Demystifying AI for the Event Industry | Julie Roth Novack

Kevin Dennis (0:0.478)

All right, folks, welcome to the next episode of Mind Your Wedding Business. I am with the amazing Julie Novak, who I've had the pleasure of knowing for a very, I wouldn't say for a long time now, we've known each other, but she is the amazing CEO and co-founder of Party Slate. But Julie, tell us, how did you get to where we are today? How did you get in the wedding industry?

Julie Novack (0:22.127)

I don't even know, I might need a martini or two to start, but thank you for having me. And I loved meeting you through WIPA so many years ago and serving on the board and under your amazing leadership. So thank you for having me as a guest. But yeah, I started Party Slate about eight years ago. I can't believe it. I probably met you about six years ago. So the early days of Party Slate.

Kevin Dennis (0:24.638)

Well, but it's early, why not?

Kevin Dennis (0:31.456)

Yeah.

Kevin Dennis (0:36.222)

Well, thank you so much. Of course.

Kevin Dennis (0:45.182)

Yeah, there you go.

Julie Novack (0:47.443)

Um, and I have a digital agency background. So I've been, um, doing in technology, digital marketing for about 20 plus years, but I always loved the power of events since my first, uh, roller skating partying in seventh grade, bringing people together. That's where it all started. And I was planning all these large scale corporate events and galas and fundraisers. And I kept looking for new ideas online, only to find kind of wedding blogs, more traditional wedding blogs. And.

Kevin Dennis (1:0.270)

in the second grade. That's where it all started. And I was planning on these large PLLs.

Julie Novack (1:15.967)

you know, Pinterest dead ends, I was frustrated. And I redesigned my kitchen using Houzz, H-O-U-Z-Z. I'm obsessed with Houzz, they should pay me. And I felt like lightning struck and I saw all these gorgeous high resolution and beautiful photos and all these great professionals that can help you with your home, the design of your home. And it struck me, that's what I needed for events. And so three short years later, after dreaming out loud to anyone who would listen,

Kevin Dennis (1:17.197)

and I was frustrated and I really wanted to get the music out with a UBB. And that's the power that you need.

Julie Novack (1:44.387)

I raised some venture capital money and leveraged all my technology and digital agency background and recruited my co-founder, John Haro, who's tech and product, I'm more sales and marketing, and started Party Slate about, again, almost eight years ago. So that's how it all started. Yeah, and so Party Slate today is just a single shop, place to go to get inspired for not just weddings, but corporate events, mitzvahs, galas, fundraisers.

Kevin Dennis (1:59.756)

And here we are.

Julie Novack (2:10.759)

but more importantly, find amazing event professionals connected to those events, venues, caterers, planners, AV, everything you can imagine is on Party Slate.

Kevin Dennis (2:18.102)

Yeah. And see, and all done beautifully with beautiful photos and, yeah.

Julie Novack (2:23.419)

Yes, yes, all professional photos, we don't allow iPhone photos and everything is credited. So unlike Pinterest, when you find something gorgeous, when you find something that really inspires you, you can find the photographer, the caterer, the designer, the planner, everyone is credited on Party Slate.

Kevin Dennis (2:40.678)

Yeah, I love it. Love it. All right, so we're here to talk about demystifying AI for the event industry. So this is, you know, the hot buzzword right now. It's kind of got some people scared, and it's got some people excited and everywhere in between. So I think the best way to start is like, Julie, what is AI?

Julie Novack (2:45.384)

Yes.

Julie Novack (2:53.605)

Yes.

Julie Novack (2:59.995)

Yeah. So this is how I like to, I actually asked chat GPT, which is an artificial intelligence, one of, you know, hundreds of different platforms out there. I'm sure many of your listeners have used chat GPT before at this point, but I went into chat GPT and I said, how do I explain what artificial intelligence is to event professionals and in kind of a, in a simple way. And so what chat GPT came back with is.

Imagine a wedding planner or a corporate planner, any type of planner that planned their first wedding and imagine all the things they learned, the mistakes they made. They planned their second wedding, they planned their 15th wedding. Now it's 20 or 30 years later and they're planning their 200th wedding. That planner keeps learning and getting better from all the things they see, the mistakes they've made. They've read books, they've gone to seminars.

And so artificial intelligence is trying to recreate how that wedding planner, just as an example, gets smarter and better over time through actually learning information. And so unlike Google, where you're like, how to become a great wedding planner and articles come back, they're actually reading every article in the world. They're reading books, they're digesting content, they're making mistakes, they're getting better, and that's...

a kind of an example of what artificial intelligence is. They're not people that can, you know, today at least reason like we can, but you know, the fear out there is, you know, do they one day become smarter than us and take over the world? You know, that's like the dystopian view. Yeah.

Kevin Dennis (4:26.192)

They're not people that can today at least reason like we can. But the fear out there is meeting one day becomes harder than us and take over the world. That is the big, big fear out there that everyone keeps talking about. So all right. So how, I'm an event professional. So how am I going to use this in my business every day?

Julie Novack (4:47.727)

Yes. Yeah. So there's three main types of artificial intelligence. I mean, there's thousands of variations, but there's text based, like AI, like chat GPT. There's text to image because they're called generative images like Dolly. And there's a lot of other ones. Now I'm forgetting the name of the mid journey is another big one.

Kevin Dennis (5:3.234)

There's text to image, but it's all generative images. It's like Dolly and there's various, there's a.

Julie Novack (5:14.191)

And then there's what I'm calling kind of embedded AI. So if you use Adobe products or any products that you use for your graphics, they're starting to embed artificial intelligence to actually help you use those products in a better way. So, you know, definitely don't rule out Google. They've been working on this longer than anyone, you know, Meta, Facebook, everyone, they're all, Microsoft is the biggest investor behind OpenAI, which is the prop, the company that created chat GPT and Dolly.

