SXSW made its London debut this year taking over the creative hub of Shoreditch, East London between June 2-7. Historical venues like the Shoreditch Townhall, Truman Brewery, Christ Church and more were transformed into apt venues for diverse speakers, music icons and movie moguls to show-off British talent. Actor and DJ Idris Elba headlined day three, speaking at the SXSW mainstage and King Charles dropped in to show his support.
SXSW London 2025: Key trends
A diverse program of talks spanned culture, tech, health, media, sports, science, the planet and more at the debut SXSW London.
Highlights from SXSW London. Getty Images for SXSW London.
The event was not without controversy. SXSW is known for leading the charge in creativity and innovation, but over the years politicians have become key figures on the talk tracks in Austin, and in London, politics also took over. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan opened SXSW London, and over the week surprise guests included former prime ministers David Cameron and Tony Blair and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner. SXSW London was accused of “artwashing” with the unannounced politicians prompting some artists to pull out.
Politics aside, like most events these days, AI was an unavoidable topic. WPP CEO, Mark Read believes the AI revolution is “even faster than the internet revolution” and boldly stated, “every ad in the future will use AI,” during his fireside chat. And conscious explorer Deepak Chopra even finds a place for AI in spirituality saying, “AI is like a map, it gives you pointers to become more spiritual if you want to.” Meanwhile, the CEO of Only Fans, Keily Blair wants to ensure AI does not stifle creativity, insisting “there can be no wholly AI content creators on our platform.”
Eight trends that emerged during SXSW London
1. Human-led creativity
Amid AI fervor, luxury retailers are taking a measured approach to AI adoption, seeing it add value back of house, rather than leading on the customer experience or supplanting human creativity.
At the Future of Fashion fireside chat, Grégory Boutté, chief innovation officer at Kering, said the company deploys AI primarily for operational efficiency and supply chain optimization, sharing the example of proprietary algorithms that help predict how collections will sell and guide stock allocation.
Speaking at the Future of Fashion Retailing panel, Barbara Campos, CEO for Joseph suggested that while brands are still figuring out how best to leverage AI, emotional intelligence remains crucial. “Retail hasn’t yet completely understood what AI can do. It’s not replacing the human any time soon. I like to see it as a buddy, dealing with back of housework: stock, inventory, rotas, etc, allowing the associate to spend more time with customer and give them more care and attention.”
Overall, the in-store experience will remain the peak of luxury, with technology best deployed driving customers there, according to Boutté. He believes “luxury shines in the store” which is, “the sacrosanct part of the experience.”
Despite the advantages of AI, human-led creativity will be the ultimate differentiator in a high-touch business like luxury he said, adding, “The more AI is involved in other industries, the more we think that having creativity led by a creative team and a creative director is going to further differentiate us as luxury houses.”
Mark Read, CEO of WPP agrees. When it comes to creative campaigns, he says “innovation comes from a mental leap” which comes from people not AI. However, he does believe AI will be a productivity booster and improve the quality of WPP’s products. (Contents)
2. Creator empowerment
Rather than seeing it as a threat, creators are turning technology to their advantage. Take the growing number of platforms which allow creators to engage, build and monetize audiences directly.
Via a subscription model from which it takes a 10% cut, Substack allows for direct audience engagement, enabling creators to “own the relationship with their audience,” and earn revenue, even if the audience is small. Some - including journalist and writer Emma Gannon who moderated a fireside chat with Substack co-founder Hamish McKenzie – have even accrued six-figure earnings. “The special sauce is the model,” said McKenzie, “the only way Substack makes money is if its creators make money.”
The only way Substack makes money is if its creators make money.
Hamish McKenzie
Co-founder of Substack
At Only Fans, the subscription-based platform best known for its adult content, the opportunities for creators go beyond subscriptions, including pay-per-view messaging, posts and streams and tips from subscribers. CEO Kelly Blair said the platform offers “a generous 80/20 revenue split,” and has paid out £20 billion to creators since it was founded in 2016, adding, “That £20 billion is going into the pockets of creators, real people, into making real life impact and difference.”
