At CEDIA Expo in Denver this September, the IMCCA is running a walk-up AI Lab that’s sure to grab attendees’ attention. Two “AI Chefs,” Kevin Kieller and David Maldow, will help attendees work their way through AI on live machines. Kieller is co-founder and lead analyst at engageUC; meanwhile, Maldow is founder and CEO of Let’s Do Video.
The IMCCA has brought content to CEDIA Expo before, typically through formal presentations. This year, however, the different format at the show presents fresh opportunities.
“We want to provide an informal lab,” David Danto, director of emerging technologies at IMCCA and principal analyst at TalkingPointz, says.
The AI Lab is hands-on. Kieller describes the approach in terms evoking a gourmet kitchen. “We focus on cooking up recipes,” he says. “Tips and tricks to help you and your business get the most out of AI.”
AI Lab at CEDIA Expo: Compare Tools Side by Side
The AI Lab connects multiple machines to the major AI tools, such as ChatGPT, Claude and numerous others. Attendees can experiment with each one and see how they differ. “Each of these AI tools has different personalities,” Kieller says.
The AI Chefs keep the work grounded in day-to-day integration tasks. “We’re going to focus on real business use cases,” Kieller says.
Danto points to a familiar example, saying he expects an integrator visiting the AI Lab to ask, “Can you show me how I would take this BOM and have it done better?”
Kieller frames the stakes directly, declaring, “AI is going to determine winners or losers — and don’t be a loser. In other words, don’t ignore this.”
Meet Integrators Where They Are
Danto sees a gap that the AI Lab can fill. Skilled professionals often aren’t sure where AI stands or how the tools differ. Adopting the voice of a typical attendee, he asks, “What’s the difference? What is Claude? I’ve heard of ChatGPT, but I haven’t heard of OpenAI. And what’s the difference?”
The AI Chefs also have a message for anyone who tried AI early and came away unimpressed. “If you’re one of those people, we would encourage you to come back and try the same thing,” Kieller suggests. The tools may have dramatically improved since then. “Maybe you tried a year ago or even three months ago,” he continues. “If the results weren’t satisfactory, the kitchen, as it were, and the ingredients, they have vastly improved.”
The pace of change is lightning fast. “Week over week and certainly month over month, these AI tools are rapidly improving,” Kieller says.
How to Take Part in the AI Lab at CEDIA Expo
Accessing the AI Lab is easy. “It is a drop-in lab,” Danto says. “It’s available first come, first serve, whoever comes by.” Attendees with a pressing question can also arrange time in advance.
For integrators weighing whether to stop by, Kieller keeps the payoff practical. “We’re certainly going to try to guide you so that you have some tasty business outcomes,” he says, keeping the kitchen motif fully intact.
The AI Lab from IMCCA is one more reason to join the integration community at CEDIA Expo in Denver this September. Take advantage of it to sharpen your skills, explore new tools and learn how AI can support your business.
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