SXSW 2027 PANELPICKER
The LastHuman Industry
Talent in the Age of AI
Ben & Ying, Soundcheck Live
The Session
Live events may be the last industry where the human is the product. AI is commoditizing booking, advancing, and settlement, but it cannot replicate the craft and judgment that make a show happen in real time. This session explores how to reinvest the savings of automation into developing the irreplaceable human talent at the center of every live experience.
Why operational excellence is no longer a competitive advantage, and how to audit which workflows AI has already commoditized.
A practical framework for reinvesting automation savings into developing your most irreplaceable people.
How to identify the human skills machines cannot replicate, drawn from backstage lessons in live music.
On Stage
We've been making this case on industry stages. Here's a look at recent talks where we push for technology that creates transparency and reinvests in human talent.
Pollstar Live • Los Angeles, CA • April 2026
Ben on transparency in the live business
On the importance of event businesses leveraging technology to create more transparency across the industry.
Read the Pollstar article →Austin Tech Week • Austin, TX • Oct 2025
Ying on keeping humans in the loop
On the importance of keeping humans in the loop when using AI, and holding onto control as the tools get more capable.
Watch on YouTube →Your Hosts
Proposed for SXSW 2027 • Austin, TX