Posted on December 5, 2025
On Tuesday, November 18th, on IBTM World’s Future Stage, one question that stood out in the most anticipated session was:
What is AI actually changing in event technology and what is just noise?
The session, “Event Tech + AI. How all-in-one software is changing,” revealed how AI really shows up inside modern event platforms, where it’s pulling its weight, where it isn’t, and what event leaders should pay attention to next as costs rise and teams shrink across the industry.
Guiding the conversation was Julius Solaris, Founder of Boldpush (strategist, researcher, and publisher), to more than 35,000 event professionals.
On stage with him:
- Pedro Góes, CEO of InEvent, whose all-in-one platform spans event operations, marketing, sales, and onsite technology for global brands like Coca-Cola, The Atlantic, Sony, and more.
- Felicia Asiedu, Marketing Director at Cvent, leading European strategy for one of the world’s biggest enterprise event platforms
Together, they unpacked how event tech AI is changing registration, content, data, and planning and what enterprise event teams should actually be preparing for.
Pedro brought perspective from inside a company that has been an early mover in every major wave of event technology. He puts it plainly:
“We’re asked to do more with substantially less. Seventy-eight percent of event planners see their costs going up next year.”
That pressure is shaping everything, including how all-in-one event software is evolving.
This article walks you through what was said on that stage at IBTM World 2025. You’ll see how AI is being used inside event management software today, what’s coming next, and how platforms like InEvent and Cvent are thinking about the future of enterprise event technology.
Inside IBTM World’s Event Tech + AI Session
Why should you even care about this conversation?
AI has been slapped on just about everything in the event industry this year. Every software vendor, every update, every keynote seems to promise that this is the AI tool that will change your life as a planner, marketer or producer.
But how many of those announcements actually helped you run a smoother event?
If you’re like most event teams, you’re not asking “What’s the future of AI?” You’re asking:
- “Will this save me time?”
- “Will it replace five messy workflows with one clean one?”
- “Will it stop me from burning out trying to do more with less?”
To be as honest as possible: AI is arriving at a pretty brutal time in the events industry.
Budgets are tighter. Teams are leaner. Expectations are well…. bigger.
And for most planners, the only real question that matters is:
Will this actually help me do my job better, with less stress, fewer tools, and a faster ramp?
Julius Solaris’ research says yes, but only in very specific ways.
“The biggest benefit of AI, by far, is saving time. The top use case they’re actually using? Session recaps and takeaways.”
As surprising as it sounds, AI isn’t usually used for personalization, or strategy and not even for your attendees’ delight.
Pedro Góes made the stakes clearer:
“We’re asked to do more with substantially less. Seventy-eight percent of event planners see their costs going up next year.”
So yeah, shiny new features are nice. But unless they actually replace grunt work, the chances of your attendees or clients using this feature is very low.
That’s why this conversation keeps circling back to all-in-one event software, not as a category, but as a survival tactic.
So when platforms like InEvent and Cvent talk about embedding AI into your registration flows, content workflows, or reporting stack, they’re solving some of the industry’s most painful processes.
Felicia put it simply:
“We don’t want people feeling overwhelmed… We want them to come in, be able to use it, and absorb it the way it’s intended.”
What Are Some Of The Biggest Challenges & Benefits of AI In Event Tech?
AI in event tech isn’t new. But using it still feels new, and that’s a real challenge.
Just because you’ve mastered complex event management software doesn’t mean AI feels intuitive right away. It’s a different kind of interaction. One that often starts with curiosity… and a bit of panic.
Common Challenges With AI in Event Technology
1. Difficult to Use (At First)
You’d think event professionals, the same people juggling tech stacks, seating charts, and onsite logistics, would be naturals with AI. But that’s not always the case.
As Felicia Asiedu shared during the session:
“I think someone told me about a chat, something, something… and it was just this blank space. I was like, okay, so what do I do with it?”
That blank space? That’s what stops many planners from even trying.
It wasn’t until she discovered Midjourney, a visual AI tool, that it started clicking. But even that came with friction:
“You need a Discord account. And Discord looks like some kind of techie nightmare.”
Lesson: Even the most powerful AI features inside event tech platforms won’t be used if the interface scares people off. If your team’s first reaction is “what do I even do with this?” — adoption will stall.
2. Steep Learning Curve for Everyday Tasks
AI can feel like a shortcut. But if the setup takes longer than the manual route, it’s just another layer of complexity.
Pedro understood this from the start. That’s why his question wasn’t “How do we add AI?” but:
“Can we stop forcing planners to learn the platform and just let them talk to it?”
That became the north star for how InEvent would integrate AI inside its all-in-one event software, not as a feature to find, but as a conversation to have.
Real Benefits of AI in All-In-One Event Platforms
Now let’s flip it. When it works, AI in event tech can create real, tangible value.
1. It Closes the Knowledge Gap
The InEvent team didn’t just plug AI into the dashboard. They trained it to understand everything about the InEvent platform. As Pedro puts it:
“Our CTO got our entire FAQ (about 1,000 pages of documentation) and trained the model on it.”
