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CNBC
14 hours ago
- Business
- CNBC
AI, trade and $24 socks: Inside the inaugural SXSW in London
South by Southwest (SXSW) may be a well-known event in the United States, but it certainly hasn't reached the same level of recognition in Britain. "What's that?" asked a pedestrian who was passing by a SXSW London sign. SXSW is a festival held in Austin, Texas, every year that brings together big names in music, film, art and technology. The organizers have brought the event to London for the first time this week, and CNBC took at look at what's going on. CNBC's Tania Bryer moderated a discussion with London Mayor Sadiq Khan who during an opening speech made the pitch for the city as a "hub for talent, trade, tech and innovation." Khan took veiled swipes at the U.S. President Donald Trump and his trade policies and pitched London as open for business. "So at the time when there's so much uncertainty and political turmoil across the pond, defined by an inward looking mentality, I'm going to reach out to international investors, businesses and creators to say that London offers you the opposite," Khan said, according to Deadline. SXSW is being held in various venues across the creative neighborhood of Shoreditch which is also close to Old Street, a key tech hub in the early days of London's startup scene. Shoreditch was taken over by SXSW London branding, from murals to signs on lampposts. Big names are in attendance, such as "Game of Thrones" star Sophie Turner and actor and musician Idris Elba. On the tech front, Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis spoke, as did Thomas Wolf, co-founder of artificial intelligence firm Hugging Face. So what was the experience like? The day started with me picking up my press pass and receiving an SXSW tote bag. There was a schedule and map in there and bar of SXSW-branded Tony's Chocolonely. I made my way to Shoreditch Electric, a venue I just found out is home to the National Centre for Circus Arts. I watched a session where Thomas Wolf of Hugging Face discussed the progress of open-source artificial intelligence models and the future of robotics. Open source is a big deal in AI right now because of the strong performance of those models, especially out of China, which are free to use. The venue was an industrial-style, exposed brick building. Just outside was a coffee bar, which was perfect for the sunny weather in London on Monday. I then walked over to the Truman Brewery, where the main stage of the conference was. Outside the entrance were lots of food trucks and, of course, big brand displays from sunglasses firm Ray-Ban and electric car company Polestar, which had live music performances throughout the day. Then there was the official merchandise store which was selling a pair of SXSW-branded socks for £18 ($24) and a T-shirt for £30. After a quick security check, I was in the Truman Brewery in time for a session from Hassabis. I decided to try to watch it on stage but the line to get in was long, even about half an hour before the talk. So I decided to watch it on a screen in the media lounge, which had pretty decent sandwiches. AI was certainly a big theme, with companies like Hugging Face, Google DeepMind and even Wayve, a U.K. driverless car startup backed by SoftBank, discussing the future of the technology. Hassabis spoke about artificial general intelligence (AGI), which is generally understood as AI that is smarter than humans. He said AGI would be "bigger" than the Industrial Revolution and the internet in terms of its impact on society. He also warned about the need to develop this technology responsibly. The DeepMind founder also said that over the next five to 10 years, AI tools are going to "supercharge technically savvy people who are at the forefront of using these technologies, but combining it with creativity and other skills." "I think they're going to be able to achieve superhuman things," Hassabis said. There are lots of big names performing throughout the week, including R&B star Tems — but they're far too late in the evening and don't sync up with my 5 a.m. wake-up call. So you'll have to look on social media to see what kind of vibe those events have.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Inaugural SXSW London Opens With Mayor Sadiq Khan Taking Shots at ‘Inward-Looking Mentality' of U.S. and Trump Tariffs: ‘The U.K. is Tearing Down Barriers to Trade, Not Putting Up Walls'
