Weirding the Digital: An Invocation

This keynote session from SXSW features Douglas Rushkoff exploring how the internet evolved from a countercultural haven to a market-driven space prioritizing predictability and profits over creativity. Discover how digital technologies have shifted toward utilitarian purposes rather than creative ones, and how artificial intelligence tends to favor probability over possibility. Learn why it's time to reclaim the weird, creative edges of digital culture and bring them back to the center of our digital society. The talk celebrates the 15th anniversary edition of Rushkoff's influential book "Program or Be Programmed" while aiming to initiate what he calls the next interactive age. Presented by SXSW, an organization dedicated to helping creative people achieve their goals through conferences and festivals celebrating the convergence of interactive, film, and music industries.