AI Reality Check
Thu Jul 31, 13:00 - Thu Jul 31, 14:30
Innovation City
ABOUT
AI Reality Check: Cutting Through the Hype and Bracing for What’s Next
Is AI really everything it promises to be? Or are we building castles in the cloud? Join us for AI Reality Check, a candid conversation that separates signal from noise in the current AI landscape. This session goes beyond shiny tools and inflated headlines to unpack where today’s AI capabilities actually stand, and how small businesses and startups can meaningfully engage with them.
Led by Migal Van As, creative technologist, commercial photographer, and founder of the award-winning Intervate, this session combines technical depth, strategic thinking, and creative insight.
What to Expect
- A grounded, non-sensationalist assessment of AI’s real capabilities in 2025: Understand what AI can and cannot do - today - and how far off some of the promises really are.
- Clear guidelines for startups and small businesses: Practical ideas on how to approach AI adoption in cost-effective, meaningful ways without falling into the “buzzword trap.”
- A look ahead: 5-year foresight on the deeper impacts of AI: Explore how AI may influence employment, relationships, population trends, and geopolitical stability.
- Frameworks for balancing productivity and purpose: Learn how to think about AI not just as a tool for efficiency, but as a force reshaping human connection and identity.
- Creative insight from a rare hybrid professional: Hear from Migal Van As, a technologist, strategist, and commercial photographer, on how AI intersects with imagination, storytelling, and new forms of expression.
Who Should Attend
- Startup Founders & Operators: Looking to integrate AI tools strategically and avoid hype-driven decision-making.
- Product Managers & Tech Leads: Seeking clarity on the maturity of current AI systems and realistic implementation paths.
- Creative Professionals & Content Teams: Curious about how AI can augment—not replace—human creativity.
- Business Strategists & Consultants: Interested in how AI trends intersect with broader economic and societal shifts.
- Investors & Innovation Leaders: Looking for grounded insights on where AI is actually headed—and what’s just noise.
- Policymakers & Ecosystem Builders: Focused on ethical foresight and the socio-political implications of emerging tech.
SPEAKER
With an Aeronautical Engineering degree, Computer Science qualification and a successful career spanning two decades as a software entrepreneur, Migal brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to help unpack and understand the opportunities and challenges that AI presents.
Migal founded and led an award-winning, 100+ person Microsoft-focused ISV and software consultancy, serving clients in 36 countries with over 300,000 users of its products. Following its acquisition in 2015, he now focuses on business mentoring and helping startups and small businesses practically integrate AI into their operations, strategy, and product development. His approach is grounded and pragmatic, cutting through the hype to explore where AI truly adds value, and where caution is still warranted.
In addition to his work in the technology domain, Migal is also an award-winning commercial photographer and new media artist, running a successful studio in Cape Town, South Africa. His multidisciplinary background allows him to bridge the gap between creativity and computation, offering a unique and insightful perspective on how AI is shaping the future of business, human connection, and culture.
PARKING
Location: We're just off Kloof Street on Darter Road.
Traffic Alert: Please be cautious of traffic heading into town.
Parking Options:
- Parking options around Kloof Street
Recommended: It's always best to use Uber for convenience.
VIDEO
INNOVATION CITY MEMBERS
NOTE: Innovation City members can get free access to all IC weekly events. (You will find the discount code on the IC app.)
EVENT ATTENDANCE
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DISCLAIMER
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