Exploring the Future of AI with Peter Voss: Moving Beyond Machine Learning
Mabel Mba
SXSX 2025 - SJMC Student Media Coverage
(The following content is a preview of a SXSW 2025 panel from a member of the SXSW Content Team, a group of 26 SJMC students who will partner with SXSW marketing professionals to cover the event from March 7-15. This is the 10th year of this collaboration between SJMC students and SXSW.)
SXSW 2025 unites technology, creativity and innovation. The Artificial Intelligence track offers cutting-edge advancements, thought-provoking panels and visionary speakers shaping AI's future. From cognitive AI to ethical debates, this is where ideas collide.
Artificial intelligence is everywhere—powering the tools we use daily, shaping industries and even redefining how we interact. However, according to Peter Voss, a pioneer in the field, the AI we know today is only scratching the surface of its potential. At SXSW 2025, Voss will explore what’s next in AI development during his panel, “AI Beyond Machine Learning: What’s Next/Better? Why? How?”
Voss, the founder and CEO of Aigo.ai, is a trailblazer in artificial general intelligence (AGI)—AI systems that learn and reason like humans. His journey began decades ago as an electronics engineer and software entrepreneur. After building and publicly listing a successful software company, he was struck by one fundamental question: Why isn’t software smarter?
“Software isn’t very smart,” Voss said. “If a programmer didn’t anticipate a particular scenario, the system would fail. I wanted to create software that could think, learn and reason like humans do.”
This pursuit of truly intelligent systems set Voss on a decades-long quest to
move beyond traditional machine learning. Unlike the massive language models dominating AI headlines today, Voss’s approach focuses on cognitive AI, which mimics human intelligence. He is critical of current AI trends, which rely on brute-force computing and vast datasets.
“Our brain uses just 20 watts of power and can learn incrementally—why can’t AI systems do the same?” Voss asked.
Cognitive AI represents a fundamental shift in how AI systems are designed. Traditional machine learning models are task-specific, requiring extensive data and computing power to function. In contrast, cognitive AI systems learn incrementally, adapt dynamically and reason in real-time, making them smarter, more efficient and capable of evolving alongside the world around them.
For Voss, this shift isn’t just theoretical—it’s essential for AI’s future impact. He envisions cognitive AI playing a critical role in solving global challenges, from advancing medical research to managing complex crises.
“Cognitive AI is about creating systems that can understand and evolve. It’s the key to making AI genuinely useful,” Voss said.
The potential of cognitive AI is vast, but it also requires a change in mindset across the industry. Voss cautions against the hype surrounding large-scale AI models, which he sees as a dead end. Instead, he advocates for a smarter, more human-centric approach to AI development.
Voss’s SXSW 2025 panel will challenge conventional thinking and provide a glimpse into what he believes to be the future of AI. Whether you’re an AI researcher, an entrepreneur or just curious about the technology reshaping our world, this session is an opportunity to gain fresh insights and actionable takeaways.
Don’t miss this session:
“AI Beyond Machine Learning: What’s Next/Better? Why? How?”
March 9, 2025, 4–5 p.m. CT
Hilton Austin Downtown, Salon C
Ready to explore the future of AI? Register now to secure your spot at SXSW 2025.