Entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk annual VeeCon conference kicked off this week, and the core mix looks familiar: panels and interviews featuring famous celebs, creators, and business leaders paired with concerts and events, all set inside a Midwestern NFL stadium. .
But this year’s move from Minneapolis to Indianapolis has another change, Vaynerchuk said Decrypt: a widening focus that is less centered NFTs and Web3. In particular, he said through a video call, he was hyped about the rise of AI tools and their impact on business and creators.
Last year, Vaynerchuk described VeeCon in Decrypt as a sort of “summer camp”, designed to educate attendees about NFTs—and entertain them as well. But this year, with the NFT market seeing a drastic decline last year, he said the goal was to expand the event and make VeeCon “the coolest business conference in the world.”
“Cool” is meant to represent “contemporary voices and individuals who represent the ‘now’ of business and popular culture,” he explained, albeit within a conference framework still focused on business. , marketing, and entrepreneurial pursuits. Vaynerchuk further describes evolution as a “strategic shift” from the original phenomenon.
Overall, the lineup of speakers hit a similar vibe as last year, with celebrities (Drew Barrymore, Neil Patrick Harris, Jessica Alba) plus NFT artists and project creators (Art Blocks by Erick “Snowfro” Calderon and pseudonymous Deadfellaz co-founder Betty), with musician Timbaland, spiritual thinker Deepak Chopraand entrepreneurs from various industries.
But the lineup of panels and chats at the NFT-ticketed event has a broader scope, from sports partnerships to business and culture pairings—and AI is in the mix, too. Vaynerchuk said AI conversations could dominate the event if they approach it like VeeCon 2022.
“Last year, I was very focused on the education of the new innovation,” he said Decrypt. “If I do it this year, there will be 80% of AI panels”
Vaynerchuk says his Vayner3 consultancy has similarly expanded its focus from Web3 to broader technological innovations, including things like augmented reality and AI. The company now helps brands navigate the new and potentially thorny generative AI space.
And he’s personally excited about the technology, too. Vaynerchuk said Decrypt that he believes AI will streamline and simplify many everyday tasks, freeing humans to “use our amazing brains and hearts and souls to do new things.” He likens the rise of AI tools to tractor manufacturing, which he says has ushered in a larger wave of growth and innovation.
“I think AI is about to open up a lot of time for more creative people,” he said, adding that shaving off hours that would normally be spent on complex tasks—like creating a a visual idea from out of Photoshop-by tapping AI instead is “go to. be very good” for people.
Vaynerchuk added that he uses AI “less than I’d like” amid his busy schedule of planning VeeCon and his many other ventures, but it’s already affecting his routine.
“I use it several times a week – I hope it’s 50 times a day, that’s how deep it is – but several times a week to give me insights,” he explained. “I use it as a thought partner [for] observation and curiosity.”
Despite the The decline of the NFT market last year and the expanding focus of VeeCon, Vaynerchuk said Decrypt that he still believes that a sustainable NFT market will one day emerge.
Vaynerchuk was quick to notice his 2021 prediction that “99% of [NFTs] are going to zero,” and said that many people did not believe him much at that time. But he also notes that in markets like art and sports cards, 99% of those items aren’t worth much—and the CryptoPunks collector and other expensive NFTs are eager to find out what remains of value in the long term.
“What is the best for a person like me, who likes to collect and collect, what is 1% of this period in 30 years?” he asked. “[It] it’s fun to watch.”