AI Trials, Tribulations & Triumphs with VisitAarhus

IN CONVERSATION WITH ANDERS SØNDERGAARD, DIGITAL PROJECT MANAGER, VISIT AARHUS AND SPEAKER AT CITYDNA AUTUMN CONFERENCE IN BRUGES: ‘LET PIGS FLY’

Written in collaboration between City Destinations Alliance and Group NAO.

From cloned sparring partners to an AI hub that consolidates resources and learnings, Visit Aarhus has developed tools to help employees work smarter and stay informed about the latest advancements. In this Q&A, Anders reflects on chatbot trials that fell short of expectations, through to the connections made through the AI Opener for Destinations programme, Anders shares a behind-the-scenes look at how Visit Aarhus is flying through the complexities of AI.

For those who couldn’t attend your presentation, what are three key lessons you’ve learned from experimenting with AI at Visit Aarhus?

Firstly, collaboration is key. You can’t do it alone – successful implementation requires teamwork and input from diverse perspectives. Secondly, patience pays off. Everyone learns and adapts at their own pace, so be patient and supportive throughout the process. Finally, enjoy the journey. If the process isn’t enjoyable, it’s not worth it. A positive experience leads to better results.

Anders, you’ve led several AI experiments at Visit Aarhus. What advice would you give to destinations who want to create a good testing ground?

Balance the need for efficiency with maintaining quality. While AI can make processes faster and more efficient, these gains should never compromise quality. Clear, measurable goals need to be guiding the experiments and a proper way to evaluate success. But most importantly, remember each experiment is a learning opportunity, and gaining new insights means the experiment was worthwhile, regardless of the result.

It’s also important to say that some of our experiments really didn’t work out as expected. Experimentation isn’t always about nailing it – often, the learning comes from projects that miss the mark but help us rethink our approach.

So what projects missed the mark?

We tried to create a custom GPT to streamline data activities, but quickly realised the setup required far more resources than we anticipated. Our thinking was that because we have one person who is in charge of all data activities – how can we apply their knowledge and make it available for everyone to use. We soon discovered the security and privacy challenges were too complex without a robust setup, so we reached out to a provider for a better solution. It was one of those moments where we learned that sometimes waiting for the right tech partner to develop the solution can actually save time and ensure a higher-quality outcome.

Is there a question you wished someone had asked you during your presentation at the conference?

I think it would have to be around what challenges I have faced in managing change and addressing employee resistance when implementing new technologies… I don’t know if I would have a good answer for that but it’s an important conversation to have. For me, it’s about trying to have a positive attitude towards change – starting small, experimenting with ideas, and finding ways to integrate new approaches into everyday workflows. It’s not about having all the answers but planting seeds of possibilities within the team, and most importantly valuing the diverse competencies we all bring to the table – outside of technology.

As someone so involved with AI at Visit Aarhus, what has it been like to have your destination participate in the AI Opener for Destinations programme

It’s been great for our organisation. The sessions are online most of the time, but there’s a really good vibe about working all together. Despite it being about artificial intelligence, it could be about any other subject, this is about people from around Europe who are contributing and want to create network and solve problems to the same issues that many of us DMOs have. For me, it’s less about the technical tools I get from this program, and more about feeling that we’re building something meaningful together, much bigger than just ourselves.

Reflecting on the conference theme, “Let Pigs Fly,” which focuses on doing the impossible, do you feel you are reaching your potential?

I think it’s about the collaboration of organisations – something I’m passionate about and want to keep working on. If I can use advanced technology to bring people closer together, rather than DMOs viewing each other as competitors, we can focus on creating shared experiences and exchanging knowledge. In this way, I want to keep using my role to motivate those around me in my organisation to embrace this way of thinking too.