The inaugural SXSW London has officially been opened by London mayor Sadiq Khan. In a speech at the Truman Brewery in the creative neighborhood of Shoreditch on Monday morning, Khan hailed London as a 'creative hotbed,' a 'gateway to the world,' and a 'hub for talent, trade, tech and innovation.' More from Variety Alief Snaps Up Worldwide Rights to 'Luna Rosa,' Debuts Teaser Ahead of SXSW London Premiere (EXCLUSIVE) Angelina Jolie and Ellie Goulding Ask Viewers to 'Bee Wild' In Environmental Doc by Rebecca and Josh Tickell, Heading to SXSW London (EXCLUSIVE) Mike Flanagan's 'Life of Chuck' to Close Screen Festival of Inaugural SXSW London (EXCLUSIVE) He also used to opportunity on stage as a pitch to lure investment to the British capital by highlighting what he described as the 'uncertainty and political turmoil' and an 'inward-looking mentality' in the U.S., and taking aim at the tariffs imposed by Donald Trump since he started his second terms as president. 'London is somewhere that is resolutely pro-business, pro-growth and pro-freedom of expression. And following new trade deals with India, the U.S. and the E.U. — which mean the UK is tearing down barriers to trade, not putting up walls — there's never been a better time to come and create, collaborate and invest in our city,' he said. 'Elsewhere you might see uncertainty; unpredictability; and efforts to wind back the clock on individual liberties, the freedom of the press, and democracy. Not in London. In London, you don't just find stability and certainty. You find a city which stands strong as a bastion against hate. And a city which shines bright as a beacon of hope, progress and possibility.' In keep with the theme, Khan added that in London 'we don't simply tolerate diversity, we celebrate inclusion' and in another comment that could be seen to be directly aimed at the current U.S. administration, said the city was a 'welcoming hub for international students.' Khan noted that he spoke at SXSW in Austin in 2018, where he said he called for the tech revolution to be steered in a way that was beneficial for society. Given the huge leaps made in AI since, he said the conversations at SXSW London were 'so consequential,' and that he was pushing to make London a 'global center' for AI investment and innovation. 'Because I want the defining technologies of the 21st century not just to be pioneered in London, but to be shaped by our values,' he said. 'It's how we can mitigate potential harms; It's how we can mitigate potential harms; Eliminate bias and discrimination; And ensure the moral dimension in any new tech is given equal weight to market considerations.' The first SXSW London run June 2-7, with speakers including Idris Elba and Julian Lennon alongside the CEOs of Twitch, WPP, OnlyFans and Google Deepmind. Variety parent company PMC owns the SXSW franchise. Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in June 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts?
Times
6 days ago
- Business
- Times
12 things to see at this year's SXSW London festival
I n the first week of June, the world's largest arts, music and innovation festival, SXSW, will make its UK debut in London. Bringing together creatives and tech innovators, the European meet-up will host conference talks, screenings and music performances with an eclectic lineup that includes A-list actors, award-winning songwriters, Premier League footballers and new-age meditation gurus. From headline acts to leftfield oddities, here's who to try and catch at this year's festival. The actor, producer, DJ and campaigner Idris Elba is leading a future-gazing talk at the Truman Brewery on the theme of creativity as capital for change. The Luther star will be joined by a panel of special guests to discuss how music and art can challenge injustice, plus how we can unlock new economic models for global creators to sustain their work financially. June 4, 4.45-5.30pm, Truman Brewery
Fashion United
13-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion United
Victoria Shoes to open debut London pop-up
Spanish footwear brand Victoria Shoes, known for its espadrille-style sneaker, is opening its first-ever pop-up in London this month. 'The Bodega' pop-up will run from May 22 to 24 in the Truman Brewery's 6 Dray Walk, and will showcase the brand's latest collections, including footwear, garments and accessories. Billed as an immersive showcase of the brand, the convenience store-inspired set-up will feature a claw machine with exclusive prizes, a live DJ, complementary drinks and food, and offer consumer discounts. The pop-up will open on May 22 with an exclusive invite-only industry event, followed by two back-to-back consumer days, from 12 to 8pm on May 23 and 24. The consumer days will also offer the first 25 people through the door each day a goody bag, including a bundle of Victoria accessories. Victoria Shoes was founded in 1915 in a small town in La Rioja, Northern Spain, where its factory is still located. In 2004, the footwear brand started expanding internationally, and currently it exports 75 percent of its production to more than 50 countries, including the UK, France, Italy, Portugal, Korea and the US. It offers more than 300 models across women's, men's and kids. Stockists in the UK include Schuh and Marks & Spencer.