So that embedded AI, you're going to start seeing more and more. So in everyday products, like a podcast product, there might be, um, Hey, create a creative background. You know, that's, um, I just came back from Santorini that's inspired by Santorini. It could generate a background image for me. That is a hundred percent original. I can say, add the words party slate on it. It will do it for you. So you're going to see more and more embedded AI, but the biggest way.

Kevin Dennis (5:53.430)

I just came back from Camprini that's inspired by Camprini. It can generate a background image. Formate, 100% original, and I can say as it was already played on it, it was more for you. So you're gonna see more and more embedded AI. But the biggest way of them professional control using artificial intelligence is just think about it as a virtual event. So this is a kind of a, wait a minute, I don't think you've done this already.

Julie Novack (6:9.647)

event professionals can start using artificial intelligence is just think about it as a virtual assistant. And so this is like kind of the way to, I don't want to say dumb it down the most, but let's say you needed to create a standard operating procedure for, you're going to do a big tented wedding. You're working with a tent company and you're confident that they're great, but it's in Colorado, the weather could be crazy and you want an SOP for a tent, having a tent and

and what can go wrong, an emergency plan, a safety plan, questions to ask. You can go into chat GPT and say, create a basic standard operating procedure for a tented wedding safety plan. Now your tent company will have this already, right? But you want to come to the table you have. Maybe you haven't done a tented wedding before. Really smart. And you want to ask them. So instead of Googling this, I'm sure there's a lot of articles out there.

Kevin Dennis (6:45.414)

You can go on the chat feed and say, save a basic candid offering computer for a tentative wedding safety plan. Oh, wow. It will have this already, right? But you don't have to comment on it, maybe you have to go on a tentative wedding. Really smart. Maybe you have to go on a tentative wedding.

Kevin Dennis (7:3.202)

So instead of Googling this, there is a lot of articles out there, that go to praying, to reading up, reading up articles, and reading these articles, ChatTV acts as a typing group for you real time, let's hope it works, and create a 10-point plan on everything that possibly can go wrong, and I don't know about the good, uh, positive, uh, pillars, how they can come off it, I might actually be better.

Julie Novack (7:6.351)

Instead of triangulating on 30 different articles and reading these articles, Chat GPT will actually start typing things up for you real time. That's how it works. And create a 10 point plan on everything that possibly can go wrong. And I learned about this at Todd Fiscus Pillars Conference down in Austin. I'm not an expert in tents. I learned a lot about bad things that can happen with bad weather and tents. And even without bad weather, lots can go wrong. So

Kevin Dennis (7:30.470)

I learned a lot about bad things that can happen. Oh, yeah. And wind and yeah, yeah.

Julie Novack (7:36.415)

Chat GPT will do that within three seconds. And then let's say they put something really long together. Let's say it was like six paragraphs. You can say, make shorter, and then it will regenerate something shorter for you. And then you can say, put in bullet points, and then it'll come back with bullet points instead of paragraphs. And so you can keep regenerating the response until it's exactly what you need. Then let's say you send it to your tent company and you say,

Kevin Dennis (7:40.419)

in three seconds, and then let's say they took something really long together, so they'll say, it was like six kilograms, you can say, make shorter, and then it will regenerate something shorter for you. Oh, wow. And you can say, so in middle place, and then it'll come back with four of them, instead of kilograms, and so you can keep regenerating for the five, so it's exactly what you need.

Julie Novack (8:6.087)

These are some of the things during our meeting that I'd like to cover. I'm sure it's already on your list. What if they had a new tent guy? What if they forgot some of these things? What if they didn't create a way to find an exit in case of bad weather or an emergency? So all these things are like a virtual assistant that will save you time. I also find that sometimes I have writer's block. I want to write, let's say a blog entry about how to make digital marketing effortless.

I could put in there, give me an outline or write a few paragraphs on how to save time on digital marketing, on a digital market for even a wedding planner. Like you can make it that specific. You can put three, four or five sentences. It can give me the outline. Is that gonna be perfect? No, I have eight to nine years of working on a product that makes it easier for event professionals, talking about pain points. I have a lot, but this outline helps me get started.

Kevin Dennis (8:35.703)

I could put in there, give me an outline or write a few paragraphs on how to save time on digital marketing, or even a learning plan, but you can make it that specific. Three, four, five sentences. You can give me the outline. Is that going to be perfect? No, I have...

in the eighth to ninth years of working on a product that's been used every year for, I guess, for example, talking about pain pain, I have a lot, but this outline helps me get better. Yeah. Also, what I want you to think about is if someone like sitting right next to you,

Julie Novack (9:5.723)

And so that's really what I want people to think about is it's a, it's someone like sitting right next to you to be a helper, to get you started, to get the ideas flowing. So I think in addition to like that virtual assistant mindset, think of it as an idea generator as well.

Kevin Dennis (9:23.383)

to be a helper to get the idea. So I think in addition to that, work with that mindset, think of that as an idea generator as well. That's amazing because it's a time saver. And people, I think when it comes to tech, people always are afraid of tech when it comes to anything of tech. But if you learn how to properly use it, it just saves you time.

Julie Novack (9:26.043)

It's a time saver. Yes.

Julie Novack (9:32.796)

Yes.

Julie Novack (9:37.351)

Yes. It saves you time. And so that when I, you know, we at Party Slate, you know, we know that many of the people in the industry, I would say 95% are small businesses. Let's say one to 20 employees. You wear, you know, 16 hats every day. And when you're at your events, you're wearing a thousand different hats and so many things can go wrong and everyone's counting on you and you have a lot of pressure.

Kevin Dennis (9:52.566)

Mm-hmm.

Julie Novack (10:5.667)

And unlike building a website or doing other things where, oh, let's push it a week, a live event cannot be pushed. And so that's what makes it kind of like Broadway, like the show must go on. So we have tried to make tools that save time on digital marketing. We're excited if you're looking for, for example, white tents or anything to get you inspired for your event, we've leveraged Amazon's image recognition artificial intelligence on Party Slate.

Kevin Dennis (: 10:11

Mm-mm.

