Laura Kesselman, CMM, Owner, Gargoyle Consulting, MPI New Mexico Chapter: “We all know AI has its downsides, but one big upside is how it’s blowing open the doors on accessibility. With AI-powered captioning, real-time translation and assistive tools, tech is finally helping us walk the talk on inclusive events. These tools aren’t just bringing more people in—they’re changing who shows up and how they engage. That’s not a bonus feature—that’s a strategy. And it’s only going to get better. Imagine a keynote speaker’s words being instantly translated into multiple languages—still sounding like them. It’s coming faster than you think. If you’re not using AI to improve accessibility, you’re not using AI right. Start by asking it how to make your event more inclusive—you might be surprised by what it knows.”

Erin Leonard, Founder & CEO, Erin Leonard Events, MPI Greater New York Chapter: “LED walls are making a huge splash! They’re transforming main stages with depth and visual impact, captivating audiences and drawing crowds at expo halls because they’re just so cool. Though they require additional planning, graphics work and budget, participants deeply feel the value of this investment (even if they can't pinpoint precisely why).

Enhanced lighting, along with thoughtful pipe-and-drape setups, further creates intimate and elevated spaces, something attendees truly crave in today’s increasingly digital world. The physical event experience has become precious, especially those unforgettable ‘wow’ moments often centered around dynamic main stages.

Also, don’t overlook the charm of old-school fun! I recently saw an exhibitor booth featuring a claw machine that became an instant hit!”

Jennifer Pitt, CMP, Marketing Events Manager, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, MPI Toronto Chapter: “AI-powered personalization is transforming how events are designed and experienced. By analyzing attendee data like registration details, past behavior and real-time interactions, organizers can deliver tailored content, session suggestions and networking recommendations that align with each person’s interests and goals. Event apps are evolving to support this shift, creating dynamic agendas, personalized push notifications and smart matchmaking based on role or preferences. It’s like being Tom Cruise in Minority Report, only instead of fighting crime, you’re swiping through a perfectly curated event experience (and hopefully with less running). This level of customization not only improves engagement but also delivers better ROI for sponsors and exhibitors. To take advantage, event teams should choose platforms that support adaptive features and encourage early attendee input. The result will be an event experience that feels custom built, intuitive and a little bit sci-fi, in the best way.”

Anne Dalgaard, Manager, Strategic Events, The Danish Society of Engineers, and Founder, EventAnne, MPI Scandinavia Chapter: “One of the most transformative tech trends I see on the horizon is the rise of organization-specific language models.

Soon, rather than relying solely on general tools like ChatGPT, companies will build and train their own AI models tailored to their internal strategies, brand guidelines, workflows, compliance needs and proprietary data.

Imagine a language model that knows your organization—how you plan events, communicate with attendees, select venues and meet strategic goals. Instead of starting from a generic AI response and editing it to fit your context, the AI will generate content and suggestions that are immediately aligned with your brand and operations.

For instance, when planning a conference, your internal AI could:

• Automatically draft a program that includes breakout activities designed for your specific audience.
• Check speaker availability—including your CEO or in-house subject matter experts—while remaining compliant with GDPR and other data protection regulations.
• Suggest venues that align with your sustainability criteria, pricing, transportation access and quality standards.
• Write personalized invitations in your company’s tone of voice.
• Generate tailored checklists and all necessary documents for your (virtual) event binder.

While today’s AI can do some of this, it still requires significant manual refinement. However, in the near future, your organization’s own AI will handle these tasks more efficiently and accurately—freeing up time and enhancing precision across your meetings and events.”