Maxime Barbier

First time on the .festival main stage. Packed room, fully locked in. Probably one of the best talks I’ve ever given.

I talked about the biggest behavioral correction in social connection in a generation. Three waves of fatigue that brought us here: dating apps that turned meeting people into a slot machine, social feeds that forgot the friends they were built for, and AI saturation that’s quietly eroding trust in everything, even a text from someone you love.

The closing line says it all: the most advanced social technology in the world is still a table, six chairs, and the courage to sit down with someone you’ve never met.

The more talks I do, the more I realize nothing beats authenticity and plain speaking to stand out.

Huge thanks to Panathēnea for the invite, and to Richard for being a brilliant host who genuinely got behind what we’re building at 🍀