The Dawn of a New Era: Generative AI Revolutionising the Meetings Industry

By Alexander John, Regional Director, Business Development, MCI Middle East LLC

In an era increasingly dominated by Artificial Intelligence (AI), the rapid advancement of this technology has set the stage for transformative changes across various sectors, heralding a new age of innovation and efficiency.

The meetings industry stands at the forefront of a significant transformation. The promise of AI to streamline operations, personalise customer service and revolutionise event management is undeniable.

The meetings industry stands on the cusp of a revolution, poised to leverage AI in ways that were previously the domain of science fiction. This transition, driven by the capabilities of generative AI, promises to redefine customer care, making interactions more personalised, efficient and human-like than ever before. When Generative AI transitions to voice, the possibilities will be eerily real, yet can be truly expansionary.

Yet, amidst this technological evolution, a pivotal question emerges: Is the human element in customer interaction becoming obsolete? Recent findings, including a McKinsey survey, suggest otherwise, illuminating a persistent preference for human connection across diverse demographics, including the digital-native Generation Z.

A Paradigm Shift in Delegate Interaction:

It’s true that the emergence of generative AI represents a significant leap from traditional, scripted chatbots to dynamic, intelligent systems capable of understanding and responding to complex customer needs in real-time. This shift is akin to moving from a one-size-fits-all approach to a bespoke tailoring of customer service, where every interaction is personalised and context-aware. Imagine a system that not only recognises a returning attendee by name but also recalls their preferences from previous events and suggests sessions they might enjoy. This level of service, facilitated by AI, enhances the customer experience, making it more engaging and satisfying.

The End of One-Size-Fits-All Registration Systems:

Registration and reservation systems are integral to the meetings industry, yet they have often been cumbersome and impersonal. With the advent of generative AI, these systems are undergoing a transformation, becoming more adaptable and intuitive. By integrating AI, the registration process can evolve into a conversational interface that understands the nuances of human interaction. This means that whether an attendee is a first-timer or a repeat delegate/attendee, the system can provide a tailored experience, suggesting solutions based on their interests, history, and preferences, and even accommodating special requests with ease and automating reminders like never seen or experienced before. With the future integration of “Generative Voice AI” customer service can be intuitive, easy and answered with ease.

Expanding the Scope of AI Disruption:

The potential applications of generative AI in the meetings industry extend far beyond customer service and registration. Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programs, crucial for many professionals, can benefit from AI›s ability to track progress, suggest relevant sessions, ensure compliance, and provide all in a personalised and interactive manner.

Partnerships:

The future of frictionless interaction in the complex realm of sponsorship and exhibition management, AI can transform the process from a logistical headache to a strategic advantage. By analysing data and understanding the nuanced requirements of sponsors, the AI can optimise and tailor sponsorship packages to match the interests of potential sponsors and automate the placement of exhibits within a hall. In short many of the time-consuming tasks involved in sponsorship management can be outsourced to AI. This not only improves the efficiency of the planning process but also enhances the overall event experience for sponsors and attendees alike. The human element will be adding creative touches to the experience.

Data:

The Gateway to Personalised Events: One of the most powerful aspects of generative AI is its ability to analyse large datasets, uncovering insights that can drive strategic decision-making. In the context of the meetings industry, this means the ability to tailor events to the preferences of attendees, predict trends and identify opportunities for innovation. By understanding the needs and behaviours of attendees, organisers can curate content that is both relevant and engaging, creating a more memorable and impactful event experience.

Supplier connectivity reducing human errors:

AI is bound to reduce the connectivity cos and machine-to-machine connectivity is already a reality. In an integrated world where AI has all the information of a delegate, from their registration, their travel details, accommodation preferences, if a speaker at the meeting, to their speaking engagements, the seamless communication to a various connected supplier network, from airlines, airports, transportation, hotels, convention centres to restaurants — all can easily communicate touch points to suppliers to enhance delegate experience.

The Human Element: is it dead?

Despite the immense potential of AI to enhance customer service and event management, the importance of human interaction cannot be overstated. A recent McKinsey survey underscored this, revealing a strong preference for live phone conversations across demographics, including the tech-savvy Gen Z. One financial-services company reports that its Gen Z customers are 30 to 40 per cent more likely to call than millennials, and they use the phone as often as baby boomers. Predictably, Premium-segment customers of all ages and generations also prefer the phone, with many saying that live phone support is part of the premium service they are paying for.

While the hope is that AI will resolve and reduce the current work complexities, it is not without errors! We are still a long way off from the utopia that could change human interaction and all industries. The cost, time and rollout of these dream scenarios are still being worked out. But change will come!

Don’t Rush AI:

While we transition, there needs to be a balanced approach that needs to be weighed and measured to ensure that the transition is managed and evaluated. As an example, self-driving technology is still a hope and the technology dates to experiments conducted since 1939, with significant advancements occurring in the 1980s and the hope for autonomous driving since the 2010s and yet this is still not truly integrated into the real world. While it's more complex to drive cars, the delegate experiences should not be treated flippantly, as there are other complex elements such as privacy and data (which is another whole Pandora’s box). Privacy and data management using AI will be ever growing grey area and the world is still navigating this complexity. Academia, the law and governance will be key in building the right balance and consensus, and while the industry navigates the future.

Crystal Balling:

The integration of generative AI into the meetings industry marks the beginning of a new era, one filled with possibilities and challenges. As we navigate this transition, the focus must be on leveraging generative AI to enhance the attendee experience, streamline operations, and create more engaging and personalised events. However, this journey also requires a commitment to maintaining the human connections that enrich our interactions and ensure that technology serves to support, not supplant the human element.