Since its inception in 2011, the South by Southwest Education (SXSW EDU) festival has opened a busy March in Austin, Texas by bringing all kinds of people together to connect, share, cajole, engage, launch, and learn about the now and the next of human flourishing. This year — the first since inimitable founder Ron Reed retired to pass the reins to Greg Rosenbaum, Val Link, and the team to shepherd the festival into the future — delivered on the brand, beauty, and energy we expect and love from SXSW EDU. The outcome: a convergence of disparate, and sometimes divergent, voices towards a shared goal of improving the human experience.
Expo - SXSW EDU 2025 - Photo by Akim Evans
From classroom teachers to well-paid consultants, philanthropists to activists, investors to brand-new operators, the crowd, speakers, and content were a cross-section of the education landscape at every level. The schedule of SXSW EDU is always so full of experts, topics, and different types of programming that lovers of learning must lean into the joy of the session, meeting, or activity that they choose to extinguish their FOMO on other parts of the festival happening at the same time. The truth is, one simply cannot do it all!
Much like my 2025 predictions that the education market would value steak more than the sizzle throughout the last few years of hype cycle and stimulus, SXSW EDU delivered pretty deeply across key challenges, innovations and opinions affecting the sector. Though we didn’t see former Presidents, current Secretaries of Education, or billionaire philanthropists on the schedule this year, the depth and value of the content was as strong or stronger than previous years. Indeed, the content was particularly topical considering the SXSW EDU Panel Picker process happened more than a political ion ago… ahem, more than 30 days ago.
Featured Session: Learning How to Work with Your Enemies - SXSW EDU - Photo by Amanda Stronza
This year, it felt like everyone’s unspoken questions were “What’s working?” and “What’s next?” — albeit amidst the backdrop of the US’s discombobulated politics (and, thankfully, Austin’s incredible food scene).
The current political context of education is “having yet another cataclysmic moment; the third in 5 years after COVID and then ESSER stimulus” as Dave DeSchryver (Whiteboard Advisors) shared with Marguerite Roza (Edunomics Lab) in their session on US education funding outlook. That undercurrent was palpable even in the near-constant hallway connections, where “How are you?” greetings received replies that were often amended with phrases like “...all things considered,” or “... given the situation.” Meal conversations and chatter over drinks were as likely to dig into weighty topics of the world, as they were to share something new or a recent learning.
Press Happy Hour - SXSW EDU 2025 - Andy Wenstrand
As for content, AI was a part of the conversation at SXSW EDU, but it was less breathless, less all-consuming, and went deeper than other recent events have tilted. Industry incumbents and newcomers co-presented with educators and customers their wares and case studies of real problems solved, while groups like EDSAFE AI, Digital Promise, LeanLab Education, and others highlighted policy and quality considerations. Long-tail content (from real humans!) edged towards the deeper issues as well, including the live-recording of Ed-Technical’s podcast, Evidence eats AI for Breakfast with Libby Hills (Jacobs Foundation), Kristen Dicerbo (Khan Academy), Owen Henkel (Oxford), and Peter Bergman (Learning Collider), and book launches, including Stanford Accelerator for Learning’s Isabelle Hau’s “Love to Learn: The Transformative Power of Care and Connection in Early Education”.
But while AI was visible, the keynotes and featured speakers covered a breadth of important facets, including a timely and very topical track on working together in a polarized world. The Disagreement, the rapidly growing podcast of facilitated productive struggle on controversial topics from Better Lesson founder Alex Grodd and Catherine Cushenberry, recorded a fiery episode on Education Savings Accounts (ESAs). Topping the event off, the closing keynote from Search for Common Ground’s Shamil Idriss, Turning Conflict into Progress in Divided Times, highlighted tools and approaches, like ‘aikido diplomacy’ and ‘multi-partial coalitions’, built on 40 years of peace-building in 35 conflict zones. Those sessions seemed extremely appropriate and useful, especially after the packed session on ‘Shifting Political Winds: A Post-Election Policy Outlook’ with K12, higher education, and workforce advocacy veterans, and the Future of Education Research & Development sessions and reception from the Alliance for Learning Innovation coalition.
Education conferences and festivals can sometimes feel hype-filled, transactional, or just transient. To be fair, many were in from recent AI conferences or heading to AASA’s National Conference on Education in New Orleans. However, if you were looking for near-term deals from a single buyer-type, or to go viral with a celebrity social media post, this year’s SXSW EDU might not have scratched your itch. But, the events seemed to deliver on a collective need for human connection, providing a feeling of being in community with one another on the road ahead.
Pop-Up Dinners - SXSW EDU 2025 - Photo by Andy Wenstrand
Maybe it was the shifting world order, the combination of content on offer, just my subset of the all-encompassing options, or, dare I hope, an evolution of our sector to honestly reflect, improve, and modernize what works together. Whatever it was, I’d take more of it. And, wherever you are, I hope you’ll get something from it.
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An organizational and leadership development expert, Bjorn Billhardt has designed leadership development programs and collaborated with world-class institutions for two decades. Since 2015, Bjorn has been CEO of Abilitie, a provider of leadership development & mini-MBA programs. Abilitie’s programs have educated over 100,000 learners worldwide. Prior to founding Abilitie, Bjorn was Co-founder and CEO of Enspire Learning, Inc.
Here’s a deep dive on our interview with Bjorn, and we encourage you to give the full episode a listen for more!
1. AI-Driven Simulations: A New Era for Business Education
Traditional case studies ask students to analyze business decisions after the fact, but AI-powered simulations put learners inside the decision-making process in real-time. By allowing users to communicate decisions, adapt to changing scenarios, and see outcomes dynamically, AI elevates leadership training beyond passive learning.
"With AI, you’re not just analyzing a case—you’re in it. You have to make real-time decisions, communicate them effectively, and handle the consequences just like in real life." — Bjorn Billhardt
2. The Role of Social Learning in AI-Powered Training
While many companies are racing to create AI-driven personal tutors, Bjorn sees greater potential in AI-powered group learning experiences. AI can enhance social interactions, team-based simulations, and collaborative decision-making, making professional education more engaging and effective.
"Everyone is rushing to use AI as a personal mentor, but I’m more interested in how AI can enhance human-to-human learning experiences—because learning is a social process." — Bjorn Billhardt
3. AI’s Impact on Content Creation and Business Education
AI is disrupting the cost and process of content creation, making it easier to develop customized learning materials at scale. This shift challenges traditional education models, raises questions about who owns knowledge, and forces universities and businesses to rethink how leadership skills are taught and assessed.
"If content creation costs go to zero, what happens to traditional business education? The MBA, as we know it, is already being redefined." — Bjorn Billhardt
4. The Future of Leadership Development: From Knowledge to Judgment
Business education is not about memorizing facts—it’s about developing judgment in complex situations. While AI can assist in decision-making, true leadership requires experience, mentorship, and exposure to real-world challenges. Future business education will focus on transferable skills, decision-making under uncertainty, and long-term professional growth
"Business isn’t about memorizing facts—it’s about judgment. And judgment isn’t learned in a classroom; it’s built over years of experience, trial, and error." — Bjorn Billhardt
Curious to Learn More?
You can listen to our full interview with Bjorn Billhardt, as well as interviews with many other edtech founders, investors, and thought leaders at The Edtech Insiders Podcast! Check it out, and as always, we’d love to hear what you think!