Kevin Dennis (: 10:17

that saves time and gives you more time. We're excited if you're looking for, for example, white pens or anything that can get you inspired through the event, these lovers Amazon image recognition artificial intelligence on party sites. If you put white pens, you know, then you go perfectly. And at Google, if you put in white pens, you can have a topic, all those photos will come back. And now, for those tags.

Julie Novack (: 10:33

So if you put white tents, and it doesn't work perfectly, we're not Google, but if you put in white tents or you put in other topics, all those photos will come back. It's not because we tagged 2 million photos that have been uploaded to Party Slate by hand, they're all image recognition, artificial intelligence we're using. So if you think about it, that's almost like an embedded AI. It's AI from another company, because it's very expensive to develop these language models and everything.

Kevin Dennis (: 10:47

the

Julie Novack (: 10:58

So Amazon, all the big companies have AI models or that you can either integrate or buy. That's what we did with Amazon and integrated that into our technology.

Kevin Dennis (11:9.402)

Wow. And then that makes your life easier. And yeah, the user, you know, the user gets what they want. They're not frustrated. And there's so many wins through that. So Alright.

Julie Novack (: 11:12

Yes.

Julie Novack (: 11:16

Yes, exactly. Exactly. So I was going to say that, so that's one type of AI. That's the text, um, text responses that either our time servers, virtual assistance, you know, I know people that say, Hey, I have a big corporate themed party coming up. I need some ideas. Um, here's what the client is. Come up with themes. Again, it's not going to be as good as.

Kevin Dennis (: 11:24

Alright.

Kevin Dennis (: 11:36

I'm not going to be as good as, you know, if you haven't been doing this for a long time, but what if there's a list of three things that come back and one or two sparks an idea? I think, you know, don't be afraid to use it, but...

Julie Novack (: 11:42

The people have been doing this for a long time, but what if there's a list of three things that come back and one or two sparks an idea? I think don't be afraid to use it. Bookmark Chat GPT. It's an open AI product. It's free to use. And bookmark it and start using it for fun. Next time you go to Google, use Chat GPT as well and get comfortable with the technology.

and see if it's something that you think could save time in your business. So that's one of the first big ways. The second way I think is still developing, but also very exciting, which is text to image artificial intelligence. So I know many people like to use Google images and for ideation, people look at Pinterest, people look at party slate, et cetera. But for mood boards, for a really high-end custom event, if you're trying to plan a whole, we're just in Maui.

a Hawaiian theme tropical, you know, corporate event, and you're looking to generate some ideas. I know a lot of designers, you know, not a lot, probably two, 3%, but I know I've talked to at least 10 or 12 in the last, you know, six months that are using these tools to generate mood boards, not the final designs, but mood boards. It could be of, you know, someone that Jen Gould, who out of New York, Jen Gould, Jennifer Gould Events. She and her designer.

Kevin Dennis (: 12:45

looking to generate some ideas. I know a lot of designers, not a lot, probably 2%, 3%, but I know a couple, 10 or 12 in the last six months, that are using these tools to generate mood boards. I don't know how to design, but mood boards, it could be of, you know, someone like Jen Gould, who out of New York, Denver, who's at the New York event, she is a designer, created in...

Julie Novack (13:9.343)

created in, I think it was mid-journey, a circular bar with a tree in the middle and really cool lighting. And their prompt was maybe six, seven, eight sentences long. So you could, instead of just saying, give me an outline for a tent SOP, you can put very, very detailed prompts on what you're looking for and then keep regenerating that image. And it's not a Google image. It's not an image that's out there. It's an original image that is being created.

Kevin Dennis (: 13:29

what you're looking for and then it's regenerated, and that image is not a Google image, it's not an image out there it's an original image and you've created that's why it's called generative, it's not something that's been copied or changed in the last few days that's the thing, that's the thing it's a visual image and when you get it good enough I am not good enough for the tool

Julie Novack (: 13:38

That's why they call it generative. It's not something that's being copied or changed. At least that's what they say. It's a threat. That's the controversy out there. This is an image. And when you get it good enough, I am not good enough with a tool to make an image that looks good. But if you have a designer that's good at this, you could actually save thousands of dollars and hours in concepting with your high-end client that is looking for something completely original.

Kevin Dennis (: 13:52

make an image that looks good. But if you have a designer that's good at this, you could actually say, how do the dollars and hours and concepting, I am trying, they're looking for something to do with it. And that's on mid-journey, you said? Mid-journey. All right, wow. That's amazing. And there's 10 other product out there. I use what I use, which is open to the eyes. But it's just fascinating to see.

Julie Novack (14:7.459)

Mid-Journey. Yeah. And there's, you know, 10 other products out there. Dolly is what I've used, which is OpenAI, but it's fascinating to see how much venture capital in your backyard is going into artificial intelligence. And so what we're going to see is more and more companies coming up with innovative ways to use these incredibly complex, expensive models that, you know,

scientists and PhDs are creating and using, you know, I don't even know how to use the word, but the storage and the processing power it takes to run artificial intelligence is incredibly expensive. So when you see an AI company, they're not raising like a million or $10 million. They're raising like a hundred million dollars to get started. Yeah. So it's pretty crazy.

Kevin Dennis (: 14:36

and using, I don't even know how to use it, but the scores and the processing power based on other different algorithms is incredibly expensive. So when you see an AI company, they're not raising like a million or something like that. They're raising like a hundred thousand dollars. Wow. Yeah. Wow. It's pretty cool.

That is crazy. So all right, so I think one of the things people, I think, in the wedding industry get worried about is that they're worried that we're going to lose the human touch if we start using AI. So what do you think, or even when it comes to customer service, people are starting to use it. So how can we use that without losing the human touch? And how can we use it successfully with our customer service?

Julie Novack (15:6.492)

Yes.

Julie Novack (: 15:12

Yes.

