At Bluewater’s Tech Expo last month, a panel discussion explored the transformative impact of AI on the workplace. Experts highlighted the importance of staying updated with the latest AI trends and how these advancements can significantly enhance experiences for both clients and employees. Panelists also explored cutting-edge innovations, including how AI technologies are reshaping office environments, improving efficiency, and fostering better work-life balance. Check out the summary below or view the full recording here.
Featured Speakers
- Eric Gonzales, Vice President of Global Sales at Spaceti
- Ken Box, Technical Director of Education at Crestron
- Brian Baldwin, BIAMP
Moderator
- Brittney Bemb, Vice President of Operations – Integration at Bluewater Technologies
How AI is Revolutionizing AV: Insights from Industry Leaders
Moderator Brittney Bemb kicked off the discussion by asking each of the panelists how their company is applying AI technologies.
Ken Box from Crestron explained how the company is utilizing vision AI, also known as machine vision. By using processing inside cameras or servers, Crestron can detect the location of people and objects in spaces, enabling cameras to automatically adjust and streamline the AI process. This technology is displacing the need for camera operators, with cameras automatically moving to presets and performing level cuts. Additionally, Crestron applies AI in programming tools and system design to enhance efficiency.
Eric Gonzales from Spaceti discussed how they are using IoT sensors to help organizations collaborate by gathering data to measure workplace performance. Spaceti leverages AI to make the data consumption process more efficient and faster, which ultimately allows them to better serve their clients through the enhanced capabilities of AI.
Brian Baldwin shared how BIAMP specializes in the audio aspect of AI. The company uses AI to deliver a professional audio experience by tracking voices within a space, removing unwanted noise, and ensuring clean, high-quality audio. This technology creates an experience where participants on a call feel as if they are sitting across from one another.
AI is Transforming User Experiences
Historically, Spaceti provided customers with hardcopy reports that had to be generated manually. Now, Gonzales explains, customers have access to a dashboard that allows them to filter and explore their own data. With AI, this data is processed in seconds—a task that would typically take a human 30 minutes to an hour—resulting in tremendous time savings for the client.
Ken Box on meeting equity:
“On the visual AI side, it is all about meeting equity. The pandemic did help that move along, when we all went home and had our individual little box inside of our Teams or Zoom call. As we come back to the office, people want that same equity.”
He then explained that a visual system is necessary to provide individual shots of people in spaces. Previously, this would require a camera operator to manually frame and move the camera to focus on specific individuals. With AI, this process is automated, eliminating the need for a camera operator while still maintaining the feature of giving each person their own frame with their name.
Leveraging AI Technology in Solutions
Bemb encouraged the panelists to share the most groundbreaking use of AI they have seen. Gonzales swiftly cited Waymo—driverless autonomous vehicles. He explained that these vehicles continuously process data to adhere to traffic patterns, follow rules, avoid obstacles, and perform a range of complex tasks. Gonzales stated:
“I live in Denver, Colorado, Waymo is not there. But boy, when it comes, I’m jumping in them.”
He encouraged those who haven’t experienced Waymo to do so, noting its impressive AI capabilities. Waymo even enhances the passenger experience by interacting with users, such as customizing the ride with features like playing their favorite genre of music.
Brian shared his favorite AI capability, BIAMP’s product ‘Launch.’ The goal of Launch is to ‘get you in, get you out, and get paid fast.’ He explained that Launch enables users to interconnect all devices and, with a single push of a button, ping all devices connected through the network. This allows for the collection of specific information, which can be downloaded to calibrate the room. Launch performs RT60 and other noise measurements, then adjusts microphones and speaker levels to optimize performance for the space.
Ken shared his amazement with generative AI for image and audio creation. Despite not considering himself very artistic, he appreciates how generative AI allows for the creation of various artistic outputs with simple prompts. He sees this technology as opening up a new category of art creation and finds it particularly valuable for content development, such as creating digital signage.
Potential Displacement of Jobs Due to AI
Historically, humans have been essential in driving data and analytics forward, making data actionable for customers. The question arises: Will AI offer better value to customers than human involvement? So far, AI-generated data has proven to be highly accurate, and we may eventually rely more on AI for data insights. However, the human element remains crucial for challenging the data, applying best practices, and leveraging key learnings to maximize value for customers. The future direction involves collaborating with AI to achieve the best possible outcomes for clients.
Brian contributed to the discussion by emphasizing that physical installations will always require hands-on work, ensuring that these jobs remain essential. He highlighted the current overload on programmers due to the growing need for remote communication in office spaces. AI, however, aids by handling other aspects of projects, which boosts overall efficiency and helps alleviate the workload for programmers.
He emphasizes that AI is being made available to those who are willing to learn and adapt. He warns that those who resist embracing these technologies should be more concerned about their job security, as AI continues to advance whether we like it or not.
Navigating AI Adoption: Key Challenges and Strategies for Overcoming Them
With the growing buzz around AI and the multitude of platforms offering AI assistance, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. To start becoming familiar with AI, begin by engaging with accessible tools like ChatGPT or Google Gemini. Using these platforms for simple everyday tasks can help you get acquainted with AI technology and pave the way for smoother adoption.
There is a distinction between change management and change communication, and the adoption of AI can vary generationally. Eric Gonzales shared how his son used ChatGPT to apply for a job within minutes, having trained the AI to understand his previous experience and accomplishments. Eric was amazed by AI’s capabilities and realized that he would have spent hours on the application process himself. This example highlights that being open and adaptive to AI can lead to remarkable outcomes.
The biggest short-term challenge with AI is training users to write effective prompts for tasks, rather than training them to perform the tasks directly. The success of AI depends on how well these prompts are crafted, which is a human-driven process. One potential solution to ease this transition is standardization across platforms. Implementing a few generic prompts within the platform could help users adapt more smoothly to this change.
Eric Gonzales adds his thoughts on AI adoption:
“That’s the way the world is going. We have to evolve and change into leveraging those tools for better productivity and being faster and more efficient at it.”
Predicting Significant AI Developments in Work Environments
Integrators are transitioning from traditional tasks like pulling wire and cable to specializing in integrating various forms of AI into the workplace. This evolution will enhance user experiences by leveraging technologies such as sensors and autotuning control systems to predict workforce behaviors. The goal is to make meeting spaces more efficient and improve work-life balance, ultimately creating a more dynamic and responsive office environment.
The future of AI integration in the industry will focus on enhancing interactive capabilities. For example, if someone makes a gesture with their arms during a meeting, the system will be able to detect this motion and respond accordingly. This advancement aims to create more intuitive and responsive interactions with AI in the workplace.
Conclusion
As we look to the future, the integration of AI in the workplace is set to revolutionize how we interact with technology and each other. From enhancing user experiences through sophisticated control systems and sensors to predicting workforce behaviors for optimized office environments, AI is driving significant advancements. As AI technologies continue to evolve, they will enable more interactive and intuitive solutions, such as gesture-detection systems that respond seamlessly to user actions. While challenges like adapting to AI and crafting effective prompts remain, the potential for AI to improve efficiency, work-life balance, and overall workplace dynamics is immense. Embracing these innovations and being willing to adapt will be key to harnessing the full benefits of AI in the workplace.
View the full recording of this panel discussion here!
