to SXSW this week for the first time. I imagine there’ll be a distinct pulse to the city, a palpable electricity that everyone who visits can feel, especially when a massive global event is underway. And between the premieres and panels, and concerts and crowds, I’m hoping to stumble on the next big innovation that will shape our world. 

AI will likely be a focal point, but I’m also expecting to see a true intersection of human connection, art and technology. SXSW has always been a melting pot: directors and actors sharing sidewalks with tech founders, musicians hauling guitars past venture capitalists and comedians, and journalists like me trying to keep up with everything. (And believe me, I’ll try my very best to keep up.) 

That collision is the true magic of SXSW. 

I’m especially ready to hear about the path of creative storytelling and emerging tech in 2026. How are artists and innovators finessing the AI evolution? How are they trying to reshape how these tools will be used, rather than letting the tools reshape them? 

I’m also jittery for discovery. Which documentary will break open a viral discussion? Which celebrity guest is going to generate the most buzz? What offhand comment in a panel is going to shape headlines for the next few days? 

SXSW has more to see and do than I can reasonably aim to cover in just a few days. I’m told it’s chaotic, overwhelming, exhausting, exhilarating and energizing. And that’s exactly where I need to be. I can’t wait.