Julie Novack (: 15:18

Yeah. I mean, this will date me a little bit, but when the internet first came to be, people thought, you know, Oh, people never go to movies. You have seen that movie viewing has changed, but people still enjoy going to movies. They still enjoy going out to eat. Um, they're not just delivering, you know, Uber eats to your house. Um, I think the same with AI people still want and need the human touch. Um, I think the events industry.

Kevin Dennis (: 15:43

Mm-hmm.

Julie Novack (: 15:45

can only gain from these technologies. You know, before there was 3D modeling, people were like, oh, is that going to replace a designer? No, the designer used the 3D modeling as another tool to create kind of an image of what that event's going to look like before, you know, thousands of dollars are spent building it. So I think this is just going to be another tool. At least initially, I think it could just be a time saver, like, oh, I can't hire an assistant, or I can't have an intern, but I'm going to have a great job.

Kevin Dennis (16:4.150)

I think this is just gonna be another tool. At least initially, I think it could just be a time table like on a different or you can have an intern, but I'm gonna have chat, you can see how to save time, allow me to do mundane tasks and things I need to do that I don't have time for. For example, party places at a few ages, or I'm gonna have to get this for a ride. Yep. And I'm gonna have to save time.

Julie Novack (: 16:13

chat GPT helped save me time on a lot of these more mundane tasks or things I need to do that I don't have time for. So for example, Party Slate didn't have an employee handbook. Once you get to a certain size, you need to have an employee handbook. It saves time. There's also legal aspects of having an employee handbook. So we use chat GPT and created almost 90% of an employee handbook through chat GPT and then filled in our own custom information about our mission and our vision and things like that.

Look at it as a time saver, not a replacement. I do think one day there could be more artificial intelligent bots that could help answer some of the more mundane questions that you get over and over and over again from your clients that could easily be answered by a bot that you train with your own language, et cetera. So you're seeing more and more of that on travel sites, et cetera, where it's almost human-like. But when it comes to planning an event,

Kevin Dennis (: 16:46

I do think one day there could be more artificial intelligence thoughts that could help answer some of the more mundane questions that you get over and over and over again from your clients that are could easily be answered by a thought that you trained with your own language, etc. So you're seeing more and more of that on travel sites, because it's growing almost human life. When it comes to planning events and going to a physical

Julie Novack (: 17:12

and going to a physical space and having a tasting and having review meetings, I don't see right now how artificial intelligence would replace that human experience and the insights that people bring that have been doing this for 20, 30 years. So I don't see it as a threat. I see, what I do see as a threat is what if some smart designers and planners really embrace the technology and use it to be more efficient and to, you know.

Kevin Dennis (: 17:16

I mean, we're using it. I don't see right now how artificial intelligence would replace that human experience in the place that people bring it to humans in the 20s and 30s. So I don't see it as a threat. What I do see as a threat is, what if some smart designers really exploit the technology and use it to make efficient decisions and be able to find a way to do that?

Julie Novack (: 17:41

be able to spend more time on kind of the high value activities where others don't, I think those could be more threatened just as some didn't get on the digital marketing landscape and they're just doing magazine ads still. I think those people are not going to be seen because 95% of media consumption is now digital, if not more. I mean, when's the last time you picked up a magazine?

Kevin Dennis (: 17:43

I value it for the other job. I think those people are, what if their time didn't get on traditional marketing or on a different magazine that well, I think those people are not going to be able to do 90,000 more immediately than they did before. Yeah, yeah. It's very rare. It's, yeah, yeah.

Julie Novack (18:6.395)

Very rare. So I still like my People magazine, but that's, you know, other than People, I get all my news, everything, information, entertainment from the digital.

Kevin Dennis (: 18:17

But even, I mean, like I have the Apple News thing, I could pull up the People Magazine right now if I wanted to on my phone, which it, you know, that it blows your mind that you, how.

Julie Novack (: 18:20

Yeah. Exactly. So I think with artificial intelligence, if people just say, oh, I want it to go away or I don't, I don't want to know that. I don't want to have to learn a new thing. I think that over the next two years, that could be a competitive, you know, a disadvantage to your business. So what I'm telling people is, you know, use to start chat GPT, um, just get familiar with the tools.

And then if you are in the design business, everyone's got that designer friend that's ahead of the curve, the early adopter. I'm encouraging people to just set up some Zooms with your colleagues, your friend doors, and talk about it. How are you using it? What have you found helpful to your business? Because I do think people will get left behind just as digital marketing is now important versus print advertising or just booths at expos. Again, we still...

Kevin Dennis (: 19:12

marketing is now important. This is close to advertising. It's in the booths and exports. Again, we want to let them know that we already had a really great experience at the booth there. So, I think that's similar. So, it's going to be in the booths and exports. But I think the level of new technology is very important and it could be that too.

Julie Novack (: 19:18

We went to wedding MBA, we had a really great experience. I spoke there. Those type of things are still gonna be in-person connections, they're still important, but I think leveraging new technologies is very important or you could be left behind.

Kevin Dennis (: 19:31

Yeah, it makes sense. We got to adapt. I mean, we really do. We really do. So how do you think, looking at your crystal ball, looking at two, three, four, five years out, what do you think we're going to be doing with AI in the event industry?

Julie Novack (: 19:35

We gotta adapt. Yeah.

Julie Novack (: 19:49

Um, I believe a lot of concepting mood boards, design discussions will somehow leverage AI and it could be through the tools you're already using today that have AI built into it because every technology company now is creating plans for artificial intelligence and how it can make their software better. Um, and so again, I believe that definitely will be the case. Um, I also think, um,

Kevin Dennis (: 20:11

So again, I can give that to Jeff maybe. I also think some of the more mundane apps that maybe I have no idea if those could be artificial intelligence or sound effects. Maybe I don't know. Maybe it's probably the technology today to do sound effects could be done with artificial intelligence.

Julie Novack (: 20:17

some of the more mundane tasks that, you know, maybe I have no idea. Could there be a artificial intelligence for sound checks? I have no idea. I don't know the technology, but they're probably the technology you're using today to do sound checks could be done with artificial intelligence. I don't know. So I think you just think about, you know, what are some of the ways you work today that could be automated?

