Lecture Engagement Tools

Let’s talk about voice AI. Meta's recent PlayAI acquisition is just the beginning of a wave of voice AI consolidation driven by big tech’s uncapped appetite for the building blocks for the AI future. Meta’s play isn't just about technology or talent; it positions Meta to lead in the integration of voice AI as a dominant interface for AI interaction. As the industry continues to surpass critical thresholds in models that process audio directly, the top voice AI development startups are building platforms that enable easy integration of sub-300ms voice capabilities without complex infrastructure. The top voice AI development platform companies and leading M&A targets include: → ElevenLabs represents the crown jewel of the voice AI space. Its market-topping 955 Mosaic score and voice synthesis leadership make it the most attractive acquisition target for the big tech companies with “money to blow” on AI-cquisitions. → Cresta offers proven ROI with customers reporting 50% cost reductions in contact centers. This positions it perfectly for companies looking to leverage voice AI to immediately impact enterprise productivity. → Cartesia brings ultra-low latency capabilities under 100ms, making it ideal for any company seeking to deliver truly conversational AI experiences. Voice AI investment and consolidation reflects a future where human-AI interaction will be conversational. Companies are positioning for a future where humans interact with AI away from the browser or mobile paradigm we have existed in for the last two decades. Voice AI is becoming the "plumbing" of real-world AI interaction across both consumer and enterprise applications. As the AI arms race continues, acquisitions will continue to be focused on talent, tech, and infrastructure rather than existing revenues. Companies that secure advanced voice AI capabilities now will dominate the next phase of AI adoption – whether they integrate into their existing offerings or cash-in on selling the tooling back to others. The voice AI gold rush isn't just about near-term tech boosts; it's about defining how humans will interact with AI for the next decade. P.S. Want more insights on the companies building the future of voice AI? Have your AI talk to my AI... or, comment "voice AI" below for *free* access to CB Insights' data and insights on the voice AI markets.

“Drop your location in the chat” is not how you create engagement in your webinars. Asking where everyone’s dialling in from doesn’t build connection. It doesn’t help your audience get into the right headspace. And unless you’re running a travel meetup, it’s just not relevant to your webinars. What you ask in the first 30 seconds of a webinar sets the tone. So ask something that: - helps people focus. - helps you understand who’s in the room. - opens up the topic. Here are 12 options you can borrow instead. 1/ “One emoji to describe how your relationship with [topic] is going.” 2/ “Which best describes you: 1) Curious but new, 2) Been trying for a while, 3) Already crushing it?” 3/ “Finish this sentence: I’m here today because…” 4/ “What’s one thing you’ve tried already that didn’t work?” 5/ “Quick room check: Are you here to learn, get unstuck, or see how others approach this?” 6/ “On a scale of 1–5, how confident do you feel about [topic] right now?” 7/ “One word to describe how your week is going. I’ll go first… Your turn.” 8/ “Finish this sentence in the chat: I’d consider this session a win if…” 9/ “Pop a ✋ in the chat if this is your first training on this topic. 🙋 if you’ve been down this road before.” 10/ “Be honest… how many tabs do you have open right now?” 11/ “I’m curious… what’s one thing you’ve Googled / asked ChatGPT recently about this topic?” 12/ “Which one feels most true today: 1) I’m winging it. 2) I’m overthinking it. 3) I’m just here for moral support.” These will give you better energy, better chat replies, and better insight - a TIIIINNNNY fix that makes a big difference. Reshare ♻ to help others do better webinars. PS: I share daily webinars, marketing and AI tips at Jakub Michalski

