# The Story of Stories—The Million Year History of Storytelling

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**Date:** March 12, 2026 · 10:30 PM  
**Location:** Hilton Austin Downtown / Salon D  
**Format:** Presentation  
**Track:** Culture  
**Reviews:** 0

## Speakers

- **Kevin Ashton** — AuthorHarper Collins

"Language did not give us stories; stories gave us language." Kevin Ashton coined the phrase "the Internet of Things" and led the development of the Internet of Things at MIT. His latest book THE STORY OF STORIES explores the intrinsic human nature of storytelling; delves into how stories are deeply embedded in our lives; and traces the evolution of storytelling from night fires to digital screens, social media, AI, and beyond. Kevin will read from the book, discuss its big ideas, take questions, and, after the talk, sign books at the SXSW bookstore.

## Transcript

A transcript is available for this session: [Read transcript](/sessions/2026-03-12/pp1162649-the-story-of-stories-the-million-year-history-of-storytelling/transcript)

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