As use grows dramatically, what event pros are actually doing with artificial intelligence.
While mostly still relying on her personal experience and expertise, the work Fiona Nieman, CMP, HMCC, performs as a meeting planner is nevertheless enhanced by the continued integration of artificial intelligence (AI).
“There are some tasks in our industry where AI truly makes a difference and can save a ton of time,” says Nieman, founder and principal planner for Indaba Events. “Some of these include comparing rooming lists against registrations, building out food and beverage budgets, menu planning, developing SOP manuals, event workbooks and creating a comprehensive run of show.”
AI can also assist when the brain is tired and weary, according to Nieman.
“AI can provide inspiration for curated and unique experiences at any location around the globe. There truly is no limit as to what AI can offer,” she says. “At the end of the day, though, we are human beings creating experiences for human beings, and no amount of AI can offset the personal touch that comes with this.”
The rapid increase of AI in the meeting and event industry has been tracked over the past couple of years in MPI’s Meetings Outlook survey. In Q4 2023, 22% of respondents reported regular use of AI on the job, which nearly doubled by Q1 2025 (43%) and hit 70% in Q1 2026. So, this seemed like a great time to touch base with event professionals about how they’re engaging with AI right now.
AI has quickly become an integrated part of how Rick Weaver, CDIP, thinks, not just how he works.
“As a consultant working across strategic planning, association management and leadership/board development, I’m constantly moving between big picture vision and detailed execution,” says Weaver, principal strategist for TRANSFORM. “AI helps me bridge that gap more effectively. On a practical level, I use it to refine communication by turning rough ideas into clear, concise messaging for boards, stakeholders and members.”
AI has been most valuable to Weaver because it sharpens his thinking.
“I’ll often use AI to stress-test strategic ideas, surface blind spots, identify gaps or explore different ways a decision might play out across an organization,” he says. “It allows me to walk into conversations better prepared, with a more well-rounded perspective.”
Alexa Berube, a co-founder of Reposite, an AI-powered online vendor and supplier sourcing platform, who also leads MPI’s AI-Enhanced Event Professional certificate course, says event pros wanting to better harness the power of AI need to understand that the important shift isn’t becoming a tech expert, but rather developing practical AI fluency.
“First, planners need a foundational understanding of how AI works and where it realistically fits into event workflows,” she says. “Second, prompt writing and workflow design are becoming essential skills—the real power of AI comes from knowing how to structure prompts and integrate AI into everyday tasks. Finally, planners need stronger data literacy and governance awareness—as AI surfaces insights from event data, professionals need to interpret those insights, ask better questions and ensure attendee data is used responsibly”.
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