Curious about how gamification can revolutionise education? As a passionate advocate for innovative teaching strategies, I've seen firsthand how gamification can transform the learning experience. By integrating game elements into education, we can significantly boost student engagement and achievement. These points mentioned below highlights why gamification matters👇 Elevated Engagement: Platforms like Kahoot! are revolutionising the classroom by turning traditional quizzes into dynamic, interactive experiences. It's no surprise that these tools have driven student engagement rates to exceed 80%. Enhanced Retention: Incorporating game mechanics into the learning process has proven to significantly improve information retention—by up to 60%. Tools such as Quizlet Live are leading the way, transforming study sessions into interactive and highly effective learning experiences. Tailored Learning Experiences: Gamification platforms like Classcraft offer personalised challenges, creating a unique and impactful learning journey for each student. This level of customisation ensures that every learner is engaged and progressing at their own pace. Data-Driven Insights: The numbers speak for themselves. In 2022, the global gamification market in education was valued at $1.7 billion, with an anticipated growth rate of 27.4% CAGR from 2022 to 2027. This isn't just a trend—it's a significant shift in how we approach education. Share your insights in the comments!

I remember helping a STUDENT ( Fresher ) last year—  He messaged me: “Sir, I’ve never worked anywhere.  What should I even put in my portfolio?” He had skills.   He had potential.  But he thought without an internship or job,  he had nothing to show. Here’s what I told him 👇 You don’t need experience. You need proof of skill. Here’s how he built a solid portfolio from scratch: 1️⃣ Pick 2–3 small projects → To show real application (todo apps, clone UIs, APIs).   2️⃣ Write what YOU did → Not what the tutorial said. Show your thinking.   3️⃣ Document your process → Learning notes, errors, fixes = gold.   4️⃣ Make it public → Share on GitHub, LinkedIn, personal site.   5️⃣ Tell a story → Why you built it, what you learned. And here are 5 FREE websites to host or showcase your work:   → [GitHub Pages] -> (https://pages.github.com)   → [Notion] ->(https://www.notion.so)   → [Replit] ->(https://replit.com)   → [Netlify] ->(https://www.netlify.com)   → [LinkedIn Projects Section] ->(https://linkedin.com) No job? No problem.   Show what you’re learning—and that you can build. Your turn:   What’s one project you’d love to add to your portfolio? P.S. Share this with a student who needs to hear it. #studentportfolio #firstjob #buildinpublic #techportfolio #careerstart

The Portuguese Safer Internet Centre has unveiled an innovative Minecraft world designed to teach primary school children about internet safety. This creative approach to cybersecurity education was showcased at the Lisbon Games Week 2024. Key highlights: - Interactive challenges teach crucial concepts like strong passwords and link safety. - Lesson plans and guides for teachers to implement in classrooms. - Two-month Minecraft Education licenses available for interested educators. - Official launch set for Safer Internet Day, February 11, 2025. As a professional in the tech industry, I am thrilled to see gamification being used to make cybersecurity education more engaging and accessible for young learners. This initiative could shape the next generation of digitally responsible citizens. What are your thoughts on using popular games like Minecraft to teach important digital skills? Have you seen similar initiatives in your country or organization? #Cybersecurity #Education #EdTech #GamificationInLearning #DigitalLiteracy Mirko Ross Rob van Kranenburg Nicolas Babin Pierre Pinna Sally Eaves Natalia Oropeza Zeina Zakhour Azita Esmaili Linda Grasso Mei Lin Fung David Bray, PhD Tony Moroney Jorge Cunha Neville Gaunt 💡⚡️ Tamara McCleary Claudia Mendes Silva Debra Ruh Puneet Singh Singhal Neil Milliken Beatriz G. Francisco Pinheiro 🚀 Ellen Schramke Julia Kauppert Sander Rotmensen

What if you could see how engaged your webinar audience really was…not just guess? We just launched attendee analytics with heatmaps in Wistia’s webinar product, and I have to say: it’s kind of blowing my mind. You’re no longer stuck with just knowing who registered or showed up. Now you can see who actually paid attention. Who kept your webinar open the whole time. Who was clicking, chatting, reacting. Who stayed fully focused for 5 minutes or 50. And here's the kicker: This signal is stronger than what you'd get from an in-person event. At a live event, you can’t tell who’s just being polite versus who’s genuinely tuned in. But this? This shows you exactly who’s leaning in and gives you the data to act on it. We’re talking names, companies, watch time, engagement… all in one place. This is the clearest window I’ve ever seen into audience interest. I made the below video because I was so excited to use the product with real data. Seeing how it works on our webinars made it click for me in a whole new way. Attendee analytics is more than a feature. It’s a new metric. One that gives you real insight into what’s working and who actually cares. You don’t need a bigger audience. You need better signals. And now, we’ve got them.

