In a recent LinkedIn discussion initiated by Alexander Eichler about the European Wallet, an interesting side conversation emerged regarding the use of AI for summarizing complex discussions. I was brought into this conversation to provide insights on potential AI solutions.

The Challenge

Alexander Eichler had participated in a discussion involving over 70 experts on data privacy and other aspects of the European Wallet. The resulting information was captured in two large MIRO boards and approximately 200-300 chat posts. The challenge was to find an efficient way to summarize this wealth of information.

AI as a Potential Solution

When asked about using a “highly trustworthy AI” for this task, I felt it necessary to temper expectations:

“The concept of a ‘highly trustworthy AI’ remains somewhat optimistic given the current state of technology. These systems have not yet reached a level where they can consistently replace human judgment and thoroughness. However, they can be effective in drafting preliminary summaries and generating initial ideas, which should then be refined or followed-through by experts.”

Practical Recommendations

For a practical approach, I suggested using GPT-4 Turbo through the “OAI Chat” platform I’ve developed. However, I emphasized that results should be viewed as preliminary and used with appropriate caution.

MIRO Board Integration

Alexander then asked about the ability to directly process MIRO boards. After investigating, I found that MIRO does offer an built-in AI assistant called “Miro Assist,” based on GPT-3.5 Turbo. However, it comes with some limitations:

1. Only available for full team participants
2. Only processes text labels, not visual elements
3. Potentially limited in the number of items it can handle
4. Uses GPT-3.5, which may be more prone to “hallucination” than GPT-4

Alternative Approaches

For those without full access to MIRO boards, I suggested a workaround:

If you are a mere ‘visitor’ to the boards in question, the only avenue would be making overlapping screenshots, and upload these to my OAI chat (etc.) through the 🖼️ button.

I tested this approach using a public MIRO board on “AI in Social Work” created by Kay Schulze, demonstrating that it’s possible to get a useful summary even from screenshots.

Conclusion

While AI-assisted summarization tools like MIRO Assist and custom solutions using GPT-4 can be helpful in processing large amounts of information, they should be seen as aids to human expertise rather than replacements. The key is to use these tools to generate initial drafts or ideas, which can then be refined and verified by subject matter experts.

As we continue to explore the possibilities of AI in various domains, including the European Wallet project, it’s crucial to maintain a balanced approach that leverages technology while recognizing its current limitations.