Episode Summary:
This inaugural episode of the WTF (Where’s the Future?) podcast features Brandt Krueger and Will Curran discussing their transition from the Event Tech Podcast, exploring early experiments with AI agentic browsers like Comet and Dia, their frustrations and hopes for AI tools, and the evolving landscape of the open web amid new AI data challenges.

They also discuss the approaching potential AI bubble and industry consolidation, as well as the democratization of app and tool creation through no-code platforms. Be sure to joint the WTF community to stay in touch between episodes! https://wtf.community

Discussions Include:
• Early experiences and challenges using AI agentic browsers to automate web tasks
• Current concerns around web scraping, data privacy, and the open web’s future
• The outlook on the AI bubble, industry hype, and the need for specialization in AI tools
• The rise of no-code app development and democratizing technology creation
• Highlights from the WTF community on emerging tech like Apple Watch updates and smart home devices

Quotable Quotes (Should you choose to share):
• “At first I was like- this is amazing! Then, my God, this is terrible. My God, you are so dumb! Wait, no, what? No. Actually? No. This is pretty cool? Nope, you’re just dumb.” - Brandt Krueger
• “We can see what it could be… It’s kind of like glimpsing out a window and seeing all the kids playing outside and you know that you could be that kid playing outside, but Perplexity and Comet Daddy won’t let you go out because you’re grounded.” - Will Curran
• “I think the opportunity is if we have leveled off on these Uber GPTs, that’s good because now we can focus on specialty- on unitaskers that do one thing really well.” - Brandt Krueger
• “The internet’s becoming more like a city with complex rules and less like free land where you could build whatever you wanted.” - Will Curran
• “The AI bubble means tons of money thrown at it, lots of people hired, then a collapse where the lower level people lose their jobs, but the big players get their guaranteed payouts.” - Brandt Krueger

Episode Summary:

In this bittersweet installment, Will Curran and Brandt Krueger close the book on the Event Tech Podcast- at least as we’ve known it. After years of stretching topics to fit the confines of “event tech,” they’re rebranding and broadening the focus to Where’s the Future? (conveniently, WTF). With a wider lens on technology, gadgets, innovation, and how they all connect to real life, the duo reflect on their favorite episodes, industry shifts post-COVID, and the future of both the show and the community. It’s equal parts nostalgia, industry critique, and excitement for what’s ahead.

Discussions Include:
• Why the Event Tech Podcast is winding down and evolving into Where’s the Future? (WTF)
• The changing pace of innovation in the events industry post-COVID
• Memorable episodes, rants, and recurring themes from the show’s history
• How the new community and live podcast recordings will work

Quotable Quotes (Should you choose to share):

• “We were promised jetpacks… where’s my flying car? Where’s the future?” - Will Curran
• “If you liked what we were doing before, I’d like to think you’re going to continue to like what we’re doing... it's just broader.” - Brandt Krueger
• “Sometimes I think our listeners already knew how things tied into events. They just wanted to know what’s GOOD and we’d figure out the rest.” - Will Curran
• “We moved the ball down the field ten years in one year… and then we went backwards.” - Brandt Krueger
• “Let’s be honest. Will and I are going to talk even if no one’s in the room.” - Brandt Krueger

Be sure to check out the WTF community! Conveniently located at http://wtf.community ;)

Episode Summary:

This time on the Event Tech Podcast, Brandt and Will welcome industry veteran Matthew Byrne to unpack the pains and progress of event content management. Byrne introduces ShowSync, a new solution designed to streamline the collection, synchronization, and distribution of event content- eliminating versioning headaches, USB thumbdrive chaos, and other PPT nightmares. The episode explores the real-world challenges that inspired ShowSync, how it works across multiple production environments, and the future possibilities for integrating with other industry tools.

Discussions Include:

• The origin story of ShowSync and the persistent problems it solves in event production
• How ShowSync manages real-time content syncing, version control, and secure uploads across multiple machines and locations
• Technical insights into hardware integration, cloud syncing, and InfoSec compliance for sensitive client data
• The roadmap for ShowSync, including potential integrations and expansion into new event and retail environments

Quotable Quotes (Should you choose to share):

"Essentially what it does is it seamlessly syncs all of content across production for events- and then on the back end leverages out the content that's created at an event in a much more cost effective and efficient way." - Matthew Byrne

"If then on machine one, you delete slide one, every version number 29 in that package on every machine just starts to lose slide one. Like as fast as the 10 gigabit connection can make that happen." - Matthew Byrne

"We always say that a live event is a content machine. If we can cut down the expense and time to be able to leverage that value out, I think that that solves a lot of problems." - Matthew Byrne

"It's always nice when someone's able to go, 'how about we put it all together into one thing and make it go?' It's wonderful." - Brandt Krueger

Learn more about ShowSync at https://byrneproductionservices.com/showsync/