Today we return from SXSW. The desire to share what happened here is much greater than my ability to do so. Sitting in the airport lounge, I wait for the rain to pass. We will probably have a delay. There’s nothing to do except reflect on the size of the transformation that took place here. I like to feel that. how to change the battery for a brand new one, and not just recharge it.
I want to share my first insight about all this, and it may sound very strange. The truth is that where there are bats, there is transformation.
And speaking of bats, I’ll start with the one that spread the brand that crossed generations without letting anyone escape, not even the newest T generation (Transition generation) introduced by Amy Webb in the panel that launched the first missile over our heads. Batman, a character created in the 60s, used as his symbol a stylized black bat on a yellow ellipse. At that time, the superhero already inspired both his eccentricity and his use of technology. Who never wanted to have one wearable like the utility belt or the batmobile (Cyber Truck of the time)? The bat, then, established itself as an icon of innovation, and at the same time, transmitted human values through the Batman x Robin partnership.
In 2020, there was the biggest transformation caused by the bat, or by a human’s attempt to unveil something that science was still unaware of. The pandemic canceled the festival for the first time in 34 years, and it would transform us forever: changing lives, creating businesses, destroying others. An activation that formed a QR Code with the use of drones in the sky showed that this technology, neglected before, has never been so hype. To go from the hotel to the Convention Center on one of the scooters parked there, all you needed was a cell phone and app of Uber to unlock the mobility experience that makes us rethink our relationship with time. It is in this way, at this speed, that worrying about the future makes us forget the recent past. We want to know what the future looks like and where we are going.
Austin, 2024. We discuss futures, artificial intelligence, work, psychedelics and many other new technologies that will be a definitive part of our lives. But, before we do, it is important to remember that the place had already been chosen by bats. Yes, lots of them. However, those here are not evil. They inhabit bridges, not caves. They don’t bite people, but rather, they try to connect to each other through their natural GPS. In Austin, they are loved and gain people’s admiration. They saw plush, stickers and contribute to the slogan City: Keep Austin Weird.
All of this reinforces my theory that: where there are bats, there is transformation. From artificial intelligence generating new solutions and creating new problems. From the autonomy of scooters on the street, to the robot that makes deliveries competing with humans on the sidewalk. From the Apple Vision Pro that puts entertainment and immersive experience into another sphere of possibilities, to the movie stars and musicians that you bump into here and awaken the side that technology has not been able to properly reproduce (yet).
This makes me look ahead with optimism and believe that the curiosity that drives us will be capable of creating the future, as it is not yet ready. Respecting the human essence, the limits and foundations of nature must be our daily mantra. Because, like bats, we are the cause and will be the first to feel the effects of this entire transformation.
* This text does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the vehicle
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