AI (artificial intelligence) has arrived and in some capacity, you’re probably already using it. Whether you’re asking Siri to play your favorite songs or simply using your satnav, AI is there in the background, thinking about things so that you don’t have to.
AI and Events
AI is also starting to play a big part in events. Thanks in part to a very healthy eventtech startup scene, many new innovations in AI are beginning to make the lives of eventprofs easier. Some of the benefits we’re already seeing include automated check-ins, attendee matching, automated scheduling and advanced attendee reporting.
Where AI is already being used in events:
Concierge Apps
Concierge apps have already changed the game for eventprofs by using AI to help attendees get the most out of events. The app serves as an event specific personal assistant to attendees, helping them find and connect with the right people and resources.
Deep Learning
Deep learning is the bridge between big data and business value. Deep learning can be used to collect and learn from almost any data (including voice, photo, and video) your event produces. With the right data, deep learning could even help you predict how attendees will respond in given scenarios.
Voice Activation
The ability to process data intelligently brings the ability to understand complex patterns such as those found in the human voice. Voice recognition and activation are fast becoming the norm for interacting with artificially intelligent services at home, events will be next.
Support
One area where AI chatbots are already becoming commonplace is in support. By adding an AI element to an event support team, many of the simpler and often most common problems can be resolved quickly, and with no human input.
The Broader Business World and AI
Recent statistics from the IT community mirror what we’re seeing in the event industry. The statistics indicate that interest in AI (artificial intelligence) is at an all-time high and is set to proliferate business over the next five years. Although there is still clearly some nervousness around the topic of AI and very real concerns about security, business IT seems confident in the technology. Over 50% of those surveyed said that they will implement intelligent assistants/chatbots, business analytics with AI, and machine learning within the next 3-5 years.
The Future of AI
All of the AI technology were seeing now feels like the tip of a very big iceberg. While nobody is quite certain, we can’t deny that AI will be a big part of our lives for the foreseeable future. We don’t quite see eventprofs being replaced by machines just yet but we do envision AI taking care of some of the workload. AI and the myriad technologies that support it are advancing at an unprecedented rate and those that miss the boat will be the losers.
In Conclusion
AI and eventtech will continue to grow hand-in-hand over the next few years and we’ll see things we never dreamed of. While we don’t know exactly what the future holds, data shows us that AI is on the rise and eventprofs need to be ready.
