Episode Summary:

This week on the Event Tech Podcast, Brandt Krueger and Will Curran unpack the latest leaps in AI-powered image generation, focusing on new capabilities within ChatGPT and Midjourney. From photorealistic hands and seamless text rendering to transparent backgrounds and continuity across images, the conversation explores how these advancements are transforming event production, branding, and creative workflows. The hosts also touch on the evolving landscape of video generation tools and share a few candid lessons learned from the trenches of AI experimentation, including an apology to Perplexity.

Discussions Include:

• The evolution of AI image generation: photorealism, hands and body parts finally look right
• Continuity and consistency: generating series of images with persistent elements and styles
• Text and logo integration: AI’s newfound ability to handle crisp, accurate signage and branding
• Transparent backgrounds and practical applications for event production and design
• Midjourney’s new draft mode, voice prompting, and the speed gap in creative iteration
• Reflections on the future of video AI and lessons learned from using AI tools in real-world projects

Quotable Quotes (Should you choose to share):

"I have some of the worst short-term memory of all time and all I can do is blame the 90s." - Brandt Krueger

"This ability to do continuity between images makes me feel like this is going to be great for brands who are like, I need to make the announcement image for my event...and now I need to say that I'm announcing that Seth Rogen is going to be the keynote speaker." - Will Curran

"It's a very talented intern. Or I think somebody once described it as like your cousin-in-law's nephew who you've been using to do graphics design and maybe does a little too many drugs." - Brandt Krueger

"I continue to be really excited by where these things are going. All that video is- is a thousand pictures. So we're going to get there really soon." - Brandt Krueger

Episode Summary:

In this special episode of the Event Tech Podcast, Brandt Krueger and Will Curran have some exciting news to share, followed by some fun chatting about the FAR future of events- robots, AI, and beyond. The duo explores the possibilities—and limitations—of automation in the events industry. They discuss everything from robot bartenders and holographic keynotes to automated floor-chalking Roombas and AI-driven video production. Along the way, they reflect on the irreplaceable human touch in events and share their thoughts on how technology will continue to shape the industry.

Discussions Include:

• An announcement about the new AI hosts and [SPOILER] acquiring the podcast
• The role of robots in events: from bartenders to exhibit booth assistants
• How AI could enhance AV production, from auto-ducking audio to sentiment analysis
• The balance between automation and preserving human artistry in event production

Quotable Quotes (Should you choose to share):

1. "There are lots of possible futures of event technology, many of which could be very interesting." – Robotic Host (Brandt)
2. "I think there’s always going to be a call for both—the quick-and-dirty automation and the high-touch human interaction." – Brandt Krueger
3. "Imagine a world where a glass breaks, and a camera spots it, sending a Roomba to clean it up. That’s coming in five years!" – Will Curran
4. "A good camera op can tell when someone is about to move—it’s an art that AI hasn’t quite mastered yet." – Brandt Krueger
5. "We wouldn’t just drop news like that on you—or replace ourselves with AI—without telling you first!" – Will Curran

Let us know what you think about the future of robots and AI in events, and if this episode may have lived up to its release date :)

In this "Another Mini-Brandt Rant" episode, Brandt and Will discuss the progress made in event accessibility during the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has feels like it regressed. They highlight the importance of captioning services, which became more accessible and affordable with AI advancements. However, they note that these technologies have fallen out of favor as events returned to in-person formats, leaving behind some of the inclusivity gains made during the pandemic. The conversation emphasizes the broader benefits of accessibility features which can aid not just people with disabilities but frequently improve the event for the majority of attendees as well.

Discussions Include:

• Progress and Regression in Accessibility: The hosts reflect on how COVID accelerated the adoption of accessibility technologies like captioning but lament that these practices have largely been abandoned in the return to in-person events.
• Technological Advancements: They discuss how AI has improved captioning services, making them more affordable and efficient, though still not as reliable as human transcription.
• Broader Benefits of Accessibility: The conversation highlights that features like captioning benefit a wide audience, including those with hearing difficulties, language barriers, or simply preferring visual aids.
• Future-Proofing Events: The hosts suggest investing in technologies that can capture and stream content from events, enhancing accessibility and providing valuable resources for attendees.

Quotable Quotes:

• "I think one of the things that during COVID, we started to see, you know, every platform put in at least some basic level of captioning, whether it was auto-generated or otherwise." - Brandt Krueger
• "People with difficulty hearing would literally call these services 'craptioning' at the time because they were so bad." - Brandt Krueger
• "For the first time, a lot of people with accessibility issues felt like they were on even ground with all other attendees, right? Because we were all attending from our living rooms and our bedrooms." - Brandt Krueger
• "Like a lot of attendees, I might want to turn it on just because of the fact that like, you know, every once in a while there's a word I might miss." - Will Curran