If there was any doubt about the impact of artificial intelligence on our lives, the SXSW 2025 tried to dissipate it. AI is no longer a theme within technology – it is the structure on which almost all discussions unfold, from health to energy, from creativity to social impact. But as technology advances, a parallel movement gains strength: reflection on what human being means in an increasingly digital world.
Among the great themes of the festival, two drew attention. First, nuclear energy, which resurfaces as a key piece in the global energy transition. Then it revolutionizes health and raising questions about efficiency and humanization. In common, these themes expose a new reality: connections between companies, governments, and society have never been so complex. And in this scenario, communication becomes an essential asset.
WAS IN HEALTH: THE CHALLENGE OF BALANCE EFFICIENCY AND HUMANITY
In SXSW, it is clear that AI is not just accelerating diagnoses or optimizing processes – it is redesigning access to health worldwide. Predictive models can identify diseases even before the first symptoms, while chatbots are helping to supply the scarcity of professionals in remote regions. In some places, AI has increased the diagnostic hit rate by 40%. But it is wrong to think that the big challenge is only technological.
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During the festival, a consensus emerged: AI in health needs to be more than an efficiency tool – it needs to be an inclusion mechanism. After all, the data used to train these tools are not neutral and can amplify existing inequalities. In addition, as health scanning advances, a concern is growing: how to prevent technology, by automating interactions, amplifies social isolation? The concept of “social health”-a third pillar alongside physical and mental health-was featured at the event, bringing an important reflection: technology cannot replace human connections, it needs to strengthen them.
The strategic return of nuclear energy
If AI is transforming the present, nuclear energy is returning to the game to shape the future. For decades set aside due to political and environmental issues, nuclear resurfaces as a pragmatic solution for climate crisis and energy security. Small modular reactors (SMRs) promise to be cheaper, safer and faster. Technology companies are keeping an eye on this, betting on a scenario where electricity becomes as strategic as data.
But nuclear acceptance goes through a challenge that goes beyond engineering: the construction of a new narrative. The festival made it clear that technical advances are only part of the equation – it is necessary to rebuild the confidence of society and stakeholders in this energy matrix. Brazil has already experienced a process similar to biodiesel and ethanol: from technologies questioned to pillars of the energy matrix. The same will need to happen to the nuclear, and the key to this will be active and transparent communication.
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The new game of corporate connections
The SXSW 2025 has brought a clear message to companies: communicating is no longer just about telling innovations – it is about articulating narratives that help build confidence in an increasingly complex ecosystem.
In the case of AI in health, for example, companies will need to address ethical concerns and ensure that technology is transparently applied. In energy, the future of nuclear will depend on both technological advances and dialogue with regulators, investors and society.
Corporate communication, which was one day a support, is now a strategic asset for survival and competitiveness. And in this new game, knowing how to tell the right story can be as important as innovation itself.
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The SXSW 2025 has shown that we are entering a new era, where technological advances are not just innovations – they are forces that are redesigning the world. The challenge for companies will not just follow these transformations – it will be leading the conversation about them.