Other speakers shared that far from eliminating opportunity, AI tools are unlocking new, diversified revenue streams for creators. Paul Thomson, founder of Spitfire Audio, which creates premium orchestral libraries, was on stage with Mirek Stiles, head of audio products at Abbey Road, to discuss their collaboration on the Abbey Road Virtual Orchestra project. Far from eliminating work, the library of orchestral samples has unlocked new opportunities said Thomson, providing a new income stream and exposing composers and musicians to new geographic markets.
At The AI voice revolution, Elevenlabs cofounder and CEO Mati Staniszewski said it has created a platform for voice talent who are compensated when anyone uses their samples. So far, Elevenlabs has paid out over $5 million to contributors. AI is also providing novel routes to revenue for talent. Staniszweski cited the example of a Spanish voice actor whose samples were not popular in his native language, but generated significant demand when localized into other languages with AI.
Tonia Samsonova, founder of ethical AI artwork platform exactly.AI, spoke at a session called Art, authorship and AI. She said that while 60% of artists are afraid to use AI or do so in secret, it is their biggest opportunity. The key is to own the data, models and output she said, adding, “when built right, AI doesn’t steal IP, it scales it,” she said.
The notion of ‘data empowerment’ is central to The Hearth, an artwork by Holly Herndon and Mat Dryhurst that was on show at LDN Labs during the Festival. To build the choral AI model at the heart of the work, the artists collaborated with 15 choirs across the UK to gather training data. The work proposes a data trust – a possible model for distributed ownership that allows the choristers to co-own and earn from their contributions. (Contents)
3. Nichefluence
Marketers were keen to understand the influencer economy and how brands could be part of communities that align with their values. During “Is bigger better? The power of micro to macro influencers,” Lucrèce Sicat Loeb, head of creator marketing at Amazon said, “I feel like we are going back to niche content and it’s about the passion that comes from these niche communities and using social media to connect with that niche community.”
Speaking from experience, creator and influencer Sophie Butler agreed, “as a smaller and mid-tier creator, we have a stronger connection with our audience.” Butler's "strong community," which she deeply values, is something she believes "shines through in the brand work that I do." Simon Morris, VP of international marketing at Adobe, said the brand is seeking longer-term partnerships because “short-term doesn’t allow for authenticity,” adding that “more important than trends, are passion points, as they don’t typically change.”
In another session, the influencer Callux, who is co-founder of creative production house After Party Studios, agreed that creators can find their passion and their community with similar passion points will follow. “To succeed, you need to surround yourself with great ideas, and as a creator, niche down into something that has success.” It comes with hard work he added, “you have to be relentless, and you have to be consistent.”
Sammy Andrews, CEO of Deviate Digital in “Where are the superfans?” says in music if musicians and labels “want to cultivate an audience for the next 20-30 years, then this needs to be built from the ground up,” requiring a long-term strategy before any music is released. Creation of communities and fans cannot be simply adopted, it requires effort and consistency, “superfans aren’t there to be mined, they are there to be made.” (Contents)
4. Digital conscience
The human relationship with technology remains complex: while it offers significant potential, it also chases attention and steers behavior. Now technology challengers and thinkers are on a mission to change that.
In a discussion called Why the future of the web depends on choice Laura Chambers, CEO of Mozilla Corporation argued that we are often corralled by tech companies rather than making our own conscious choices, offering the example of Meta’s integration of its own AI agent into WhatsApp. “The people should claim the internet back” said Chambers and to do so, they must “evaluate actions that are default. Choose choice. Choose different platforms, and delete apps that aren’t working for you.”
The people should claim the internet back.
Laura Chambers
CEO, Mozilla Corporation
Carl Pei, CEO of tech challenger Nothing, shared details of the company’s mission to empower smartphone users to reclaim attention. At a session dubbed Start small, think big, break everything, he said, “Technology should really help humans. It has become more like a distraction device. Nothing is about making it fun but charting the course to where technology serves humans again.”
