Machines Among Us: Today’s Reality of Artificial Intelligence

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Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) used to be the foils for heroes in science fiction movies. The Day the Earth Stood Still; 2001: A Space Odyssey; I, Robot; The Matrix; RoboCop; and Terminator all show a day when machines take over the world with disastrous consequences for humans. The reality is AI is already here today and it is nowhere near as villainous as the movies portray. AI helps diabetics better manage their sugar; enables driverless, electric vehicles that are better for the environment; supports the efforts of cyber warriors; and makes medicine more personal and precise.[Tweet "Machines Among Us: Today's Reality of Artificial Intelligence. #GovEventsBlog"]

Artificial Intelligence is used to describe the activities of a machine when it mimics the cognitive abilities of humans. This cognition allows the machine to take action toward a stated goal. But how do machines become intelligent? Like humans, they must be taught. Machine Learning is a type of AI focused on giving computers the ability to learn without being explicitly programmed. Using algorithms (designed by humans), machines can make predictions using the massive amounts of data they are able to process.[Tweet "AI = the activities of a machine when it mimics the abilities of humans. #GovEventsBlog"] Continue reading →

Are You Doing Enough to Keep Attendee Information Safe?

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From time to time GovEvents will come across information we feel our members and audience would benefit from. Here's something we wanted to share:

Ticket holders for the annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival who are looking forward to spending two weekends in the California desert with some of the biggest names in music may have had their anticipation dampened by a bit of bad news from festival organizers last week. "We recently discovered that unauthorized third parties illegally gained access to the usernames, first and last names, shipping addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, and dates of birth individuals provided to Coachella," read an email from the festival. "We have taken measures to block further unauthorized access, and reported the matter to the appropriate authorities for further investigation." Continue reading →

Behind the Curtain: AWWA ACE

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The American Waterworks Association's Annual Conference and Exposition, known to attendees as ACE, brings together the wide variety of individuals involved in the spectrum of the water sector. What began as an informal gathering of 22 men discussing the need for safe drinking water in the late 1800s has evolved into the premier show for the water industry to share the latest trends, challenges, policy, and technology. This year's show will take place June 11-14 in Philadelphia, PA. While the show may be a whole season away, the opportunity to get the super-saver registration discount is closing soon (March 30 to be exact).

Cynthia Lane, Director of Engineering & Technical Services spoke with us to share what attendees can expect at this year's event. Continue reading →

Something Old and Something New: DC Venues

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a push pin over washington dc in the map

With spring approaching we've caught the fever for everything new and fresh. We took a look around the DC venue scene to find some of the newer options for event locations and found a common theme -- everything old is new again. Historic DC landmarks have gotten substantive makeovers and a casino introduces a new element to the DC event landscape.[Tweet "The old is new again! #DC meeting and event venue options. #GovEventsBlog"]

  • MGM National Harbor - The glitziest and most publicized new venue is undoubtedly the MGM National Harbor. The 308 room hotel and casino boasts all the amenities a meeting planner or attendee could ask for. The Grand Ballroom features sweeping views of the Potomac River. Multiple smaller meeting spaces feature state-of-the-art technology and various options for meeting configurations. The facility also boasts a 3,000 seat theater and multiple restaurants. MGM National Harbor is tailor made to cater to large groups but may also provide an interesting change of pace for smaller gatherings.[Tweet "The @MGMNatlHarbor casino introduces a new element to the DC event venue landscape. #GovEventsBlog"]
  • Trump Washington DC - It's a neck-and-neck race between the Trump Hotel and MGM for which facility received the most press at opening. Located in the historic Old Post Office building, this hotel breathed new life into a Washington landmark. The hotel has 17 meeting/event rooms, totaling 38,000 square feet. The 13,000+ square foot Presidential ballroom is the largest space with the Lincoln Library and Franklin Study providing smaller, well-appointed space for meetings and events.
  • The Watergate - While not a new venue, the Watergate complex completed a massive renovation this past summer. The renovations include 7,000 square feet of flexible indoor event space and 10,000 square feet of outdoor space. The hotel's rooftop bar, Top of the Gate, is equipped with fire pits and can hold as many as 250 guests with a 360-degree view of Washington and the Potomac River. The Library is a great option for smaller events holding 60-80 guests.
  • Mayflower Hotel - Like the Watergate, the Mayflower underwent a renovation that was completed in the summer of 2016. The Hotel is now part of Marriott International's Autograph Collection and features a completely redecorated ballroom. The hotel boasts a diverse set of 27 meeting spaces that can meet the needs of any gathering.

[Tweet "What is your pick for best DC meeting or event space? #GovEventsBlog"]This trend of modernizing old spaces will continue into 2017 with several anticipated openings including The Line Hotel in a former church and the reinvention of the Doubletree Washington as The Darcy. Brand new spaces will also be opening in 2017 with the completion of The Wharf on Maine Avenue with a host of new restaurants and meeting space.

We'd love to hear your thoughts on the revitalization of these and other landmarks as well as the creation of brand new spaces. Let us know your picks for best new event space in DC in the comments.

Rethinking the Speaker Relationship

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Speaker giving a talk on corporate Business Conference. Audience at the conference hall. Business and Entrepreneurship event.We've written here about what shows without speakers might look like and how realistic it is for the future of events. The dynamics of a peer interaction-driven show are appealing on many levels, however, there is still a real need for subject matter experts to be a feature of many events.

Speakers fill many roles at a conference. Some play a motivational role energizing an audience to make changes personally, professionally, and globally. Others open minds in a way that impacts how people receive more technical or logistical material at the event. And then there are our true subject matter experts--they have been there, done that and are sharing what they've learned with the audience so mistakes can be avoided and successes repeated. Still other speakers work as facilitators to get conversations started at the event and beyond. They keep a group on topic while pushing the conversation forward.[Tweet "Rethinking the speaker relationship: Guiding principles in working with speakers. #GovEventsBlog"]

No matter which type(s) of speakers an event uses, it is important to recognize the value of their role and support them accordingly. We've pulled together a couple of thoughts on what should be some guiding principles in working with speakers. Continue reading →