That means planners using InEvent don’t need to search help docs or sit through onboarding. They can simply tell the AI what they want done, and it does it, using platform knowledge baked into the assistant.
This is AI that understands context, not just commands.
2. Turns AI Into a Practical Friend, Not a Threat
Once Felicia pushed through the initial confusion, something clicked.
It’s a reflection of what happens when AI feels approachable, useful, and responsive, especially for planners used to doing 10 things at once.
It’s not replacing them. It’s catching up.
3. Reduces Platform Fatigue
Pedro said it best:
“We had to create something that planners didn’t need to learn… just tell it what you want, and it does it.”
And that’s what AI should do in modern event tech stacks. It should cut down process steps, clear bottlenecks, and give you your time back.
Admittedly, AI still has a learning curve. But when it’s built around what planners actually need, instead of what sounds good in a keynote, it becomes less of a gamble and more of a fundamental shift.
How Are The Biggest All-In-One Event Softwares Using AI Today
It’s one thing to talk about the promise of AI in events. It’s another to show how it actually works inside platforms used by thousands of planners right now.
At IBTM World 2025, both Cvent and InEvent opened up about their AI journeys. What they launched, what worked, what didn’t, and what’s next. And while their paths are different, both show a clear shift in how all-in-one event software is being shaped by AI.
1. InEvent’s AI Suite – Built For Every Day Event Professionals.
While Cvent started with ease of use, InEvent began with ambition.
Pedro Góes wanted to impress. And he did.
“I thought we needed to create something so cool, so powerful that people are going to be impressed by it.”
The first wave of AI from InEvent included:
- Photo Match AI: Upload thousands of event photos → attendees get emails with every photo they appear in, grouped by friends or colleagues
It was slick. It worked. But there was a catch.
“These AIs were not used so much… the event planners didn’t have these on their day-to-day.”
In short, impressive doesn’t always equal useful.
That realization triggered a pivot. Instead of creating AI for the wow factor, InEvent doubled down on AI that simplifies repeatable, everyday tasks starting with registration.
Pedro’s team embedded an AI assistant directly into the registration builder.
What it can do:
- Understand natural language prompts like: “Create a registration with my dietary restrictions.”
- Read a Word document and auto-build the form
- Eliminate the friction of configuring registration logic manually
Pedro called it “divided coding assistance.” In practice, it means planners no longer have to learn the backend. They just say what they want and the platform builds it.
“That’s where we saw a lot of impact,” he shared. “AI performs the labor, so you don’t have to figure out how to create a registration form yourself.”
2. Cvent IQ – A Smart Layer Inside Event Management Software
If you’re expecting a separate AI dashboard, Cvent wants you to think smaller, in a good way.
“Cvent IQ is meant to be this intelligence layer that sits within the platform,” said Felicia Asiedu. “We don’t want people feeling overwhelmed.”
Instead of giving planners yet another system to learn, Cvent focused on embedding AI where people are already working: inside session creation, agenda building, and post-event content.
But Cvent’s roadmap goes further.
Felicia hinted at their next move: using AI for multi-event trend analysis, predictive insights, and personalized follow-ups.
“We want them to get to predictive… where the AI says, ‘this is what I think you should do next.’”
Even more importantly, it all has to feel invisible.
“Attendees just get the wrap-up. That’s not something they have to try and use. It just is.”
What Event Tech AI Trends Are We Seeing Emerging at IBTM World?
One thing is clear: while we’ve come a long way with automation and speed, the next leap is something much more ambitious.
But before we go there, let’s start with what’s already working.
1. AI for Session Recaps and Content Is Already Mainstream
It turns out, you don’t need futuristic AI to deliver real value. What planners want right now is simple: help me document the event faster.
“The top use of AI that [planners] see is session recaps and takeaways,” said Julius Solaris, citing a recent study of nearly 1,000 event professionals.
This is important because it demonstrates that the best use cases for AI in event technology are those that solve basic, repetitive problems planners face every week. You don’t need predictive models to get ROIm, you need time back.
2. The Agentic Future – AI That Acts on Its Own
Still, the panel didn’t stop at summaries. It looked ahead and what came next was… ambitious.
Julius Solaris summed it up with a gut-punch of a quote:
“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” (Mike Tyson)
In other words, product launches are one thing. Adoption is another. And AI only works if it works in real life.
So what’s next?
Felicia suggested AI agents to kill the RFP process
“There’s friction on both sides,” she said. “Planners are searching, hotels aren’t replying. No one’s happy.”
Right now, venue sourcing is a time drain. Planners dig through lists. Hotels ignore RFPs. It’s broken.
Felicia sees a future where AI agents solve that:
- Planner-side agents that understand your event brief, run searches, and return tailored venue matches
- Hotel-side agents that respond quickly, even if it’s a no, so you’re not left in the dark
“The death of the RFP,” she called it. And honestly? It felt like everyone in the room wanted that.
Pedro’s vision: AI that works like an SDR for your event
If Felicia sees agents simplifying sourcing, Pedro Góes sees them running entire layers of your planning in the background.
Right now, AI still waits for your command. You prompt it. You guide it.
Pedro? He wants more.
“We want to have an AI that’s fully available 24/7, just like an SDR.”
