Talia Cotton to Speak at SXSW 2027’s Innovation Conference

Talia Cotton will speak at the SXSW 2027 Innovation Conference in Austin, Texas. She joins John Maeda in the Design track, with the broader conference featuring speakers including AI researcher Timnit Gebru, futurist Amy Webb, poppi founder Allison Ellsworth, and social psychologist Amy Cuddy.

Drawing on a decade at the intersection of design and technology, Cotton’s talk challenges the question of what technology will do to creativity, asking instead how creatives can shape its possibilities. Through historical examples, a proven methodology, and real-world case studies, she offers a pragmatic perspective on the fear that AI will replace creative work—and how creatives can embrace technology without sacrificing craft, meaning, or authorship. The session explores what makes creative work distinctive and what will keep it irreplaceable.

SXSW takes place in Austin, Texas, on March 15–21, 2027.