Who Should Attend:
Employees that use communication as part of their job.
Related Events:
Northwest Innovations in Communications Conference, Sept. 22-25, 2025
Overview:
In this interactive workshop, you will learn what's possible with artificial intelligence, establish trust (and a healthy distrust) of results, and work with other participants to create smarter content. The workshop will cover:
AI shopping: Participate in a group discussion about current and upcoming AI tools and find out how utilities are leveraging them to strengthen marketing and storytelling. Discussion will also address cautionary tales.
Trust game: Use and compare AI-powered tools (Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, ChatGPT, and others) to show how different platforms work—and fail.
Policy 101: Discover why it is so important to have guidelines in place before you start using AI at your utility. To get you started, we’ll share examples and offer a template.
Smart content: Explore examples of how AI helps you turn an existing story into a variety of content for different channels.
Build an AI knowledge base: Work through adding magazine archives and other resources, including Google documents, to a knowledge base (in Claude Projects, Google NotebookLM, or others). The group will work together to create different kinds of content.
Custom GPTs: Learn how to build a knowledge base and persona into a bot with ChatGPT’s paid custom GPT option. One custom GPT will be created as a group, then shared with all attendees.
Next steps: Identify practical ways to leverage AI at your utility.
Instructors:
Megan McKoy-Noe, Brand Storyteller, Pioneer Utility Resources
Anne Harvey, Senior Vice President of Member Solutions, Pioneer Utility Resources
Schedule:
Registration will begin at noon Pacific Time. The class will run from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Lunch and refreshments will be provided.
Location and Hotel:
Grouse Mountain Lodge
2 Fairway Dr.
Whitefish, MT 59937
Fees:
Utility Member Early Bird (ends 8/6/2025): $390
Utility Member Standard: $510
Associate Member Early Bird (ends 8/6/2025): $585
Associate Member Standard: $705
Non-Member Early Bird (ends 8/6/2025): $780
Non-Member Standard: $900
Note: Organizations that register a group of employees will receive every fifth registration for free. For example, if you register five employees, you only pay for four; register 10 employees, you only pay for eight; and so on. There is nothing additional you need to do to receive this discount.
Cancellation Policy:
For in-person events: cancellations at least 30 days prior to the event will receive a full refund; within 15-29 days there will be a $100 fee; and within 1-14 days or no show, the charge will be 100% of the registration fee.
When possible, please send a substitute instead of canceling. NWPPA does not charge a fee for substitutions. To request a refund, please contact us at registration@nwppa.org or (360) 254-0109.
Continuing Hours:
This course qualifies for 3 continuing hours. Certificates are issued upon full completion of the course.