---
title: "SXSW 2026 to Explore AI's Impact on Cognition and the Internet's Future"
date: 2026-03-11
source: National Today
source_url: https://nationaltoday.com/us/tx/austin/news/2026/03/11/sxsw-2026-to-explore-ais-impact-on-cognition-and-the-internets-future/
tags: [ai-agents, sxsw-2026, keynote, panel, innovation]
summary: Key SXSW sessions tackle whether AI is eroding human reasoning, who owns truth in an algorithmic era, and what happens to the internet after search.
---

# SXSW 2026 to Explore AI's Impact on Cognition and the Internet's Future

Several headline sessions at SXSW 2026 are taking on the biggest questions surrounding artificial intelligence — not just what it can do, but what it's doing to us.

## Must-Watch Sessions

### "AI & the Brain: As We Embrace AI, Let's Not Forget Our Minds"
Led by MIT Professor **Sanjay Sarma** and **Izzat Jarudi** (co-founder of Edifii), this session asks whether increased reliance on AI is leading to a decline in independent reasoning and learning. As Sarma puts it: "This isn't about opposing AI, but rather questioning the trade-offs inherent in its widespread adoption."

### "Who Owns the Truth?"
Featuring journalist **Tara Palmeri** and **Imran Ahmed** (CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate), this panel examines how algorithms and AI are reshaping perceptions of reality in a fractured media ecosystem.

### "The Internet After Search"
A critical session exploring what happens to content monetization and information access as AI systems increasingly bypass traditional websites — a topic with massive implications for publishers, creators, and the open web.

## Beyond AI

The festival also features programming on the rise of skilled trades among Gen Z and the evolving creator economy, including a live recording of "Baby, This Is Keke Palmer."

## Key Takeaways

- SXSW is positioning itself as the venue for critical AI discourse, not just AI hype
- The "Internet After Search" session directly addresses how AI agents change web economics
- Sessions feature heavyweight speakers from MIT, journalism, and digital rights
- The festival runs March 11-20, 2026 in Austin, Texas