Kevin Dennis (: 20:38

I don't know, but I think you just think about, what are some of the ways you work today that could be automated through artificial intelligence? That's what I would be thinking about. But I think design is the biggest impact. I think people will be using the tech prompts more than a Google, I think Google will transition to be more. Oh. Yeah, you could say, I mean, Google.

Julie Novack (: 20:46

through artificial intelligence. That's what I would be thinking about. But I think design is the biggest impact. I think people will be using the text prompts more than a Google. I think Google will transition to be more like a chat GPT. I mean, Google has so much work on artificial intelligence. They just haven't come to market like a chat GPT.

Kevin Dennis (: 21:10

We just haven't come to market like a chat with you. Oh. Hopefully, Google will be the biggest.

Julie Novack (: 21:13

So I believe Google will be the biggest adopter and provider of artificial intelligence. They have a product called Beard, I think it's called. I'm not as familiar with that product, but I do think the way you use Google will be different. I think the biggest thing I wanna make sure is that people that train these artificial intelligence, like the content that they get credit for, either they're paid.

Kevin Dennis (: 21:19

that they're gonna get in there.

Kevin Dennis (: 21:26

I do think the way you use Google will be different. I think the biggest thing I want to make sure is that people that train these other people always have the content that they get credit for. You know, they paid for their knowledge. So if they come to party for it, they pay for it, and then they go right there and run. That's the best practice. Yeah, exactly. And I'm a company out there. So we're going to have to figure out models where those people can source.

Julie Novack (: 21:40

for their knowledge. So if they come to PartySlate and scrape PartySlate, and then you don't have to go to PartySlate anymore, that's a threat to PartySlate. It's a threat to any company out there. So we're gonna have to figure out models where there's either source links that link you back out to the original source of how that model learned or actual links embedded into the responses.

Kevin Dennis (: 21:55

that links you back after they've been in source and how that model yarn or actual links and that is into the product. Wow, so Google really hasn't come to market with their product? They have come to market. OK.

Julie Novack (: 22:10

They have come to market with a product and there's a, you know, it's more of a technical product. Um, and so chat GPT is more of a consumer product. So, um, but there are, there is a Google product out there and it, I, let me, I have to Google it right now. See, see how you can just use it real time. Um, yeah. So there is a huge, it's called Bard. Um, I have not used it yet. So it is a chat based AI tool.

Kevin Dennis (: 22:18

Oh...

Kevin Dennis (: 22:26

So, yeah. Okay.

Julie Novack (: 22:39

Um, I heard the last time I spoke on AI was actually out at ILEA, um, in Boston right before Thanksgiving, I love presenting the day before Thanksgiving. Um, and it was a great way to about a hundred people there. And one of the more techie attendees was really talking about Google and Bard. And so I feel like I need to put that in my to-do list. I've gotten used to chat GPT, but I want to use other products out there, but Google way bigger than just these consumer tools.

Kevin Dennis (: 22:44

in Boston, where people can go out. OK. So that's a good question. And it was very good.

Kevin Dennis (: 22:53

is really something that Google has borrowed. So I kind of took that as my view of, I've got these things that I need to see and I need to see other products out there. But Google is really bigger than just these.

Julie Novack (23:8.171)

are going to be how their product is going to work differently due to artificial intelligence.

The world can't.

Kevin Dennis (: 23:19

How do you feel about the potential of the internet?

Julie Novack (: 23:27

Yeah. Yes.

Yes.

Julie Novack (: 23:34

Yeah. And they have so much money to invest from, you know, their core product. They have, you know, they have a lot of different products. They own YouTube. They own a lot of digital properties, but their core product to this day, you know, search is really the front page of the internet still. And so, you know, how many people are using other search tools? Very, very few. I think chat GPT could threaten.

Kevin Dennis (: 23:42

Mm-hmm.

Kevin Dennis (: 23:59

I think that would be cool. Wow. Yeah. Wow. Yeah.

Julie Novack (24:3.367)

the way Google works. So, if you think about it, you could say, you could go to chat GBT and ask a question that you normally would have asked Google. And as you get more comfortable with it, maybe you like the style of chat GBT, doing the triangulation, doing the thinking for you. And so you start using maybe 20% of your Google searches are now going over to chat GBT. That's why...

Amazon is viewed as a competitor to Google. And again, I wouldn't have thought of it that way. My husband works for Google, so I know a lot. But he's been there 14 years. And Amazon is because some people just start on Amazon when they're shopping. And so they're looking for something. And so instead of Googling the best strollers, you're going right on Amazon. You just know I'm Amazon Prime, I'm gonna buy on Amazon, this is where I buy things. And that's a threat to Google. So...

Kevin Dennis (: 24:34

No.

Kevin Dennis (: 24:44

Oh...

Kevin Dennis (: 24:50

Amazon.

Julie Novack (: 24:58

Google is going to, I believe, based on how they always come out on top, I believe artificial intelligence for Google. And if you just, if you review who is spending money on artificial intelligence, all the big players come up. Microsoft provided, you know, 95% of all the funding behind OpenAI. Elon Musk kind of started it as a nonprofit consortium. And then it had, I don't know, you've heard all the drama about Sam Altman and everything. That's another podcast, but...

Kevin Dennis (: 25:24

Yeah, yeah.

Julie Novack (: 25:28

Then they built this for-profit company within that, and that's where Microsoft invested $16 billion without having a board seat, which is something I've never seen in my life. Yes, no board seat. And that's why the board fired Sam Altman, who's the CEO of OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT and Dolly.

Kevin Dennis (: 25:35

Wow.

Kevin Dennis (: 25:40

Yeah, wow, without having a board seat?

Kevin Dennis (: 25:50

Mm-hmm.

