Posted on May 18, 2023

AI in Events: 5 ways to create a personalized attendee experience. {UPDATED}

Artificial intelligence (AI) is gradually transforming our daily lives and the way we do business. In all likelihood, you have already come across AI technology using assistants such as Alexa or Google Home, email spam filters, or Facebook photo tagging.

As the events industry evolves, event organizers increasingly turn to artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance attendees’ experience and streamline event logistics.

In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the ways in which AI-powered technology is changing the events industry. Discover the best ways organizers can implement AI in events to create a personalized attendee experience.

But what exactly is AI? 

AI refers to any human-like intelligence exhibited by a computer, robot, or other machine. 

The AI global market is expected to reach $267 billion by 2027 as its business applications are wide-ranging. They include image generation from text captions, matching vendors according to your needs, and recommending what leads to follow. 

How can AI be used in events?

In the events industry, AI can solve one of the most common problems: delivering attendee experiences tailored to their personal needs and interests. 

To tackle this problem, we outline four ways organizers can apply AI in events, improving and personalizing the attendee experience.

AI for event content curation

In the current scenario, the vast majority of events take a one-size-fits-all approach. Particularly when it comes to content, event organizers usually put together panels with top-quality speakers, hoping they will please everyone. 

Large-scale events and conferences, often stretching over multiple days, can offer a wider variety of presentations, panels, breakout sessions, etc. 

Yet, the onus is still on the attendee to navigate all the sessions and select the ones that best align with personal interests. 

AI comes into play precisely in that scenario. Provided that attendees give their authorization, AI can analyze their interests, geographical location, social media data, career experience, etc. 

Additionally, it can analyze past behavioral data, including interactions within the event platform, such as watching sessions or visiting booths. 

Subsequently, AI can give curated recommendations on sessions to attend and sponsors’ websites to visit. 

To put it simply, think about Netflix. The streaming platform analyzes your watching history and predicts what you may be most interested in watching next. 

That predictive technology can prove extremely valuable in events, particularly when it comes to repeat visitors who attend the same conferences year after year or attend a series of events from the same event organizer. 

AI for Contactless Registration

Contactless registration is becoming increasingly popular in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing attendees to register for an event without touching a physical device.

Using QR codes or other contactless technologies, attendees can easily register for an event using mobile devices.

For example, an event organizer might use contactless registration to minimize wait times and reduce the event’s transmission risk.

AI for matchmaking and business connections

Similarly, AI-powered matchmaking engines can analyze attendees’ profiles and behavior and suggest meetings with like-minded peers or suitable exhibitors.

Instead of meeting people at random or browsing the attendees’ list endlessly, attendees can make more quality connections according to their business needs and interests.

In other words, AI has the power to crunch all the data for attendees, who would otherwise have to mine all sessions, exhibitors, and sponsors.  

Nonetheless, artificial intelligence needs an extensive breadth and diversity of data to make reliable and unbiased predictions based on previously done data labeling. 

For events, it relies on information provided during registration and on the behavior inside the event platform. Therefore, the more information people give, the more they interact with the platform and the better recommendations AI can provide. 

In brief, AI can offer data-driven recommendations for peer-to-peer networking, exhibitor networking, and curated content tracks. It elevates the quality of the event experience by making it more personalized to their affinities.  

AI for event chatbots 

Chatbots are systems enabling customer engagement via messaging. They are a rising force in business communications, with a projected market size of over $1.3 billion by 2024. 

Chatbots can conduct conversations with attendees in the context of events, simulating how a human would respond. 

As a result, they can support attendees by answering frequently asked questions, providing relevant information, and escalating event organizers’ issues if needed. 

Importantly, they are multichannel solutions that are easy for organizers and attendees to implement.

Indeed, event organizers can deploy them on the event website, social media, or messaging apps without downloading an additional tool. 

And while they might be limited to simple requests, chatbots can free organizers to care for more complex and urgent issues. For instance, event organizers can train chatbots to answer questions like: 

• “What time is the session on social media marketing?” 
• “How do I get to the sponsors’ booths?”
• “Who are the speakers at this event? “

As outlined by the State of Chatbots Report, U.S. consumers still value human-to-human interaction. Yet, over a third of them prefer to use chatbots over email or phone to get quick answers to simple questions. 

AI for Facial Recognition 

Finally, facial recognition technology with AI can effectively speed up and automate the event check-in process. 

This tech scans previously uploaded photos (for example, during event registration), recognizes the attendee’s face, and turns them into biometric data. On the event day, cameras using the facial recognition system can identify attendees, match them to previously stored data, and check them in within a few seconds. 

Additionally, facial recognition makes the event check-in safer. It proves particularly relevant in the current pandemic scenario, minimizing contact with event staff. 

Crucially, it improves the security checks, verifying attendees’ identity and shielding the event against fraud. 

Wrapping up. 

At InEvent, we have integrated AI technologies such as ChatGPT to make communication with event attendees easier. By leveraging AI-powered chatbots, we can provide attendees with real-time support and personalized recommendations, freeing up your staff’s time and enhancing attendee satisfaction. In the realm of event management, ChatGPT integration can further personalize the attendee experience by offering more nuanced and complex interactions, ensuring each participant’s needs are met with precision. By leveraging the power of AI, we can deliver a more engaging and customized event experience to attendees while also providing valuable data insights to event organizers.

Do you want to see how AI-powered event technology can transform your events? Our team of experts can help you to identify the right AI-powered solutions for your event and show you how to leverage them for maximum impact. Book a demo with InEvent today. 

You can download your Free Ebook here.

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