5 Ways Artificial Intelligence is Revolutionizing Virtual Events

Event planning is stressful. That’s why the job of event planners and coordinators consistently ranks among the most stressful jobs. Event planning and coordination made the top 20 list of most stressful jobs again in 2021, ranking just behind airline pilots, firefighters, registered nurses, doctors, and paramedics.[1] Things didn’t get any easier since the pandemic started, forcing events to go virtual and making event planners rethink everything about the way they conducted events.

So, if you’re an event planner, congratulations! You deserve a pat on the back for managing through another difficult year and we’ve got some good news for you. Artificial intelligence can make your job easier and less stressful.

AI is Changing the Virtual Event Experience

Video conferencing and screen sharing may be fine for quick meetings and small company gatherings, but for engaging virtual events, you need a more robust platform. Today, artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the experience for attendees of your virtual events. A virtual event platform enhanced with AI allows for a more personalized event experience. Here are some of the ways AI in events is changing the way virtual event planning is undertaken and enhancing attendee experiences.

How AI is Changing Events

Artificial intelligence in virtual events creates a richer, fuller experience within the virtual platform. Virtual software can replicate many of the things people enjoy about in-person gatherings with an event planning platform that produces a robust virtual or hybrid event solution. Here are some of the ways AI is changing events and how virtual event companies can transform their events.

1. Engagement

Virtual meetings don’t have to be boring or just an enhanced video conference. You can create a rich virtual environment that create an immersive and engaging experience. If you can dream it, you can build it. AI helps users navigate the environment in real-time and engage with other attendees.

6Connex has pre-configured virtual environments that can get you started, but you can also fully customize your trade show booth and get creative with your designs for virtual rooms. These attractive environments create a more immersive experience that will increase engagement and encourage more active participation.

2. Personalization

AI can provide a personalized experience for your virtual event attendees. For example, when registering, attendees can indicate their interests. AI can recommend events and exhibitors that match their profile and interests. Personalization exposes both attendees and sponsors to opportunities that they might otherwise miss. This can create a better experience for participants and provide leads for your sponsors and exhibitors for your virtual trade show.

See: Applying the Lessons of Netflix to Make “Smarter” and More Personalized Virtual Events

Here at 6Connex, we use the same machine learning technology used by Amazon for our recommendation engine. Not only does it match attendees with content and people based on their profiles, but it creates real-time tracking to assess engagement, interactions, and behavior during events to help recommend additional networking and content opportunities.

3. Networking Opportunities

Participants in virtual events often remark that they miss the network opportunities that in-person events create naturally. More than three-quarters of people say they made their decision to attend an in-person event based on the ability to network, according to a study by the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE).[2]

AI can also play an important role in matchmaking for virtual events by creating groups with similar interests and playing digital matchmaker to create networking opportunities. Networking is also important for event sponsors and exhibitors. AI can help match participants and exhibitors with like interests to improve lead generation.

4. Data Insights

Collecting data during your events helps you gauge success and ROI. Collecting, organizing, and analyzing your data throughout the event gives you the insight you need to improve engagement and future events. AI provides detailed analysis and can yield additional insights. 

A survey of event marketers asked what planners did during virtual events to keep their attendees focused and entertained during sessions.[3] Here are the top five results they found:

1. Polling
2. Videos
3. Short presentations
4. Multiple speakers
5. Gamification

Not only can AI help you drive the event experience, but it can evaluate engagement in real-time and suggest alternatives to improve the event experience. Rather than waiting until events conclude or manually tabulating the data, an events platform does tracking in real-time so you always know how elements of your event are performing.

AI can also include data from current and past events to help predict what events are most likely to get the best engagement in the future. This helps event organizers to create better agendas, flow plans, and event plans. Most importantly, it helps event planners understand their attendees better and what specific things trigger their interest.

5. Cost Efficiency

Because AI can automate so many of the tasks that you would otherwise have to handle manually, AI and automation can save you time and money. The right virtual and hybrid event software can make a significant difference in creating a great virtual experience for your attendees. 78% of businesses that use an event application say that it produces a greater ROI.[3]

Creating Successful Virtual Events

6Connex is the leading provider of virtual event solutions for enterprises worldwide. Using beautiful, immersive, and engaging environments, we provide the technology you need to build, host, and analyze the success of your virtual and hybrid events. From AI to machine learning, let us show you how we can make your next event spectacular. Learn more about the 6Connex virtual platform by requesting a virtual event demo today.

Sources:
1. Glassdoor -  The Most Stressful Jobs in the US
2. International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) - Decision to Attend Study survey report
3. Markletic - 60 Incredible Virtual Event Statistics! (2021 Research)