Julie Novack (: 25:54

without them with five minutes notice before they made it public. And then, as you know, the entire employee, 700 employees came and said they would quit, they wouldn't bring them back, blah, blah. And then Microsoft said, I'm going to hire Sam Altman and bring everyone over to Microsoft. And then the board, uh, relented, changed their mind, got reconstituted completely differently and brought Sam Altman back as their CEO. It was the most exciting.

Kevin Dennis (: 25:58

Wow.

Kevin Dennis (: 26:14

that you can calculate the UDIs and drop in on them. Wow.

Julie Novack (: 26:22

like succession episode of everything happen in real life. Yeah. There will be a movie or a documentary about this. Yeah. Yes, I'm sure. Yeah.

Kevin Dennis (: 26:27

Wow, and I do love success. They probably will be. So I love succession. That's funny you said that I just finished. Yeah, it was the greatest ever. That was so good. Anyway, we can do a whole podcast episode about that. So all right. So why do you think it's important that we adapt?

Julie Novack (: 26:35

and love success.

Julie Novack (: 26:42

Yes, we could.

Julie Novack (: 26:50

I think like any innovation, let's say when the iPhone first came out, when the, you know, we moved from the flip phone to this screen. Yeah, exactly. I mean, I had like a Blackberry, you know, originally. So when the iPhone came out, let's say we were to just think, you know, websites are, they can just be built the same way they've always been built. This thing is a fad and it's going to go away.

Kevin Dennis (27:1.772)

Or the next L beep beep.

Kevin Dennis (27:6.699)

Yeah.

Julie Novack (: 27:19

I like my old flip phone, I'm used to it, blah, blah. Imagine if no one built responsibly designed websites. And so this skyrocketing, the adoption of the iPhone and then of course the Android, et cetera. And imagine if you were a wedding planner that dug your feet in and said, I just spent $20,000 on my website, I'm not going to redesign it. So when people were searching for wedding planners,

Kevin Dennis (: 27:34

Mm-hmm.

Kevin Dennis (: 27:46

So, we're searching for wedding centers, and let's say they found, or they party played it around back then. They got a party played, and they dug in, and they were done with three websites. One was usually responsive designer, and they would've clicked the call button. One was just old, funky, non-resonance design. This was in data, and they had this. They don't know what they were doing. I couldn't even find the context button. I can't even.

Julie Novack (: 27:48

And let's say they found, let's say Party Slate was around back then. They found Party Slate, you know, they dug in. They said, they said, I'm going to look at three websites. One was beautifully responsibly designed. There was a little click to call button. One was this old clunky non-responsibly design. Like this person's data, they don't know what they're doing. I can't even find the contact button. I can't even stretch the screen and find the contact button. So imagine if when this innovation came out, we just were stuck.

Kevin Dennis (: 28:11

So imagine if this innovation cannot be just a push and stop. Mm-hm. In one place. That became an artificial intelligence. I'm not saying that in the next six months, your business is going to be ruined if you don't stop or change. But imagine if your competitor down the street is fully embracing artificial intelligence to make them more efficient, to provide better concepts.

Julie Novack (: 28:17

in one place. That's the same as artificial intelligence. I'm not saying that within the next six months, your business is going to be ruined if you don't leverage it. But imagine what if your competitor down the street is fully embracing artificial intelligence to make them more efficient, to provide better concepting, to help with, you know, you can create Instagram posts on chat GPT. You know, you obviously you're going to make it your own language, but it's going to learn

Kevin Dennis (: 28:37

and culture, you know, between the three Instagram posts on chat and YouTube. I mean, obviously, you're gonna make it your own language, but it's gonna learn how you like them to open up as well. All these things are gonna give you some color down the street in slight advantage at the beginning. Then over time, you know, people, more innovation is gonna come, there's gonna be more time phases. There's gonna be, you can fail, total new artificial intelligence. That is the most important thing.

Julie Novack (: 28:45

how you like things over time as well. So all these things are gonna give your competitor on the street a slight advantage at the beginning. But then over time, you know, people more innovations are gonna come, there's gonna be more time saving. There's gonna be, you can create a proposal through artificial intelligence. It's embedded in your proposal software that you already buy. So if you're, all of these innovations are happening and you're stuck in one place,

you're going to be at a disadvantage to your competitors. I'm not saying you're going to go out of business and you do beautiful events, but what I'm saying is that person may be able to go on more vacations, that has spent more time with their family because they're working more efficiently and maybe even have a higher profit margin because they're leveraging artificial intelligence. So that's just an example of like.

Kevin Dennis (: 29:14

I'm not saying you're going to go out of business and be a beautiful vet, but what I'm saying is that for some baby it is a down-to-earth thing. They're saying that because they're working more systematically and have babies.

all sort of knowledge and artifice. So that's just an example of like, if you're gonna stay in one place, close your door to the other, and then, how do you make art? An artifice.

Julie Novack (: 29:39

If you're going to stay in one place and just hope it goes away, I'm going to tell you right now that artificial intelligence, just like the mobile phone, just like the internet is not going anywhere and something crazy, like 90% of venture capital money today is going into businesses that are, that are either building artificial intelligence or embracing artificial intelligence. So that means, cause you know how much money is out in Silicon Valley in New York and Boston.

That means that this is going to just get stronger and better and be more important to how businesses run.

Kevin Dennis (: 30:15

Well, probably it can get easier to use and I mean, yeah, all that.

Julie Novack (: 30:17

Easier to use. Yeah. I think one thing about chat GPT is it's a blank screen with a little box and it says put it, have you used it, Kevin? You can be honest. Okay. I figured you had so, but I would say when I go to, when I present, I've presented on this about maybe six or seven times now, I was one of the first in the industries to present in it. And again, I am not a coder. I don't know how these language models work. All I know is.

Kevin Dennis (: 30:27

I have, I have, yeah.

Kevin Dennis (: 30:41

Mm-hmm.

Julie Novack (: 30:44

I love new technology and I want to help this industry save time and make things a little bit more effortless. You guys work so hard to bring memories to families and the companies and the people all over the world. You also deserve to have that lifestyle. And so I think it's important that anything that can save time or make your life a little easier, you've got to embrace technology. So, yeah.

