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This section is inspired by the theme of AI dominating our industry events and communications. It is big enough to keep on eye on. However so big that it also needs to be dwindled down to understand what you probably should pay attention to. I've included a couple of updates from tools, followed by my thoughts on AI and how to approach it to your role.

Slack AI (Business Plus+ Plan)

TLDR - Slack has integrated a paid AI agent to quickly deliver summarized search result options, summarize conversations in large threads, and deliver a custom recap of a collective of threads in a daily digest.

Is Slack AI worth it? The bigger question to ask is, can you afford it? It comes at an additional cost of $10 per user under their Business Plus+ Plan, coming in at $18 per user a month. This solution is a good solution for a small and mighty team, looking to keep up and stay organized. With a small team, the cost is less of a concern and can be considered in an investment to support a solo manager. With a big team, you're likely doing just fine staying on top of communications and therefore less likely to need this function. Something to think about! I classify this as a Nice to have versus Need.

Airtable in its AI Era

TLDR - Focused on builders in the tool, if you are on a smaller team, or person of one responsible for the production of creative outputs while also managing your tasks and you are already a user of Airtable you would be most interested in this tool. It can develop an app for you, such as an event app.

Is Airtable AI worth it? It has leaped way ahead in terms of innovation and growth from since the last time I used it. The ability to create an app through conversation to an AI agent is a compelling statement. I can see a use case for producers to leverage this feature in scouting for venues and planning. The ability to create an app is the most eye catching part to me. Overall compelling if you are already an Airtable user, if you're not, I'd wait and see how it's working out in reality for users who are in it.

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Hot Topic Question: How does AI actually impact my role?

As mentioned above the conversation surrounding AI is everywhere, and it is the hot topic at industry conferences and webinar events. Many people attend, expecting to walk away having learned how to implement Ai into their day-to-day. However, with an overload of information (and prioritzing salesy pitches in some cases) many are leaving having taken away nothing new.

If you're feeling the same, you're not alone. If you're also wondering, "How is this applicable to me and my role?" "How does AI affect me directly?" The answer is that it's too early to tell. However it's not too early to start to pay attention to it. While the use of AI is advancing in our tools, it's not perfect- therefore it can not be a replacement to how you work, but it is a start to see possibilities of how it will enhance it, if you're willing to embrace it. Which means don't fear your job security because of it, stay open and curious as to what's to come from it. I would be concerned if you're not curious enough to figure out how it can better your current workflow and environment. The reality is for every person not interested, there is someone interested that may give them the edge for discoverying efficiencies and saving time for the business.

AI is a tool for you toolbox, it can't replace the human instinct that you have, and it still needs someone to guide it towards a meaningful output. What will be of the most importance to you is your ability to adjust to its use. How to do that?

At first, I considered sharing examples of solutions, selecting 3-5 tools to provided inspiration, and then I thought it would be better to get even more practical, let's connect on real challenges together, and so now we're going to launch these strategic planning calls to discuss.

So we can figure it out together. No one left behind.

So let's talk about.

Sign up to join a future Creative Operations Network call, to connect with me, and other peers and learn how to implement AI in to our workflows together.

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Henry Stewart Creative Ops Summit NY, 2025

I attended this year’s Henry Stewart Creative Operations Summit in NYC. This is one I highly recommend for anyone in our industry. This is where your network is. The right mix of educational learning opportunities and some fun meeting others who understand the work you do. This years themes spotlighted: human-first leadership, AI as a support—not a replacement—and the need for creativity to drive measurable impact. From L’Oréal to Wayfair, creative operations leaders shared their strategies in their approach to deliver the work.
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​Catch up on my recap here, plus a special discount code for the next Henry Stewart Summit in November, in LA this coming fall.

Creative Ops Network Meet Ups

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Our network meet-ups are meant to connect with others within in the Creative Operations Network.

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Subscribe to the Creative Ops Calendar, to be alerted to events happening virtually and in person.

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These events vary from casual meetups, either during the lunch hour or happy hour or virtual connects to discuss industry trends and hot topics Join the free general bi-weekly call, for troubleshooting, sharing, and ideation in your role.

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Web Summit Vancouver, 2025

It was a busy few weeks just before Creative Summit in NY I also attended Web Summit in Vancouver. Covering a breadth of topics, I priortized the Creative focused discussions which is what I've written about. These sessions discussed redefining the intersection of creativity and technology, showcasing visionary talks from industry leaders, breakthrough generative AI tools, and emerging best practices in purpose-driven branding. My recap dives into key insights, top sessions, and standout innovations from the summit. If you're thinking about whether to attend next year, this is a good place to start. Read more here.​

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