YouTube and Google at SXSW 2026: A guide to sessions and interactive events
Mar 11, 2026 [[read-time]] minute read
Heading to Austin for SXSW 2026? Whether you are a seasoned creator, a brand marketer, or an AI enthusiast, YouTube and Google are taking over the schedule from Friday, March 13th through Wednesday, March 18th.
Here’s your curated guide to the must-attend sessions and interactive experiences.
Friday, March 13th - Wednesday, March 18th
Ready for your Brand Close-Up? Visit YouTube at the Brand & Marketing track to capture your own custom video to post on YouTube Shorts. Our team will guide you through the process & help you capture a unique brand snapshot of your time at SXSW.
- Where: Austin Marriott Downtown
- Time: 10 am to 5 pm CT
- Access: Any SXSW badge required (Platinum, Innovation, Film & TV, Music). Open to all attendees during conference hours.
Friday, March 13th
YouTube Podcasts Keynote at Podcast Movement Evolutions
YouTube will educate the podcasting community on our latest value-added features and share future product roadmap updates.
- Where: Skybox, 501 W 6th St., 4th Floor
- Time: 9 am CT
- Access: Must be registered OR have a SXSW badge. SXSW badge holders will receive priority entry. Register for free.
Inside the Campaign: Deconstructing Successful Brand-Creator Partnerships on YouTube
How do high-impact collabs between YouTube creators and brands come together? Go behind the scenes with Adam W, a YouTube creator with more than 21M subscribers, and Chris Detert, CCO of Influential, to unpack what goes into campaigns that land with audiences and ignite brand growth.
Discover how partnerships come to life, the creative chemistry required for success, and the data-driven tactics that turn authentic storytelling into tangible business results.
- Where: Austin Marriott Downtown, Waterloo Ballroom 2
- Time: 4 pm CT
- Access: SXSW Platinum or Innovation Badges required.
Saturday, March 14th
Your First 90 Days as a Creator from Experts at Meta, YouTube & Snapchat
In this rare cross platform conversation, moderated by acclaimed creator strategist Antonia Alakija, creator partnerships leaders from Meta, YouTube and Snapchat come together to break down what creators should focus on in their first 90 days of taking content seriously. We’ll explore how fast-growing creators structure early momentum, the common pitfalls that derail progress & strategies for building an audience with intention. From platform-specific insights to proven growth frameworks, this session offers an honest tactical roadmap for turning creative potential into a lasting personal brand.
- Where: Austin Marriott Downtown, Waller Ballroom C
- Time: 2:30 pm CT
- Access: SXSW Platinum or Innovation Badges required
Sunday, March 15th
Leadership Voices Live
AdWeek’s signature interview series spotlights bold thinkers and change makers who are shaping the future. Join us for an intimate and far-reaching conversation between AdWeek and Google’s Jonathan Zepp on creative strategy and digital innovation. Together they will address the shifting landscape of streaming TV, how marketing leaders should guide their teams to match the unprecedented pace of change, and how Google TV’s anticipated launches, including Gemini for TV, are redefining the boundaries of media consumption habits.
- Where: Adweek House Austin, Accenture, 323 Congress Ave
- Time: 10 am CT
- Access: Register for free here
From Shorts to Shows: Why Creators Are Flocking to Podcasts
Whether it’s the Golden Globes introducing a “podcast” category, celebrities and politicians turning to podcasts to promote their work or shape public opinion, or video platforms like YouTube becoming the #1 TV streaming service, podcasts are an increasingly significant part of the creator economy. Hear from creators and industry leaders about the opportunity they see in podcasting, and how they’re using podcasts to launch and grow their own multi-platform media businesses.
- Where: Austin Marriott Downtown - Waller Ballroom F
- Time: 10 am CT
- Access: SXSW Platinum or Innovation Badges required.
Fireside Chat
As we enter 2026, the lines between creativity and technology are blurring. This inflection point is sparking a new era of innovation in the creator economy—one where AI Fluency is the ultimate competitive advantage. Join YouTube’s Creator Liaison, Rene Ritchie, and creator, Jon Youshaei as they move past the hype to reveal the workflows transforming raw footage into high-stakes media businesses. We’ll explore how responsible AI leadership protects creators while unlocking sophisticated new tools for global scale, brand integrity, and monetization.
- Where: Malverde, 400-B W 2nd St ATX (2nd floor of La Condesa)
- Time: 2:35 pm CT
- Access: Brand marketers can register here.
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Wednesday, March 18th
How AI Systems Will Make Brands More Human
As technology has evolved, from mass media to digital to social, brands have developed new abilities to interact with humans. The real transformation that brands undergo with AI won't be just about efficiency, but rather about showing up in the world in new ways that are adaptive, contextually aware, and authentic. Through recent case studies from Google, we'll explore how brands are embedding human creativity into AI systems to enable entirely new forms of human-brand interaction—and why this shift demands a fundamentally different approach to creativity.
- Where: Austin Marriott Downtown, Waterloo Ballroom 3
- Time: 1 pm CT
- Access: SXSW Platinum or Innovation Badges required.