Digiday is at SXSW giving you the latest industry news out of the festival at Austin, Texas. More from the series →
SXSW has lost some of its luster. Mega-events typically follow a trajectory in which they reach great heights before an inevitable decline. SXSW’s height was probably Barack Obama coming to speak in 2016. Agencies have curtailed their contingents, brands aren’t as hot and bothered, and few are looking for the next startup darling to emerge in Austin, Texas, this weekend. Still, the ride can be fun.
Here’s our take on who will be up, who will be down and who will go sideways at this year’s edition of SXSW Interactive.

More in Marketing
OpenAI’s next ChatGPT ad format: click to chat, not to site
The new format lets brands turn an ad click into a conversation with an AI agent inside ChatGPT, rather than sending users to their websites.
As Google’s ad tech case nears its end, the antitrust fight moves to AI
Google avoided breakups in antitrust cases as AI ads and CTV draw scrutiny; see what regulators may target next.
Future of Marketing Briefing: One more helping, for gluttons still hungry for Publicis and PepsiCo takes
Yes, more thoughts on what it means, or doesn’t, that Publicis walked away from competing for Coca-Cola’s media dollars to grab PepsiCo’s instead.