Think about it this way. You could have a digital teammate that’s:
- Watching your event data
- Catching issues in the tech stack
- Building reports you didn’t ask for
- Surfacing creative ideas before you even thought of them
- Notifying you when it’s done
“You don’t have to instruct the AI. The AI will actually do those things and just notify you what it did.”
It’s bold, but if you’ve tracked InEvent’s roadmap, it’s believable.
Pedro’s not suggesting that AI will take your job. He’s suggesting that AI could take the job you hate doing, and do it better.
So where does that leave us?
Right now, AI in all-in-one event platforms is already helping with recaps, content, and basic form-building.
But in the future, we’re looking at autonomous agents that reduce sourcing chaos, spot problems before they hit, and run parts of your event without needing a nudge.
6 Practical Ways Event Leaders Can Use AI in Their Event Tech Stack Right Now
IBTM World didn’t end with predictions. Julius Solaris asked each speaker to get real:
“Give the audience something they can walk away with. Not just ideas. Tools. Tips. Tactics.”
And they delivered.
Here are six field-tested ways to start using AI in your event technology stack today, pulled straight from the session.
1. You’re Not Late. Most of the Industry Hasn’t Started
“Twenty-three percent of Fortune 500 organizations are using AI at scale right now,” Pedro shared. “That means 77% are not.”
In other words: if you haven’t built a prompt library, or your team still struggles with where even to start, you’re not behind. You’re in the majority.
Pedro compared AI adoption to QR codes. One day, they were niche. Next, they were on everything.
The point is to start where you are. The real wave hasn’t hit yet.
2. Rethink Security and Compliance
AI won’t just change the way you plan. It will change what you can trust.
Pedro gave a real example from InEvent’s world:
“When we receive a payment, customers usually ask us to call them to validate the bank account.”
That used to be enough. Not anymore.
“This is going to be so easily scammed by AI.”
Think about it. AI can mimic voices, write convincing emails, and even impersonate internal staff. And if your event management software handles payments, attendee data, or sponsorship details, you’re holding high-risk information.
To avoid such situations, you should review how you validate sensitive information, and start exploring new systems that comply with your core stack.
3. Re-Test AI Tasks Every 6 Months
Pedro kept it real:
“Yesterday, I wanted AI to sign a contract for me… and it was a terrible experience. It changed the whole document.”
But that doesn’t mean it’ll fail again next quarter.
AI tools evolve fast. What feels useless today could be seamless by spring.
What to do now:
- Keep a short list of AI tasks that didn’t work for you
- Schedule a quarterly “re-test.”
- Use specialized AI models for things like legal, finance, or compliance
- Treat AI not as static software — but as something alive, evolving, and worth revisiting
4. Start With Your Tasks — Not With AI
“I always say: maybe start with a pen and paper.”
That was Felicia Asiedu’s first piece of advice. And it landed.
Before you dive into a new AI integration, ask:
- What tasks are we doing today?
- Who owns them?
- How long do they take?
Then and only then, can you map where AI could save time or improve output.
“Because I think sometimes people jump into, ‘I’m going to use AI’… and then they use it a bit poorly.”
5. Build (and Train) Your Own Agent
Felicia’s most practical tip? Don’t wait for your platform to give you an agent. Build one.
“Find a tool you trust. Upload your tone, your campaigns, your documents. Teach it how you work.”
She described asking her AI agent:
“How do you think I’m doing?”
And it replied:
“You’re taking on too much of the heavy load. You should be more strategic.”
A good way to implement this is to take any agent tool like ChatGPT, claude or any others, feed & train it with your copies (campaign ideas, copies, strategy decks, or even registration workflows). It will replicate your tone and style of writing with excellent accuracy.
The fact remains that, you don’t need to be a coder, prompt engineer, or innovation team to use AI in events.
You just need a clear pain point, a trusted platform and a willingness to test something small today and revisit it later
That’s how you build AI into your event tech stack without burning out your team or breaking your process.
Conclusion: Learning from IBTM World & Planning for what’s next
What you heard on the Future Stage at IBTM World 2025 is exactly where event tech AI stands today, not at its peak, but far enough along that ignoring it now would be a mistake.
Some tools are already doing great work in the event space with things like recaps, content, registration, data cleanup.
Some ideas are right behind the door like AI agents that source venues, clean up operational messes, and act like a silent teammate in the background of your events.
And some are still rough but evolving fast.
That’s the point.
IBTM showed us a working present that is possible if approached correctly.
And that present is enough to inform your next 12 to 24 months of decisions like what features actually deserve a budget, what can safely wait, and what you should test now before it becomes a baseline expectation
If you only take one thing from this conversation, let it be this:
The right AI doesn’t replace your team. It gives your team room to breathe.
So now what?
If this session sparked ideas, good. Don’t let them fade.
Share this article with your event, marketing, and ops teams
Ask yourselves: what would it look like if our event tech stack worked for us, not against us?
And if you’re exploring what an all-in-one event platform with embedded AI could look like in practice, it’s worth seeing how platforms like InEvent are already shaping that reality.
Book a demo today and let’s help you build the future of events.
About the Author / Adedoyin
