SXSW recap: Panels favoring AI over crypto in 2026

Unlike previous years, only a handful of official events at the 2026 version of the iconic Austin festival featured crypto.

Cryptocurrencies seem to have lost their allure at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival, giving way this year to panels and events focused on the rise of artificial intelligence.

As the annual Austin, Texas event kicked off last week for a run through Wednesday, only a few official sessions focused on crypto, while a side event, the “Bitcoin Takeover” in downtown Austin, featured Bitcoin (BTC) maximalists and other industry representatives.

“Almost exactly the pattern that’s playing out with AI is what’s playing out with crypto,” Ali Tager, the National Cryptocurrency Association’s vice president of communications, told Cointelegraph, referring to many of the uncertainties from the general public in the early days of the industry. 

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