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In Northstar's recent webinar, "AI and the Business Events Industry," we took a closer look at the Project Spark AI platform, a collaboration between PCMA and Gevme. I moderated the discussion and I just want to be clear: I'm a human and I'm the one writing this introduction, without assistance from any generative AI tools.
We covered a lot of ground in our conversation, which featured PCMA and CEMA president and CEO Sherrif Karamat; Gevme founder and CEO Veemal Gungadin; and Spark "power user" Beth Surmont, who is vice president of event strategy and design at 360 Live Media. From my perspective, one of the most compelling and useful features we touched on is the Repurpose Video Content function in Spark. And what better way to demonstrate that than to run the video of our webinar through Spark and see what it would come up with?
Once we uploaded the large video file of the webinar to a private YouTube URL, Spark's process was mind-bogglingly fast. We simply input the URL and requested a 1,000-word blog post, selecting a "Supportive and Practical" tone from the drop-down menu. A dozen seconds later we had the copy in front of us, complete with subheads.
Now, the idea behind the function — or really, with any function on Spark or any GenAI platform, is that this should be a first draft, something that you, the expert, must proofread, fact check, and edit for accuracy and clarity. That part will always be essential. And to be honest, I didn't care a great deal for Spark's first effort. But here's where things get particularly interesting.
Spark's second effort, which you can read below, was markedly better in my opinion. There were fewer instances of misattributed quotes and fewer incorrect conclusions, and in general it was a better-organized summary. And all I did was change the tone to "Professional and Compelling" and run the task again. And each time you rerun a task in Spark, you get different, and often more detailed, output — even when you don't change any parameters.
Now, does this piece require editing? Absolutely. Note that the section on San Jose, for instance, is based on a sponsor message from Team San Jose (and should not have been attributed to me, much as I respect the city). With a four-person panel plus a sponsor message, there was ample opportunity for Spark to confuse who was saying what. Additionally, a number of these points should be clarified more properly, with better, more accurate detail — there are statements below that are not entirely true. Read with that in mind!
That said, it took Spark a matter of seconds to repurpose an hour-long webinar into this format. For someone like me who is already familiar with the material, reading through and making corrections and edits would be pretty straightforward, even if I would need to rewrite sections for accuracy and clarity, as well as to add my own voice and observations.
Take a look at Spark's unedited efforts below. And check out the webinar on demand for a more in-depth discussion of these topics.
AI and the Business Events Industry: Enhancing Collaboration and Efficiency
In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, artificial intelligence (AI) is disrupting industry, and the business events industry is no exception. In a recent webinar titled "AI for Business Events and the Project Spark AI Platform," industry experts discussed the impact of AI on the events industry and introduced Project Spark, an AI platform designed to enhance productivity and event management. This blog post aims to provide an in-depth analysis of the webinar and its key takeaways for event organizers, planners, and professionals in the business events industry.
Introduction to the Webinar and Project Spark AI Platform
The webinar started with an introduction to the Project Spark AI platform, a powerful tool for ideation, event planning, event marketing, and promotion. The platform has already garnered over 3,000 active users, and it aims to make AI accessible and easy to use for organizations in the events industry. The speakers emphasized the importance of AI in transforming the way events are planned, executed, and analyzed.
San Jose: The Leading Destination for AI and Tech Advancements
One of the highlights of the webinar was the discussion on the benefits of San Jose as a meeting destination for AI and tech advancements. Michael Shapiro from Northstar Meetings Group highlighted that San Jose is the epicenter of Silicon Valley, where the greatest minds in the world converge to work and live. This makes San Jose an ideal location for hosting events focused on AI and tech advancements.
Human Collaboration and Connection in the Meetings Industry
While AI has the potential to revolutionize the events industry, the speakers emphasized the fundamental importance of human collaboration and connection. Beth Sermont, Vice President of Event Strategy and Design for 360 Live Media Influencers, emphasized that at the foundation of the meetings industry, whether in person or virtual, is human collaboration and connection. Incorporating AI should enhance day-to-day lives without compromising the core purpose of meetings.
AI Tools for Productivity and Content Generation
The webinar also delved into the practical applications of AI tools in event planning and content generation. Project Spark was highlighted as an AI assistant that can make event planning more efficient and creative. It can assist in building agendas, generating session descriptions, speaker bios, questions, promotional emails, and repurposing content. The AI platform saves time and frees up brain capacity for event organizers to focus on strategic thinking and creating unique experiences.
Generative AI for Productivity Gains
Another topic of discussion was the use of generative AI for converting videos into blog posts. The speakers highlighted the time-saving benefits of generative AI in content repurposing. The platform, trained on various data sets including Wikipedia, web archives, and Project Gutenberg, can quickly generate blog posts, LinkedIn posts, social media posts, and more. However, the importance of fact-checking and maintaining authenticity was emphasized to ensure the accuracy of AI-generated content.
Data Security and Privacy in AI Tools
Data security and privacy are major concerns when using AI tools. The speakers highlighted the importance of addressing these concerns to ensure the trust and confidence of users. Some AI platforms, like Project Spark, have been audited by third parties to ensure data security. The speakers also emphasized that the intellectual property and data input remain the property of the users, providing reassurance to event organizers.
AI Tools for Multiple Audiences and Use Cases
The webinar also discussed the versatility of AI tools in catering to multiple audiences and use cases. AI platforms like Project Spark can tailor content for different audiences, ensuring that the right message reaches the right people. Risks and concerns with AI platforms, such as hallucinations and fact-checking, were also addressed. However, the specific setup of Project Spark helps mitigate these issues, making it a reliable tool for event organizers.
Enhancing Panel Sessions and Content Generation
The use of AI tools to enhance panel sessions and content generation was another important topic discussed in the webinar. The speakers highlighted the benefits of having different answers to the same questions in panel sessions, as it leads to more engaging discussions and networking formats. Event organizers can leverage AI tools to focus on strategic tasks, advance their careers, and generate personalized content. However, they should ensure that the generated content maintains authenticity and personalization.
Repurposing Content for Event Organizers
The webinar also shed light on the importance of repurposing content for event organizers. AI tools can save time and effort by repurposing content for different platforms such as press releases, blog posts, LinkedIn posts, and Twitter threads. The adoption of technology in the events industry can be simplified by articulating the benefits of AI tools. Event organizers can leverage AI tools like Project Spark to empower themselves without replacing jobs. The integration of technology and humanity in the events industry was emphasized as a key factor for success.
Conclusion
In conclusion, AI is transforming the business events industry, and AI tools like Project Spark are empowering event organizers to enhance collaboration, efficiency, and creativity. The webinar highlighted the significance of human collaboration and connection in the meetings industry, while also showcasing the benefits and use cases of AI tools for event planning, content generation, and productivity gains. As AI continues to advance, it is crucial for event professionals to embrace these tools while maintaining authenticity and personalization. AI is here to stay, and it is up to event organizers to harness its power to create memorable and impactful events.