This fraught relationship with technology was generated in an artwork by digital artist Beeple making its UK debut at SXSW London. The Tree of Knowledge, a generative sculpture explores our queasy relationship with information overload. Four digital screens inside a rotating box depict a digitally-rendered tree. Visitors can manipulate visuals using a control dial to move this picture from serene to chaotic, overlaid with glitching streams of data. A ‘choose violence’ button, which launches a destruction sequence was off limits during the event but can only be pressed 666 times before the artwork is permanently destroyed. The work underlines the potential for us to assume greater agency over digital experience by simply choosing to switch off. (Contents)
5. The truth frontlines
News organizations took to the main stage at the Truman Brewery to advocate for balanced reporting, editorial integrity and trustworthy information. During “Bias and balance reporting in a divided age,” Anna Bateson, CEO of the Guardian Media Group defined unbiased news as “factual and trustworthy news that creates space for the plurality of views,” and that “it’s the opposite of simplicity.” Katherine Maher, CEO of US media outlet NPR added, “we seek to tell stories in ways that are clear about the impact it has on individuals and by extension, other citizens.”
Rebecca Hutson, editor of the News Movement, a three-year-old media outlet aiming to change the way news is published for their predominantly gen Z audience, says this demographic is “media savvy” because they have grown up alongside digital media. This is why the News Movement believe it is important to be transparent, especially in an age when social media edits can take news interviews out of context. Hutson said, “we want to make sure algorithms are clear about why that person is saying what they are saying, and balance it appropriately to ensure they’ve got the information they need to engage.”
Image 1: Bias and balance reporting in a divided age session at SXSW London, Getty Images for SXSW London.
Image 2: Truth, power and the press talk track at SXSW London, Getty Images for SXSW London.
A further challenge lies in the conflict between a need for greater diversity in newsrooms and political pushbacks on DEI. Maher explained that the Trump administration will only respond to press who do not include pronouns in their email signatures. “It’s part of the culture fight” she said, and it’s adding pressure to DEI efforts.
During the “Truth, power and the press” session, journalist and author Tina Brown advocates for holding power accountable, as she observes in the United States a “contagion of cowardice” with media companies and institutions (like law firms and universities) folding and falling in line with the Trump administration demands, even if it does not align with their original values. Examples she shared included Amazon Prime paying $40m for a documentary on Melania Trump that she is producing herself. Brown’s stance is clear, “I’m sorry but that is bribery.” Concerns are raised over what this means for society and democracy, she believes, “democracy is not an institution; it’s about individuals doing the right thing under pressure. And if they don't do the right thing under pressure it’s gone, you’ve lost it.” (Contents)
6. Mental healing
Across several talks, experts emphasized rising stress, anxiety and loneliness (see Addressing the manosphere). Indeed this aligns with VML Intelligence’s data from the Future 100: 2025 finding that globally people considered “stress” the greatest challenge for human health.
Harold S. Koplewicz, president at Child Mind Institute said during his session “The mental health crisis” that “the most common illness is becoming mental health,” pointing to rising identification and openness around the condition as drivers. Koplewicz shared that suicide rates and ER admissions doubled during 2014-2018. “What happened during those years? We had social media,” he concluded.
Yet technology may also be a savior. Mirror Journal app in the US is a platform for therapeutic journaling. Koplewicz shared that through this app, “over 200 children were given support after artificial intelligence detected suicidal thoughts.” He stressed that mental fitness needs to be as integral as physical fitness from an early age and called for better biomarkers at psychiatric clinics.
When adults participate in the arts even once a month, they are 48% less likely to develop depression.
Dr Nisha Sajnani
In the discussion “Healing in the arts and the age of anxiety” the panel shared evidence that being creative, engaging with the arts and being with others helps relieve anxiety. Christopher Bailey, arts and health lead at the World Health Organization (WHO) noted that at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, the issue of social connection was named a global health priority, adding that, “as our society becomes more tech-based, more polarized, we find ourselves in silos rather than connecting with each other.” Research shows that when people gather - particularly when music is involved - heartbeats synchronize; the same emotional experience is shared, creating an oxytocin effect which reinforces a positive sense of community.
