As businesses in the industry rapidly embrace AI, Kerrin MacPhie, Chief Executive of the Meetings Industry Association (MIA) questions whether we are fully prepared.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a very hot topic. Rarely a day passes without it being mentioned at events or in discussions.
As a sector we were slow to adopt AI. Earlier this year, only 13% of us were utilising it to support our day-to-day operations, according to results gathered from our quarterly mia Insights. Six months later, however, that figure has almost tripled, with 36% now using AI daily to perform tasks such as drafting RFPs and handling customer enquiries. What’s more, 81% believe AI has a key role to play in our sector’s future.
While it’s encouraging to see the industry embracing technological advancements, this rapid adoption comes with some concerns. How many of us understand what AI is and what it can do?
Not many, it seems. Our research revealed that just 22% of the sector consider their workforce to hold a high understanding of AI, while less than 24% have a dedicated policy regarding its usage.
As Katie King, author and CEO of AI in Business, says, it’s great to see that some in the sector have embraced the use of AI tools for activities such as copywriting. However, as there are multiple AI services available, the expert advises a more cautious approach.
Katie, who will be sharing her knowledge in her forthcoming keynote at the miaSummit in Liverpool on 7th November, recommends businesses take a strategic approach to AI, by setting out clear objectives and a roadmap. She also advocates staying abreast of regulation and compliance in this area, which is also moving very fast.
I, for one, am looking forward to hearing more from Katie next month, but in the meantime, if you’re taking the AI plunge, ensure you’re fully prepared before you do.
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