In a world where AI continues to reshape industries, the event industry is no exception. AI stands to change the way we plan, execute, and experience events. With ChatGPT having an estimated 200 million users monthly, it's clear that AI is being embraced at a remarkable rate.
Like all new technology, AI does not come without limitations and potential drawbacks. There have been growing concerns around misinformation and data privacy. Other concerns include its apparent inability to truly connect with the world around us. Medium, the popular blogging hub, has even introduced policies to reduce the usage of AI on their platform, reminding users that they are a home for human storytelling. In order for AI to be successfully used in any industry, including events, it is important for companies to understand the concept of "Explainable AI."
Explainable AI is the field whereby humans can maintain oversight and understanding on how an AI platform has arrived at a particular output; without it, we run the risk of entrusting experiences and decisions to a system which we don't fully understand. Even with its limitations, there's no doubt that AI in events has major potential to change the industry. From enhancing networking opportunities to providing personalized experiences, AI could be a game-changer, and it's just getting started.
Understanding Artificial Intelligence in Events
AI for events is not just about robots and automation; it's about leveraging data to create smarter, more efficient experiences. For example, in the future AI-powered events could use attendee preferences and interests to curate highly personalized event agendas, recommendations and much more. Our partner, TurnoutNow, a data analytics company that uses wearable beacons to deliver behavioural data to the events industry, uses both AI and machine learning to achieve this. Although they are an early adopter of AI, having used it for over seven years, they are still finding new ways to offer enhanced personalization. Harpreet Chatha, founder of TurnoutNow, looks forward to iterating on their product and is excited about incorporating the latest advancements in Large Language Models (LLMs) in order to deliver even more personalized customer experiences.
Making for more Productive Events
One of the most significant impacts of AI in events is in the realm of networking. Instead of relying on chance encounters, AI will be able to strategically match attendees with shared interests and goals. AI systems are capable of analyzing attendee preferences and behaviours and using it to facilitate networking opportunities.
While the initial iteration of chatbots at events were difficult and expensive to train, newer AI technology could make these easier to implement at lower cost. In the not-too-distant future these AI-powered bots will hold conversations with event attendees, answer questions, and provide information in real-time allowing for organizers and attendees to make the most of their time at an event. It's estimated that these new tools can increase productivity by at least 40% by providing answers to questions like 'What demos are recommended for me?' and 'What session should I attend next?'
Enhancing Personalized Event Experiences
AI's "deep learning" capabilities will eventually enable event organizers to gain useful insights into attendee preferences and behaviours. Netflix saved $1 billion by analyzing the viewing habits of its customers through its recommendation engine. In the world of events, using AI in a similar way would prove to be extremely valuable. For example, when attendees fill out a survey before attending a tradeshow, AI can use their responses to pair them with companies and booths that most closely align with their profile.
Streamlining Event Planning and Execution
Event planning is notorious for being extremely time consuming. AI is now being used to automate mundane tasks, freeing up planners to focus on more creative aspects. AI can be used to organize seating layouts by factoring in elements such as attendee choices, traffic trends, and past data. Event organizers can now use AI to write landing pages, personalized emails, session descriptions, and speaker bios too. Events are also inherently dynamic, with no shortage of surprises for organizers during the show. AI has the ability to sort through large amounts of data, and could be used to quickly adapt when issues arise with talent, attendees, venues, or other logistics.
Elevating Events with AI
As we embrace the potential of AI in events, Eventbase remains committed to enhancing attendee experiences through innovation. We're actively exploring how AI can elevate the attendee journey with our mobile event apps. Our focus remains on using event technology to create seamless, engaging, and memorable event experiences that empower attendees to connect, learn, and network.
Interested in learning more about AI's impact on the event industry and other event trends in 2023? Check out our e-book, “Get Grounded in the Latest Event Tech Trends.”
