On Saturday, July 27 2024, the Google IO Extended Surabaya event was held at the Suara Surabaya Center. This event was chaired by Ong Hansel Santoso, lecturer from the STTS Institute Business Information Systems study program. The committee is also a combination of students from the STTS Institute and Google as well as students from other campuses.
The Google IO Extended event brought in various international speakers with extensive experience in the IT field. This event served as an opportunity for students and professionals pursuing careers in digital technology to gain insights from the diverse experiences of the speakers at Google IO Extended Surabaya.
Registration began at 09:00 WIB, but some participants showed their enthusiasm by arriving at the location by 08:00 WIB. Among the participants, they displayed their various tickets ranging from free to gold. The differences included waiting areas, catering, and merchandise provided to each participant.
The event officially started at 10:00 WIB with opening remarks from the MCs. Following the opening, there were speeches by four individuals: Sherlita Ratna Dewi Agustin representing the Ministry of Communication and Information, Dr. Ir. Esther Irawati Setiawan, S.Kom., M.Kom., Dr. Ir. Joan Santoso, S.Kom., M.Kom., and Eddy Prastyo, the Chief Editor of Suara Surabaya. Mr. Eddy Prastyo emphasized that technology is not developed to render humans obsolete but rather to be utilized by humans, viewing the future as an opportunity.
After the opening speeches, Guan Wang delivered a presentation on Artificial Intelligence (AI). Despite using English, Guan Wang presented the material in a manner that was easy to understand. The presentation focused on the implementation of AI and how to use it effectively and correctly.
After a lengthy focus on the speaker, participants were given time to play Kahoot. This game was intended to provide a break from the lengthy presentations and was quite entertaining, generating enthusiastic reactions from the participants.
Before the break, participants were briefly informed about the activities scheduled for after the break. They were directed to take a group photo, where around 400 people gathered to take a photo with the speakers who had already or would soon present. After the photo session, they were guided to collect their meals in turns, allowing them to refuel before attending the seminar and workshops scheduled after the break.
During the break, the organizers rearranged the layout of the hall used for the earlier session. Dividers were set up to create four separate rooms and a main stage. Each room was equipped with chairs for attendees who wished to participate in the seminars or workshops held in that room.
Each room had a television to view the speaker's presentation, but there were no loudspeakers or audio systems in the rooms. This was because the Google IO Extended Surabaya event used a silent conference concept. This meant that during the seminar after the break, participants used their own earphones or TWS (True Wireless Stereo) devices to listen to the speakers' audio from their own devices. This setup kept the hall quiet, with only a faint hum from the organizers' coordination.
After the break, participants were invited to choose their preferred room. They entered virtual rooms according to their choice in the hall, where speakers were ready to present material related to technology. Each participant attended their selected session quietly to avoid disturbing others.
Participants were allowed to switch rooms according to their interests between sessions. Each room offered different materials presented by different speakers. Participants had the freedom to choose sessions that matched their interests and talents.
The Google IO Extended Surabaya event introduced a new and unique concept. The event provided a different experience from the usual, featuring many international speakers. For fortunate participants, there was an opportunity to exchange experiences with these speakers, offering a broader understanding in their careers and studies. Various facilities were also provided to ensure participants' comfort during this Google-sponsored event. In conclusion, it is hoped that the knowledge and experiences gained from this event will positively impact all participants and the involved organizers.
