AI-Driven Data Extraction: Simplifying Event Discovery
Nov 25, 2023
We’ve built a structured AI-powered spreadsheet helping you to filter and search for what’s relevant. In today's world, we're often overwhelmed by data. That's where AI steps in, transforming how we process information.
The Challenge: Finding Relevant Side Events Around a Conference
Most websites present information in bulk: long pieces of text with limited filtering possibilities. What you want is to get to the gist: what’s in for you?
Example – Web Summit Side Events
Last week’s Web Summit in Lisbon had tons of great side events! But information was scattered around chat groups, Eventbrite, Luma, Facebook and LinkedIn posts. Various organisations and individuals attempted at grouping them. Lists were circulating online.
Arguably the best attempt was by Innovation Scene Portugal who hosted a dedicated web page with events.
But there was no way to filter them by topic, format or target audience. In order to learn more, users had to visit each event’s page.
There were around 228 side events in total, squeezed inside one week! There was no way around reading the entire description. More than 40,800 words in all events combined! That’s just below half the size of an average book.
The AI Solution
Nobody provided filters because the events provided no higher-level information, such as format or audience. Certainly the curators would have made use of this information if it was available.
The difficulty here is that semantic information (i.e. meaning) is slow to extract. Someone needs to sit down and go through each event by hand. Nobody has time for that!
Generative AI to the Rescue
Enter Generative AI: a game-changer in data extraction. We developed a system that consolidates event details into an easy-to-navigate spreadsheet. This tool isn't just a list—it's a gateway to personalised event discovery!
Key Features:
Automated Extraction: AI sifts through details, pulling out key information like time, duration, and industry.
User-Centric Summaries: Find events like “Running and networking in Lisbon's tech scene” in a glance.
Custom Filters: Tailor your search to your interests, from tech to finance.
You can see the finished result in this spreadsheet.
Outcome
It’s at least 100x quicker to find what you were looking for. Just filter, search and group.
It made the side event experience better for hundreds of attendees.
This is a fairly straightforward way to interact with data. We’re likely to see it become the norm in the future.
This small example can be directly applied to speeding up data retrieval in companies. It can be extended indefinitely with semantic search or an AI-first schedule planner based on preferences.
Conclusion
In the age of data overload, AI offers a practical solution for efficient data extraction and personalised discovery. Our AI-powered tool demonstrated its potential by transforming the side event experience at the Web Summit, making it easier for attendees to find relevant events. This technology can be further extended to various sectors, revolutionising the way we interact with data. Embrace AI for smarter, faster decision-making and a personalised data experience.