Imagine trying to get a workout recommendation while running, navigate a complex route while driving, or get tech support while cooking - all without touching a screen. This is the promise of voice-enabled LLM agents, a technological leap that's redefining how we interact with machines. Traditional text-based chatbots are like trying to dance with two left feet. They're clunky, impersonal, and frustratingly limited. Consider these real-world friction points: - A visually impaired user struggling to type support queries - A fitness enthusiast unable to get real-time guidance mid-workout - A busy professional multitasking who can't pause to type a complex question Voice AI breaks these barriers, mimicking how humans have communicated for millennia. We learn to speak by four months, but writing takes years - testament to speech's fundamental naturalness. Real-World Transformation Examples: 1️⃣ Healthcare: Emotion-recognizing AI can detect patient stress levels through voice modulation, enabling more empathetic remote consultations. 2️⃣ Fitness: Hands-free coaching that adapts workout intensity based on your breathing and vocal energy. 3️⃣ Customer Service: Intelligent voice systems that understand context, emotional undertones, and personalize responses in real-time. The magic of voice lies in its nuanced communication: - Tone reveals emotional landscapes - Intensity signals urgency or excitement - Rhythm creates conversational flow - Inflection adds layers of meaning beyond mere words - Recognize emotional states with unprecedented accuracy - Support rich, multimodal interactions combining voice, visuals, and context - Differentiate speakers in complex conversations - Extract subtle contextual intentions - Provide personalized responses based on voice characteristics In short, this technology is about creating more human-centric technology that listens, understands, and responds like a thoughtful companion. The future of AI isn't about machines talking at us, but talking with us.

When it comes to outfitting meeting rooms with technology products, organizations typically face two strategic choices— adopt a full solution from a single supplier or assemble a best-of-breed system using components from multiple specialized vendors. Each approach has its merits and trade-offs.   A full solution from a single supplier offers simplicity and accountability, where they provide the display, camera, microphone, control system and software, often pre-integrated, tested and supported under a single warranty. This approach has been promoted as minimizing compatibility issues and streamlining procurement, deployment and support. For IT teams with limited resources or a preference for standardization, this can be an attractive option.   However, the downside is reduced flexibility and possibly performance. A single-vendor solution may not offer the best performance in every category. You might get a great camera but a mediocre microphone, or a solid control interface but limited customization. Over time, this type of setup can limit the user experience and the ability to adapt to evolving needs.   The best-of-breed approach allows organizations to select top-performing components in each category, choosing the best camera, the most intuitive control panel, the clearest audio system and the most reliable collaboration software. This approach can result in a superior overall experience.   Historically, the challenge with best of breed was integration. Different devices didn’t always “talk” to each other easily, requiring custom programming and ongoing maintenance. But that’s changed over the past few years. Today, with plug-and-play compatibility and certification programs from major platforms like Microsoft Teams and Zoom, best-of-breed solutions are easier to deploy than ever. Certified devices are tested to standards that mean they work seamlessly together, reducing the risk and complexity that once made this approach daunting.   Today, vendors know that a prime customer priority is that their products work with other systems and components. Ensuring compatibility is in everyone’s interest to deliver on customer needs and their technological vision.   In fact, universities have been leading the way in taking the best-of-breed approach for years. Their classrooms almost always combine displays, audio systems and control interfaces from different vendors, optimized for performance and cost without sacrificing usability or reliability.   Now, corporate environments can confidently follow suit. With modern standards like USB connectivity, open APIs and robust certification ecosystems, organizations no longer have to choose between simplicity and performance. They can have both.   Best of breed is no longer a compromise — it’s a strategy. And with the right planning, it’s the most effective way to deliver exceptional meeting experiences that empower teams and maximize technology investments over the short and long term. #ProAV #AVTech