Kevin Dennis (31:8.874)

You have to. You really do. Yeah, it just it's just it's I don't know. We we my company's small. I fit in that, you know, 20, one to 20, you know, range and, you know, we have about 15 employees right now. But we because of technology, we're able to do the larger events and all the different things and, you know, market ourselves and do all those things. And people think.

Julie Novack (: 31:17

Yeah.

Kevin Dennis (: 31:30

There's lots of time people walk up to me and they're like, man, you guys are just massive. And we're like, no, I'm just as big as you. You know, yeah, but I'm just leveraging technology to help me have that feel and that look is, you know, that I'm bigger. So anyway, all right. So goals, let's, you know, as we're starting to wrap up, what are some goals that people or, you know, some action items, you know, that we could be using or doing?

Julie Novack (: 31:35

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Julie Novack (: 31:41

Exactly.

Julie Novack (: 31:54

Yes.

Yes. And also, Kevin, I also have a presentation on this that I'm happy to send over if anyone is interested in it. I can email it over to them. So in your show notes, you're welcome to, I can give you a link where they can request this. But there's four things that I really think could really help people get smarter about AI. And I think one thing I'll always say is, I believe

Kevin Dennis (32:5.272)

Perfect.

Kevin Dennis (32:8.875)

Yep.

Kevin Dennis (: 32:12

That'd be awesome.

Julie Novack (: 32:26

you know, writing things down is really, really important. If you don't write things down, it's not gonna happen. So the most important thing I can say about AI is, write a kind of a short, you know, one paragraph on what your goals are with AI. So how you think your business could leverage AI over the next year. So for example, you know, save time.

Kevin Dennis (: 32:38

about AI is, right? It's kind of a short, you know, one paragraph on what your goals are with AI. So how you think your business should cooperate with AI over the next year. For example, FaceTime, you know, how to do the marketing, different carriers, technology, and how AI can help every one of your peers and if you're looking for it. But the most important thing is to start experimenting.

Julie Novack (: 32:55

help with digital marketing, just put your hypothesis of how AI could help after you talk to your peers and do a little bit of research. But the most important thing is to start experimenting with AI today. And so the tool I recommend, which is the most popular, is ChatGPT. It is free. Put it on your toolbar if you know how to save it to your toolbar. So it's always there. So when you go to Google, also go to ChatGPT and see how that can help you.

in whatever you're looking for. The next thing I would say is, and I mentioned this before, is talk to some of your friend or as your peers. If you have a company like you do, Kevin, obviously you can have a brainstorm internally, which I think it'll be great, but start by talking to your peers outside your company and ask them how they're leveraging it, how are they thinking about it. And if you can try to invite one of the more techie forward friends, because everyone's got one, one or two, into that group, you know, maybe.

Kevin Dennis (: 33:39

and ask them how they're leveraging it, how they're thinking about it, and if you can try to invite one of the most effective forward, perhaps you've ever got one, to go into that group, you know, maybe that would be a great way. And I'd also say, you know, do it on Zoom, you can actually share your experience. And share, you know, so as much as I say I love it, so some collaboration, I think this would want me to actually be on Zoom, and actually share your experience, and use the tools, and show people the tools, because then, when I do my presentation, and I bring chat to you,

Julie Novack (: 33:51

that would be a great way. And I would also say, do it on Zoom so you can actually share your screen. And share, so as much as I say, I love in-person collaboration, I think this is one you can actually do on Zoom and actually share your screen and use the tools and showcase the tools for things. Is that when I do my presentations and I bring chat GPT up and I say, create an SOP for tent, a tented wedding safety, and all this stuff comes up that people in their heads they've known for, you know.

hundreds of years, you know, passed on to people that have been doing outdoor events. Um, it's pretty, you know, spectacular to see that happening right in front of your eyes. So I think that's important. And then I would say, you know, after you've talked to your peers, you've talked to collaborators, come back to your company and again, create some goals for AI. And the goals could be merely like usage goals. Like use it once a day. Everyone on your team is going to use it once a day, your weekly meeting.

Kevin Dennis (: 34:20

on the computer and bring out the event, it's pretty, you know, it's actually a feedback. Yeah. And then I would say, you know, after talking to you and the actual collaborators, come back to the company and again.

Julie Novack (: 34:46

you're going to come back and share how you used it. So I think it's getting that rhythm of using it that I think is the first step. If you are a design company or the area you're in is really impacted by visual AI, I really think getting someone on your team through a course or through some YouTube training, there's a lot of free training out there.

Kevin Dennis (35:2.422)

I really think getting from our understanding to a course or through some YouTube training, there's a lot of free training out there on how to level your skills. It may not work for the best or maybe the best thing you've ever, ever did. I think that if you're a designer, I think that designers have a lot to gain.

Julie Novack (: 35:11

on how to leverage these tools. It may not work for your business or it may be the best thing you've ever used. I just think that if you have a designer, I think that designers have a lot to gain by considering it as just not the leading tool, but a tool in 20 tools that they use to help concept a mood board or design for a larger scale event. For a small event, you're probably not gonna need it as much. But...

There are very, very expensive 3D modelers and designers that you can pay like 15, 20 K if not more to create three dimensional views of your design. This is a free or very low cost way to do something that used to cost $20,000. It's not going to be as good. It's not going to be the same. Those people are not at risk, just like architects aren't at risk, but there is a cheaper way to create.

Kevin Dennis (: 35:48

three dimensional view of your design. This is a three or very low cost way to do something that needs to come from outside. Yeah. And if it's good, it's not gonna be the same, but together.

Julie Novack (36:6.851)

original images, not images that exist already, because there's a lot of those, that create original images for a design concept that you have.

Kevin Dennis (: 36:14

Mm-hmm. Wow. And that's the one, I think that's the one I wasn't thinking about through this whole process. And I'm like, I can get, you know, like we're working on a big holiday event for this client. And I could have totally created a mood board through that. You know what I'm saying? It was just like, I was like, that's genius. You know, just how much time I would have saved Googling, looking for images, trying to find things.

