Making AI a Close-at-Hand Solution: the Changes in Awareness Brought About by an Internal Event.
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What was the main purpose of this event?
This time, our group technology team organized an internal event for the introduction of how to use and solve problems with our JT version of ChatGPT (JAC) in tasks related to work. The primary goal was raising awareness and increasing the number of users on our internal generative AI platform. While there were many opportunities where technologies like generative AI could help solve problems, we had not been receiving any requests, despite the existing issues. By organizing this event, we aimed to familiarize our team and initiatives with the company. As we progressed with the planning, we realized that building connections and relationships with other departments was also essential for problem-solving. Ultimately, we structured the event to include more than information dissemination from our side, adding panel discussions, a chat feature for questions, and putting an overall emphasis on relationship-building.
What prompted you to consider hiring an external event company?
Previously, we tried various methods to increase the attention on our initiatives, such as releasing introduction videos and posting on our site, but none of these had the desired impact. Additionally, videos couldn’t delve too deeply into the relevant content. Therefore, we thought it might be more effective to hold an event with the help of some professionals.
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Why did you entrust us with this event?
We reached out to about three or four event companies, and during discussions, our team members noted that “GP was easy to talk to”. We were hesitating between choosing an online or an in-person event, and we felt confident that GP could reliably handle either format. Moreover, we wanted to proceed with consultations, and the ease of communication was crucial. Personally, I was impressed by the discussion on attracting participants, as well as the various suggestions that were provided.
Why did you decide on a hybrid event?
A hybrid format allows participants from distant locations to join online, while those attending in-person can socialize and directly interact with the speakers. Considering the event’s purpose, a hybrid approach seemed best. Most team members initially favored a fully online format, so I had to persuade them individually. As a result, the event leveraged each format’s strengths and was highly successful.
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What was the most important point you focused on when planning the project?
Tech explanations are often perceived as being “too complex and boring”, so we focused on making the event engaging. Moreover, we thoroughly covered important aspects like security, and we transparently discussed what the technology is and isn’t capable of, rather than limiting the highlights to what its strengths are.
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What was challenging about implementing the event?
Our team had never hosted such a large-scale hybrid event before, so we were in the dark regarding various things and found that navigating the situation was extremely challenging. We sometimes made unreasonable demands to GP, such as last-minute changes, but their excellent communication and guidance helped us settle things smoothly.
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What was impressive about GP’s response?
We appreciated GP’s flexibility in handling various unexpected situations. During the event, the initial segment significantly overran its allotted time, yet GP managed to adjust the schedule on-site to keep everything within the overall time-frame. As it was our first hybrid event, having reliable support behind the scenes was incredibly reassuring.
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How were the reactions of the participants?
The participants gave very positive feedback. Furthermore, many who couldn’t attend the event requested access to the archive, which was surprising, given that previous introduction videos hadn’t garnered much attention. When I visited the cafeteria, I even heard people mention that they had watched the archived version!
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Did you achieve the event’s goals?
Yes, we did! After the event, the number of users on our internal generative AI platform tripled, which further promoted its usage. More people expressed interest in learning about generative AI, and we decided to arrange additional training sessions.
How do you want to develop this event in the future?
There are various ways to improve and expand its reach. As we promote the usage of technology, we also wish for effective incorporation, aiming for interactive events that involve the operational side as well. We plan to blend online and in-person elements seamlessly, creating events with improved communication.
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ORGANIZER
Japan Tobacco Inc.WEBSITECONFERENCE EVENT