It has been a few days since our team returned from Amsterdam, where they attended MET AMS, a three-day festival dedicated to celebrating the most innovative and impactful work in the world of emerging technology and creativity. Visiting such conferences has become a tradition for Phenomenon because we strive to stay abreast of trends in the digital world. Thanks to this year’s MET AMS, we were able to reconnect with interesting people, clients, and partners we have been working with for years. It was a gathering of leading voices from around the globe, showcasing the cutting-edge potential of  AI, AR, VR, XR, 3D, and Web3.

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What is MET AMS?

MET AMS is Europe’s leading three-day conference for emerging tech and creativity. It is where brands and creators come together to discover AI, AR, VR, 3D, gaming, and Web3. This event helps you immerse yourself in captivating talks, interactive demos, and exhibitions by top brands and visionary creators in the emerging tech space.

This is an opportunity to effortlessly forge valuable connections and seamlessly blend business and joy while enjoying cultural events across Amsterdam.

Festival program

Our team was impressed by the quality and variety of speakers’ presentations. Particular attention was paid to best practices in AI, AR, VR, and other technologies. The speakers shared their experience and vision of the future of these technologies, providing us with new ideas for developing our projects. We encountered professionals from around the world: from Toronto to London, from Singapore to Dubai. Notably, we had an opportunity to meet with Josephine Scholtes from Microsoft, Jeff Staple from STAPLE, Dana Mikhailova from Epam, Oliver Lange from H&M, and many other fantastic professionals.

Art Director of Phenomenon, Bohdan Paidak says:

“Such events allow you to break free from the confines of your projects. MET AMS enabled us to discover opportunities that previously eluded us, such as integrating ready-made solutions with character customization in UE5 or exploring new options for using AI to optimize work processes.

Although it showed the aspects we will have to strengthen next year, it also showed our company’s strong competitive advantage.

While others focused on big names, we emphasized the incredibly high (within the conference) quality of content we can create. We consistently stress the importance of conveying the unique value proposition of our solutions, demonstrating that we generate measurable results, not just creative concepts. MET AMS, we’ll be back!”

We cannot help but remember that one of the speakers was our advisor and partner, Adam Wilson. Adam is a Product Designer & Startup Advisor specializing in Consumer Tech, GenZ, and Augmented Reality. He is the Founder of Polyform Studio, an international design studio building innovative digital products using emerging technologies, and SKINNER, a counter-surveillance outerwear apparel company & lifestyle brand. During the event, he and other speakers discussed the topic ‘Navigating CGI & Digital Culture: A Roadmap for Brands,’ we are already beginning to implement the insights we gained.

An essential part of the festival was various stands. Walking around the stands showcasing AR and VR technologies and presentations from different studios in the 3D and Meta fields was an incredible experience. This exploration opened up new horizons for utilizing these technologies in our work. We witnessed how innovation can be integrated into modern projects and were inspired to create new ones. The experience gave us many impressions – some purely for enjoyment, which is crucial at conferences to prevent boredom; some immediately applicable to our current projects, and others serving as inspiration for future endeavors.

Networking

The conference provided excellent networking opportunities, starting from the first day with the opening party, where everyone could communicate in an informal setting. This continued at the conference itself in the main hall with various stands.
We have expanded our professional network and established contacts with key figures in our industry. The exchange of experience and ideas with colleagues and leaders in different areas was high. We hope that our newly formed connections will mark the commencement of the implementation of exceptionally innovative and impressive projects.

And, of course, we were delighted to see and spend time with our regular partner from Canada, Polyform Studio.

Insights

It isn’t easy to narrow down our interests to just a few topics, given the vast array of perspectives on AI, AR, VR, and Web3 presented over the three days. Nevertheless, here are three topics that captivated us the most:

Practical application of AI in Business: 

How can AI revolutionize business strategies, illustrating with real examples and methodologies its integration across various industries? Its practical applications are reshaping conventional approaches, presenting unparalleled opportunities for growth, efficiency, and innovation.

AI for Positive Behavior Change:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force capable of positively influencing human behavior. Beyond its technological progress, AI increasingly contributes to better physical and mental health and is pivotal in addressing pressing social issues.

How AR Changes Life Quality:

Augmented Reality (AR) has evolved beyond a mere technological novelty; it has become a powerful force driving significant changes in the quality of life across various domains. From education and training to retail experiences, branding, integration with metaverses, and everyday life support, AR profoundly impacts how individuals perceive and interact with the world around them.

Co-founder of Phenomenon, Polina Chebanova says:

“AI, AR, and meta are powerful tools that will play a key role in transforming the business environment and everyday life. They offer new opportunities for personalization, efficiency, and interactivity while emphasizing the importance of ethical and responsible approaches to their development and use. These technologies can significantly improve quality of life, make it easier to solve complex social problems, and create new avenues for innovation and creativity. However, it is the conscious use of a person that determines how much these technologies will improve life in the long term and not create new types of digital addictions, so I put the ethics and awareness of the use of all technologies in the first place.”

Conclusion

In conclusion, MET AMS 2023 was more than a festival; it was a vibrant tapestry of creativity, collaboration, and discovery. We hope the acquired experience, impressions, and acquaintances will give a new impetus to our company’s development. Therefore, expect loads of new projects, collaborations, and, most importantly, the next MET AMS festival; we are already looking forward to it.