NUS-ISS Learning Festival 2023 was a blast. It provided a huge variety of programs to choose from. Here are some insights from the more memorable sessions.
Presenter: Mr. Felix Goh Session: Understanding GenAI / LLM and What is Google Offering
Mr Goh did a LIVE demo of Google Duet AI. Duet AI combines the best of Generative AI, ChatGPT with image generation tools (e.g. Dall.e) into your familiar Google suite of services (gmail, google docs, slides, spreadsheets). For those with Google workspace enterprise, you get to try this out already. For the rest of us, there is a free trial or we can just watch other’s demos via Youtube.
Duet AI’s biggest selling angle is that you can do everything within Google’s ecosystem. You won’t have to toggle between OpenAI (for ChatGPT, Dall.E), Adobe (for Firefly, Photoshop), Canva, etc. Pretty much all you need would be covered within their powerful suite of services. The ability to ask AI to summarise from a huge threaded gmail conversation is enough to convince me to give it a try.
He predicts AI-powered chatbots will get much better in coming months as the technology for it has advanced greatly. In fact, anyone can now create chatbots without code easily. Really, its just a google search away.
Mr Goh's final nugget was that this AI race will continue for a long time. As competitors try to one-up each other, their AI-related products and services will take turns as industry leaders. What a lucky time to be a consumer. In fact, one lucky participant during Q&A, won a free lunch appointment with him at Google Office Singapore!
Presenter: Mr. Sam GU Zhan
Session: Embracing the future of Generative AI
Sam was a very entertaining presenter. He credited his packed workshop (some attendees had no chairs) to ChatGPT creating a very catchy title for him. He would later share many other examples of how Generative AI can be used to improve current tasks, from creative works to routine tasks like writing emails.
He traced back how AI evolved through the years, with the obvious spike in interest and capability due to ChatGPT’s meteroic rise in Nov 2022. I like how he drew a distinction between AI-Generated Content (AIGC) vs Generative AI (GAI). i.e. AIGC is the actual digital content (text, images, music, audio, and videos) created from GAI, while GAI refers to the use of AI to create these new content. Same same but different.
He introduced basic AI jargons such as GAN, GPT, LLM (E.g. ChatGPT), GAI. With this basic understanding, anyone can better converse with others wrt AI. You are welcomed :)
Sam predicts in 2024, chatbots will flood the digital landscape. This is because there is a real industry need and the technology has also matured so much in recent years.
Other areas he sees potential in are “Game design and development” where game designers can leverage on GAI to create characters in 2D and 3D, as well as generate NPC dialogue.
Sam’s final nugget was not something new. But a reminder that in life, there are no shortcuts. Sure, tools like ChatGPT can help find information really fast, and aid with the learning process. But Learning still requires practice. And memorizing (certain key concepts) is part of the learning process. You cannot skip this step. If you practice regularly, you will get better at whatever you are doing.
Presenter: Ms YAP Aye Wee Session: Future of Learning
Ms. Yap (Managing Director & Head, Group Learning and Transformation, OCBC Bank) is such a charismatic presenter, you could feel her energy as she shared her organisation’s transformation journey at OCBC.
"Approval to Learn" She advocates that there is no need to seek approval to learn. Adult learners are responsible enough to ensure that as long as daily operations are not compromised, OCBC staff do not need approval to learn. They actively promote #autonomy and self-directed learning.
“White spaces” OCBC advocates Peer-to-peer learning. Their offices are designed with porous spaces to improve chance meetings with other colleagues. Their tea breaks are timed to happen at the same time, and share the same F&B to allow staff from different teams (going for different workshops) to network during break time. These deliberate gaps ("White spaces") between programs help increase chances of Naturally formed Networks. Foster #Collaboration & #Relatedness
“Meaningful Relationships” It was encouraging to hear how OCBC celebrates their learning culture by calling their volunteers “Campus stars”. These volunteers are internal OCBC trainers who are recognized for going the extra mile for supporting their colleagues' learning. Heck, their hashtags #BetterMe #BetterUs implies a win-win mindset.
“Mentoring” Ms. Yap drew laughter from the audience when she shared that OCBC provided a platform much like a speed dating app to allow mentees and mentors to pair up. So far, many “unions” have been fruitful. For those that did not work out, staff did not complain. Instead, they thanked Ms Yap’s team for setting up this platform and will continue “swiping” till they find the right match. Staff can tell if you are sincere, which in turn leads to reciprocity. Be genuine.
“Learning Agility”
She shared about OCBC’s learning agility construct. How productive failure helps staff learn from mistakes and bounce back quickly. High stakes and high fear of failure in fact impedes the organisation from moving forward. To create a psychologically safe working environment not just helps staff but also the company bottom line.
“Culture Eats Strategy For Breakfast”
She shared much more but I will end with how she shared that culture change doesn't happen overnight. OCBC’s transformation journey was 7 years in the making. I liken what Ms. Yap has done to planting the seeds and nurturing the shoots which have become trees (campus stars) and now provide shade to all. Her next step is to proliferate these learners into a forest of learning. Not a bad metaphor eh?
Fireside chat: Future of Learning
NUS-ISS Learning festival ended with a wonderful fireside chat between Ms. Yap and Mr. Khoong. In a nutshell, "give learners autonomy, adapt training programs, and make the workplace psychologically safe". Who would not want to work in such organizations? The real challenge is finding the right team and dedicated leaders with the vision, perseverance and leadership to create such a progressive learning culture.
This was my first time at the NUS-ISS Learning festival. While I can’t speak for the earlier instalments, the 2023 edition left a good impression. I'll be back next year.
Benedict Chia
28 Oct 2023
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