By Kafui Dey
Recently, I found myself preparing for a highly technical panel discussion. You know the kind—lots of jargon, experts with multiple degrees, and an audience expecting nothing short of brilliance. As I sifted through the mountains of notes, panelist bios, and discussion points, I wondered, “How am I going to streamline all of this?”
Enter my new best friend: ChatGPT.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: AI? Really? But stay with me. In a moment of inspiration (or maybe desperation), I decided to enlist some help from AI. After logging into ChatGPT, I simply typed:
“Act as an expert panel moderator. Your panel consists of Mr. X, Mr. Y, and Mr. Z. List targeted questions based on the following concept note and moderator notes.”
Then, I pasted the documents into the app and BOOM! Out came customized, targeted questions for each panelist, perfectly aligned with the technical aspects of the discussion. I was floored.
But then, my mind started whirring. Could ChatGPT structure the entire panel for me? Well, why not ask?
My second command:
“Based on the above, propose a structure for the panel discussion. Duration: one hour.”
You won’t believe what my new best friend, ChatGPT, served up:
■ Opening remarks: Introduction to the topic, key stats, and objectives (5 minutes)
■ Panellists introductions: Quick intros for each panelist (5 minutes)
■ Thematic questioning: Specific questions for each expert, follow-ups, and cross-panel interaction (40 minutes)
■ Q&A: Audience questions (5–7 minutes)
■ Closing remarks: Moderator (yep, that’s me!) wraps up (3 minutes)
I printed out that structure like a pilot poring over his flight plan. With this level of organization and preparation, the panel discussion went off without a hitch. The audience was engaged, the panelists had clear direction, and I—well, let’s just say I felt like a rock star moderator.
AI didn’t just assist me; it made me better.
It felt like I had a backstage pass to the future of event moderation. And while some might argue that AI is going to replace human jobs (cue the panic alarms), I’m here to tell you that’s not the case.
AI is a tool—a powerful one—but in my experience, it amplifies human abilities rather than replacing them. It’s the copilot that makes sure you ace the landing.
So, to paraphrase a famous song: “I get by with a little help from my [AI] friend.”
Now, over to you—have you embraced AI yet? Or are you still moderating the old-fashioned way?