Dr Nisha Sajnani referred to clinical studies that found, “when adults participate in the arts even once a month, they are 48% less likely to develop depression.” This includes listening to music, playing an instrument, attending a music performance or dancing together. “People who engage in music therapy experience a significant reduction in anxiety.” Her team have also been learning more about youth with focus groups and studies learning, “40% say they engage in the arts daily to reduce stress, improve their mood, relax and learn new things.” See our SXSW 2025 trends round up from Austin for more on Social Health. (Contents)
7. Addressing the manosphere
Masculinity faces challenges, if not a crisis. In the session, Young women are outpacing men, John Burn-Murdoch, chief data reporter at the Financial Times shared data revealing young men in the UK and USA are more conservative, isolated and disconnected. “There is a rise of young men who are just disengaged and don’t have a stake in society, but at the same time women are becoming more engaged,” said Burn-Murdoch. Data shows more young women are going to university and in the last two years young women in their early-to-mid-twenties earn more on average than young men in the UK. There is a growing polarization between genders which could lead to a relationship recession as men are considered less attractive partners.
Isolation is also increasingly a concern for young men. Burn-Murdoch said, “20 years ago young people were the least likely of anyone to spend time alone. Today more young men are spending time alone than 65-year-old men than ever before, which could lead to further societal disengagement.”
Today more young men are spending time alone than 65-year-old men than ever before, which could lead to further societal disengagement.
John Burn-Murdoch
Chief data reporter at the Financial Times
In Ctrl, alt, delusion: resetting reality in the manosphere, Sander van der Linden, professor of social psychology at Cambridge University, shared that 70% of British male teenagers said they have been exposed to Andrew Tate, an online personality known for promoting extreme masculine tropes, whereas only 20% know who Keir Starmer (the current UK prime minister) is. Journalist Ash Sarkar believes, “the manosphere is a response to the degradation and corrosion of social interaction” and that “real resentments from loss of status is the key to what drives it.”
What are solutions for positively shaping masculinity? Burn-Murdoch suggested a smartphone ban could have indirect benefits for young people. Meanwhile, van der Linden is in the process of mapping a playbook for how people can be reeled in, and shared tactics like “inoculation” and “prebunking,” where people are exposed to a weakened dose of misinformation, then given the playbook which can help them deconstruct the narrative and ultimately make more informed decisions. (Contents)
8. Culture X Climate
Creatives artists and startups are leveraging culture as a vehicle for both engagement and action on conservation and climate issues.
Musician Kiran “Madame” Gandhi shared an innovative recording project in which Nature is elevated to the status of a performer that is eligible for royalties. A track she has released – In Purpose – features beats and loops recorded in Antarctica that sample the sounds of a changing climate, from melting glaciers to resident penguins. Gandhi collaborated with Brian Eno’s Earth Percent Foundation which directs royalties to conservation projects and recently launched the Sounds Right initiative in partnership with the Museum for the United Nations. Gandhi's samples are also available from Splice for any musician to use to create their own “climate music” and benefit the planet in the same way.
Image 1: Engineering the impossible session with Ben Lamm, Getty Images for SXSW London
Image 2+3: Marshmallow Laser Feast’s Of the Oak project
Biotech startup Colossal Biosciences specializes in de-extinction, aiming to bring back and rewild lost species like woolly mammoths, dodos and the Tasmanian tiger as a route to ecosystem and species restoration, which could help fight climate change. In its latest project, Colossal successfully engineered a pair of dire wolves using ancient DNA. Dire wolves have a high profile due to an appearance in the TV show Game of Thrones but have not been seen in the wild for more than 10,000 years. Co-founder Ben Lamm told the London audience that “we need new tools for conservation” and that tapping popular culture is a savvy tactic to bring attention to its work.
At The future of immersive panel, producer Carolina Vallejo shared details of Marshmallow Laser Feast’s Of the Oak project, an outdoor digital art installation at London’s Kew Gardens. The multisensory immersive journey aims to connect audiences with nature via the sounds of an ancient oak tree. The 12-minute experience harnesses data and field recordings through three seasons to reveal the hidden worlds of the Lucombe oak, exploring its root system, nutrient uptake, flow of water and the tree’s sequestration of carbon dioxide, all conveyed through immersive visuals and spatial audio. Creators used a range of techniques including LiDAR scanning, high-resolution photogrammetry and CT scanning to create a detailed 3D model of the tree. (Contents)
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