Independence Day commemorates the Declaration of Independence, which was ratified by Congress on July 4th, 1776, and established the United States of America. It’s a national holiday where billions are spent on celebrations. This year, AI could play a big part in enhancing and augmenting these holiday celebrations, promotions, and the resulting memories!
The Fourth of July has been a federal holiday in the U.S. since 1941, but celebrations have gone back much further. It celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and independence from Great Britain’s rule. The resolution itself was passed on July 2, 1776, when Congress voted in its favor. The Declaration of Independence is the statement explaining the decision, which was authored largely by Thomas Jefferson and approved on July 4. John Adams, a leader of the American Revolution, and who would become the second president of the United States, said the event “ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade.”
America celebrates Independence Day with fireworks, parades, carnivals, concerts, family gatherings and sports events. Total consumer spending for the Fourth of July 2023 hit $15.8 billion, with $9.5 billion spent on food and $2.3 billion on fireworks. Washington. DC, celebrations also cost millions to organize and produce, and U.S. businesses invest heavily in marketing and promotions to entice consumer spending and maximize the day’s opportunity.
How Could AI be Used on the Fourth of July
It’s clear from how quickly AI is being adopted and integrated into daily tasks, operational processes, and creative endeavors that the technology will play an increasing part in designing, promoting, and executing amazing events and celebrations.
From the more mundane tasks of planning, forecasting, and analyzing to brilliant fireworks and drone displays, here’s how AI could be used this year on Independence Day and around the world for other events and celebrations.
Event Planning
Generative AI tools like ChatGPT can take the leg work out of event planning, assisting with plans, schedules, marketing materials, and templates for all kinds of tasks. AI tools can also help predict attendee numbers, identify suitable sponsors and advertisers, and optimize resource allocation based on historical data and on other influences.
AI can analyze prior attendees and event registrants to ensure event content is meaningful, engaging, entertaining, and appropriate. It can offer insights to improve inclusivity and support diversity.
Larger events might require a dedicated website with an event assistant or AI chatbot ready to answer attendees’ every question. It can also be used for ticketing and to facilitate biometric entry to paid and exclusive events. For smaller family or business events, AI can help with menu planning, dietary requirements, and shopping lists.
Social Media
AI can help write social media posts, speaker bios, adverts, and invites for events and create the promotional and brand imagery required for a solid event page or presence, with, of course, some human direction and oversight. During and after an event, AI-powered “social listening” can measure event engagement and collate attendees’ publicly shared event footage that could help future campaigns and follow-ups.
On a personal and family level, AI can be used to sort, edit, enhance, and share valuable photographic memories and build celebration albums that can be treasured for years to come.
Event Analysis
Not only can AI-powered tools collate and deliver powerful data-driven insights in real-time, but there are now AI tools that can analyze facial expressions anonymously for incredibly fast and accurate insights. A business sponsoring a significant event could use this type of technology to gauge audience and attendees’ reactions to signage, electronic displays, or virtual reality experiences.
Firework Displays
If you’re heading to one of the potential 14,000 or more fireworks displays for the Fourth of July, there’s every chance the display may be augmented, optimized, or made safer with AI.
AI models are being trained and tailored for safe and efficient fireworks management, making them powerful tools for this multi-million dollar industry. The technology’s specialized algorithms can be used to monitor fireworks displays for accuracy and compliance, simulate and predict fireworks behavior for better safety and accuracy, and create even more stunning displays, making design and planning easier for organizers and experts.
However, there are downsides to fireworks displays that may not be conquered by AI, including safety and environmental aspects. AI and other emerging technologies are instead delivering alternatives. New Year’s Eve 2023 in Australia saw the “world’s first AI-powered fireworks” display at scale, which featured a four-hour visual light presentation with AI-generated images in Sydney Harbour, followed by a traditional display of 58,000 fireworks.
Drone Displays
High-tech drone shows are also an alternative to fireworks that may feature more prominently this year and in future years as event organizers choose safety, fewer chemicals, and a reduced fire and accident risk.
Drone light shows can be intricately designed, offering far more customization than fireworks. Of course, AI is augmenting both creative design and drone technology. Drone software advancements enable the choreography of hundreds, even thousands of drones. A show featuring 796 drones in last year’s Fourth of July celebrations in Texas won a Guinness World Records title. Now, one of the largest drone shows to date could be a performance by BotLab Dynamics in India featuring 5,500 drones.
AI can also be used to create, manage, and analyze follow-up surveys and post-event social media sentiment, helping humans to compile follow-up reports. For city-organized events, AI tools can analyze social media sentiment and collect data about what attendees enjoyed, or didn’t. This can be a critical asset when such events don’t require registration and collect attendee data, so conventional follow-up and evaluation methods can’t be used. Such tools may be used now or in the future to problem-solve during public events and allow organizers and officials to respond quickly to issues such as noise complaints or public transport backlogs.