SISO
Defining times
Vincent Polito , CEO of the Society of Independent Show Organisers ( SISO ), says AI can allow us to focus on the higher value tasks
very decade or so , the
E events industry reaches a defining hour . The events of the past few years wreaked havoc with this principle , but we once again have a real game changing opportunity . Broadly this topic would be Artificial Intelligence or AI .
As IBM describes it , in its simplest form artificial intelligence is a field which combines computer science and robust datasets , to enable problem-solving . Or to put it another way , systems that think and act rationally .
Quite recently , SISO member and Ai4 co-founder Michael Weiss was featured in a webinar where he started a show from concept to website , to conference tracks , to exhibitor prospects lists in about 45 minutes using AI tools exclusively . It was a fascinating 45 minutes . I strongly encourage you to view this session .
The Washington Post newspaper in the US also recently printed an
Vincent Polito
article with a somewhat contrary viewpoint . WAPO proclaimed : ‘ ChatGPT loses users for first time , shaking faith in AI revolution .’ Which to believe ? After a couple abortive attempts at some concise conclusions , I asked ChatGPT for some thoughts about the subject and was served the following :
“ In the next 12 months , AI will have a profound impact on the trade show world , revolutionising the way these events are organised and experienced . One major area where AI will make a significant difference is in lead generation and qualification . AI algorithms will be able to analyse attendee data , such as registration details and interactions , to identify potential leads and prioritise them based on their likelihood of conversion . This will empower exhibitors to focus their efforts on high-potential prospects and increase their return on investment .”
Well said , and I ’ m not sure I could have said it any better , and I pride myself on my communication skills .
Let me add to this , if you aren ’ t already investigating how to put AI to work for you in the events world , you are already behind . Luckily the catch-up period ( using AI tools ) is much quicker than in the pre AI days . Despite what WAPO has written , there is certainly not any waning of interest in the live event world . Working with AI is easy to learn . It does not eliminate the human element , but I ’ d describe it as allowing the human element to dispense with much of the grinding that is necessary and focus on the higher valued tasks .
I plan on returning to this topic on a regular basis with perhaps some recommendations and certainly to share some major accomplishments in our industry . This is a defining time .
www . exhibitionworld . co . uk Issue 4 2023 13