Julie Novack (: 36:20

Yeah.

Julie Novack (: 36:30

Yes. Yeah.

Yes.

Julie Novack (: 36:39

Yes. And what we see is like you look at it as like another tool, not to sound geeky in your tool belt, it's another tool. So we want people to use Google. We want people to use party. So we want people to use Pinterest, get your ideas, ideas land at you. Like you could be in a store and an idea lands on you that, you know, our idea slates are very, very popular and party slate. This is another tool to use to create something that maybe hasn't been created before.

Kevin Dennis (: 36:49

Mm-hmm.

Kevin Dennis (37:6.936)

Mm-hmm.

Julie Novack (37:7.443)

Or it's an iteration of something like the, when Jen was talking about the circular bar with the tree in the middle and the lights and the, you know, the tiki torches, like whatever that concept was, it's not something you can Google and be like, oh, that's the perfect image. It's not. So by using mid journey or Dolly or others, I think play around with them. Like I've played around with them for presentations when I've talked about party slate, the original design aesthetic.

came from when I was a child. My aunt was a modern art collector. My parents became modern art collectors. I went to a lot of modern art museums all over the country, like when we travel, and it really inspired me, the all white walls, the cleanness, the white space, the perspective of the art. And so, party-slate, we try to kind of disappear in the background and the art are your photos and videos. So when I was presenting that to the company, I wanted to show a little girl, eight years old, blonde hair.

still wearing all black, look in a modern art museum, looking up at the art. I created an image in Dali. Yeah, I'll send it to you after this. I created an image and it was cool. It was like not an image that's out there. And it was a girl, a little blonde ponytail looking up at the art, all white art. So that was a generative, that was generated from Dali. It was not a photo that exists anywhere in the world.

Kevin Dennis (: 38:12

Wow.

Kevin Dennis (: 38:22

that was generated. Yeah.

Kevin Dennis (: 38:29

Wow, that's amazing. And something that's unique to you. Yeah, and you can use it.

Julie Novack (: 38:31

Yeah.

Yes. And I think the storytelling, you know, to have images, it helps. I could have just verbally told it, but I had that image and people, you know, picturing it, that was an influence on me. Yeah.

Kevin Dennis (: 38:45

Wow, that's amazing. Amazing, amazing what the world's becoming. So, all right, well, anything that we've missed that we didn't go through, I think...

Julie Novack (: 38:49

Yeah.

Julie Novack (: 38:54

No, I would just say, I'll give you the link for the, for your show notes. Um, if anyone wants to request the presentation on AI, um, we are also doing a lot of webinars on AI. We've done a couple or we'll do a couple more next year. Um, but we think if we can help the industry become better digital marketers and leverage technology in new ways, we feel that also helps build party Slates brand as well.

Kevin Dennis (: 38:58

Okay.

Kevin Dennis (39:9.335)

Perfect.

Kevin Dennis (: 39:20

Yeah, well, and I'll give you a little plug. Your webinars are amazing. You always learn something from it. So if you're not doing the Party Slate or attending the Party Slate webinars, please help yourself out. You're going to grow your business tenfold by attending them.

Julie Novack (: 39:24

Thank you.

Julie Novack (: 39:36

Yes. And for Party Slate, if you want to get on our mailing list, you want to be on our newsletter, just go to partieslate.com slash pro. If you have a free profile, if you're a premium member, I'll put a little plug, we'll do all the work for you and give you additional exposure. Start with a free profile just to get to know us. Then you're automatically included on our mailing list.

Kevin Dennis (: 39:55

Yeah, that's great. All right, Julie, one thing I always end with is what is, you know, since we are a wedding podcast, but even though we just talked about tech for, you know, forever here. But what is your favorite part of a wedding?

Julie Novack (40:1.926)

Yes.

Yeah, I could talk all day.

Julie Novack (: 40:12

I would say, can I have two favorite parts? Okay. I would say my favorite part of the wedding is when the couple is walking down the aisle, just like all the anticipation and you think about my own wedding and seeing all the people that you love there. I think like the walking down the aisle, but I also love a good after party. You know how some people are doing a separate room and it's like...

Kevin Dennis (: 40:16

Yeah, I-I-

Kevin Dennis (: 40:37

Mm. That's... I'm sorry.

Julie Novack (: 40:42

Um, our head of social media marketing had like a Michigan, she went to university in Michigan themed after party. So you go into the room afterwards and it's all like go blue Michigan. And like, it was a dance and DJ. And I think it's kind of a fun, you know, if you could make it up late to have a little after party.

Kevin Dennis (: 40:45

Michigan, which is a different name, you can actually go into the room afterwards and follow it. So, woo, Michigan. Oh, that's awesome. And then CJ.

Kevin Dennis (41:4.856)

Make it a place to have a little after party. It doesn't have to be long.

Julie Novack (41:6.287)

Yeah, I think it's fun. Even if it's just an hour after, I think there's always, not everyone's gonna stay. Yeah, not everyone's.

Julie Novack (: 41:18

Yes.

Julie Novack (: 41:24

I would recommend following us on Instagram. So we have a lot of good notes on there. So that's just at a party slate I have more of the industry feeds. So I'm at Julie party slate So all the fun events we're having and inside views of where I'm speaking and things like that and pictures of my dog occasionally and kids That's there and then just party slate comm slash pro is the great place to start

Kevin Dennis (: 41:49

Well, perfect. All right, Julie, it's been a pleasure. Hopefully, we will have you back to, you know, because in six months from now, AI is going to, yeah, it's going to be totally different. And this is going to be old news. And we're going to need you back for the update. So anyway, so Julie, thank you so much. We really appreciate you being here. Thank you.

Julie Novack (: 41:55

It's gonna be all different. Yeah.

Julie Novack (42:2.248)

Yes.

Thank you. Thank you so much.