🗣️ Voice AI is everywhere—but which use cases are delivering ROI today, and which will tomorrow? We map adoption into four waves—full breakdown here 👉 https://lnkd.in/gbxveFjA Voice AI’s “second act” isn’t a gimmick; it’s becoming the backbone of autonomous workflows in trillion-dollar industries. Voice isn’t just the product anymore—what matters is what voice unlocks across an entire organization. 1️⃣ Wave 1 — Infrastructure Foundational models, tooling, and orchestration. Cartesia Vapi LiveKit Hamming AI David AI etc. 2️⃣ Wave 2 — Horizontal Platforms 24/7 AI call-center agents replacing legacy phone trees. Here, a high quality voice agent from Cresta, Parloa, Sierra, or Decagon is still quite central to “the product.” 3️⃣ Wave 3 — Vertical Agents (now) Domain-specific agents eating labor spend, in which voice is either a wedge or expansion exponent. 📦 Logistics: Augment, HappyRobot, FleetWorks, Vooma, and Pallet each automate different parts of the Freight Forwarder, Broker, Carrier, and Shipper stack such as load updates, scheduling, and carrier negotiations—chipping away at legacy TMS/WMS. 🛡️ Insurance: Strada & Liberate integrate with Guidewire / Applied to run sales and service 24/7. 🩺 Healthcare & Pharma: Assort Health & Hippocratic AI book visits, triages calls, and guides patients with empathy. Tandem & Squad Health address cumbersome processes like prior authorizations, financial assistance management, and pharmacy coordination. 🏭 Manufacturing & Wholesale Distribution: Endeavor & Canals AI ingest multi-channel orders, sync ERPs, and surface cross-sell insights. DOSS.COM built an ERP to unify inventory, orders, and production into one platform. 🛠️ Home Services: Netic & Avoca layer AI agents on intake, scheduling, and quoting for trades pros. 🔍 User Research: Listen Labs & Strella deliver adaptive voice interviews at survey speed, replacing weeks of moderated sessions. 4️⃣ Wave 4 — Edge-Native, Trust-First Companions (emerging) Consumer adoption has lagged, but NPUs now ship in every phone, laptop, and wearable—running billion-parameter speech models fully offline. Qualcomm’s AR1+ glasses, Snapdragon X PCs, and Google’s Gemini Nano prove it: sub-second, privacy-safe voice on the edge. Add “dialect packs” that load on demand, plus FCC & EU rules that watermark every utterance, and the stage is set for ambient AI sidekicks that feel personal and compliant. Resonant personalities are the secret ingredient for consumer, enabled by culturally nuanced voices users choose to spend time with. Voice AI isn’t just here to stay—it’s opening the floodgates for the complete transformation of countless verticals and consumer applications. If you're building in any of these areas, please reach out to Kristina Shen and I—we'd love to chat!

Did you know that you can use Canva Code to create engaging educational games? No, you don’t need any coding experience. Just write a simple prompt. Canva’s new Code tool, powered by AI, lets you generate playable, customizable learning games right inside Canva. Think flashcard games, quizzes, puzzles, memory challenges tailored to your subject, age group, and learning goals. Here’s what makes it powerful: 1. You describe the game you want. 2. Canva Code writes the code. 3. You instantly get a playable version you can tweak, embed, or share with students. In this new visual, I walk through how it works and offer practical ideas to use it in your classroom from vocabulary practice to math review, historical timelines, or science labeling games. This is not just for tech-savvy teachers. If you can type a sentence, you can start creating interactive learning experiences. Try it. Iterate. See what it unlocks in your teaching. #AIinEducation #CanvaCode #TeachingWithAI #EdTech #StudentEngagement #GameBasedLearning #CanvaForTeachers #EducatorsTechnology #medkharbach