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event tech

AI and events: Get curious and adapt with intention

How building confidence and clarity around AI creates the momentum needed to keep our workforce relevant.

By Tracy Judge

July 20, 2025

In the last issue, I kicked off my "work in progress" series for The Meeting Professional by highlighting artificial intelligence (AI) as one of the top disruptions to the future of talent in the business events industry. In this article, I reveal how building confidence and clarity around AI creates the momentum needed to keep our workforce relevant.

ADAPT TO ADOPT: EMBRACING THE CHANGE

There is a lot of noise about AI in our industry right now. It is everywhere—in webinars, on stages, in hallway conversations and even your coffee machine’s scheduling algorithm. I know many of you are feeling everything from curiosity to amazement to overwhelm.

If you have felt tension between wanting to explore AI and worrying it might replace the parts of your work you love, you are not alone. If you have felt you are falling behind because you are not "all in" on AI yet, you are not alone, either.

WHY AI MATTERS FOR HUMAN WORK AND WORTH

Our industry is about people. It always will be. But here’s the reality: AI is transforming roles, workflows and expectations, and we must evolve too if we want to stay relevant.

MPI offers a handson certificate program designed to equip meeting professionals with the knowledge and practical skills needed to harness AI’s potential for designing meaningful and immersive experiences. Learn more at academy.mpi.org.

The "AI Impact on Workforce Dynamics in Business Events" research study by Soundings revealed that while AI is helping other industries increase efficiency and creativity, the business events industry is still finding its footing, with a 2.6 out of 5 in AI maturity. This reflects early adoption and a tremendous opportunity for growth.

What keeps me up at night is how quickly AI and other technologies are disrupting the workforce and how ill-prepared we are as an industry to keep up. Those companies using AI are our customers and employers. If we aren’t moving at the same speed, it devalues the work we do. We need to speed up our adoption.

Used intentionally, AI gives us the chance to refocus our time and energy on the parts of our work that matter most. By handling repetitive, time-consuming tasks, it creates space to build relationships, develop strategies, design meaningful experiences and mentor teams. AI becomes a tool that enhances our creativity, elevates our contributions and allows us to spend more time doing the human-centered work we love.

THE AI ENGAGEMENT PERSONAS: A PEOPLE-FIRST STARTING POINT

Just as I believe that understanding each other’s strengths helps us build stronger teams, understanding where our colleagues are on their AI journey helps us support one another with empathy, curiosity and grace. It allows us to meet people where they are, encourage growth without judgment and create space for learning together.

To guide this process, Soundings used data from Phase I of the AI Impact study to develop AI Engagement Personas. This practical framework helps individuals and leaders assess readiness, close skill gaps and prepare for an AI-enabled future by identifying where they land across five personas:

The Tech-Forward Strategist: Enjoys testing tools and working smarter.

The Pragmatic Problem-Solver: Adopts AI when it clearly solves a problem.

The Curious Explorer: Interested in AI but looking for a starting point.

The Relationship-Focused Leader: Prioritizes people and uses AI thoughtfully.

The Resourceful Realist: Creative, curious and practical with resources.

As an individual, understanding your AI Engagement Persona helps you reflect on how you engage with AI today, including the emotional driver behind your approach. It highlights your strengths and offers tailored steps to support your growth and evolution.

For teams, it provides a shared language to bring others along on the AI journey. This understanding is essential for building agile, AI-enabled teams that are equipped to adapt, collaborate and lead in a rapidly changing landscape.

IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES

As Rob Adams, CEO and president of Bishop-McCann and chair of the MPI International Board of Directors, said during his "Tomorrow’s Trends & the Future of Meetings" session at MPI’s 2025 World Education Congress, "AI is one of the things I’m most excited about. Big changes create big opportunities."

This moment invites all of us to get curious, stay open and adapt with intention. But more than that, it’s a chance to imagine what’s possible—for ourselves, our teams and our industry.

My challenge to you: Take a few moments to envision what big opportunities AI could create for you.

DISCOVER YOUR AI PERSONA

Ready to begin your journey? The AI Impact Survey is a quick, free tool to help you instantly identify your AI persona and take your next step forward. Take the survey at soundingsconnect.com/ai-impact-survey.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tracy Judge

Tracy Judge, MS, CMP, is founder and CEO of Soundings Connect, a member of the MPI International Board of Directors and a member of the MPI ISBO Advisory Board.

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