The AI revolution has arrived in the exhibition industry with the data painting a picture of rapid adoption, strategic experimentation and untapped potential. In its comprehensive CEIR Quick Poll, IAEE exhibition organizer and supplier members provide an unprecedented look at how artificial intelligence is transforming their daily work, strategic initiatives and client services.
Are exhibition professionals embracing AI as a competitive advantage, or are some risking obsolescence by avoiding these powerful tools? The answers reveal an industry in which more than 84% of professionals are already using AI, yet significant knowledge gaps and unexplored applications suggest we’re only scratching the surface of what’s possible.
This dual-perspective analysis examines both the organizer and supplier viewpoints, highlighting parallel trends, unique challenges and the emerging divide between early adopters and those falling behind. From ChatGPT’s dominance to the surprising role of executive leadership in driving adoption, these insights offer a roadmap for organizations seeking to leverage AI effectively along with a warning for those who wait too long to act.
Both reports are complimentary with IAEE membership and $29 USD each for non-members. Discover where your organization stands in the AI revolution and what steps you should take next.
The Exhibition Organizer Perspective
Business-to-business (B2B) organizers are rapidly embracing AI, with 84% of respondents stating they are already using AI tools to support their work. This adoption is strongest in everyday tasks, where AI serves as an intelligent assistant for writing, editing and search functions. ChatGPT dominates as the most widely used and valued tool at 31%, far outpacing other platforms.
AI usage varies by application area: 80% use it for everyday work tasks like text creation and editing, search optimization and meeting transcriptions. For show-specific planning and execution, adoption drops to 40% with applications in chatbots, marketing campaigns and sales support. Post-show usage ranks lowest, primarily focused on data analysis and surveys.
Interestingly, executive leadership adopts AI at higher rates than entry to mid-level staff, particularly for show-specific purposes. Among the 16% not using AI, barriers include insufficient knowledge, lack of awareness and absence of internal training resources. However, only 14% reported negative experiences with AI tools, indicating broad satisfaction among users.
Key Takeaways:
- AI is mainstream, not experimental: With 84% adoption and two-thirds of organizers identifying AI tools that enhance job success, AI has moved beyond early adoption into standard practice. Organizations not encouraging AI use risk competitive disadvantage.
- Training gaps create opportunity: The primary barrier to adoption isn’t skepticism but knowledge with respondents citing lack of experience, awareness or training limitations. This represents a clear opportunity for organizational investment in education and resources.
- Usage sophistication varies widely: While everyday writing and editing tasks see 80% adoption, advanced applications like predictive analytics and automated workflows remain underutilized, suggesting significant room for growth as the industry matures in AI sophistication.
The Exhibition Supplier Perspective
B2B exhibition suppliers have embraced AI at rates nearly matching organizers, with 86% regularly using AI tools to support their work. Like organizers, suppliers rely most heavily on AI for everyday tasks, particularly text creation and editing, search enhancement and meeting transcriptions. Usage drops significantly for product marketing and sales efforts, and planning activities.
A notable finding is that nearly half of suppliers use AI to partially or fully operate services delivered to exhibition organizers. Applications include data analytics for sales outcomes, chatbots and targeted marketing solutions, suggesting diverse experimentation rather than standardized adoption. ChatGPT dominates at 46%, with Microsoft Copilot at 10% – both significantly higher than other tools.
Executive leadership at supplier companies adopts AI at higher rates than entry and mid-level staff across both daily tasks and strategic functions, mirroring the organizer pattern. Among non-users, primary barriers include insufficient experience, lack of awareness and skepticism about value. Only 9% identified AI tools that haven’t contributed to job success, indicating widespread satisfaction among adopters.
Key Takeaways:
- Near-parity with organizers signals industry-wide transformation: At 86% adoption versus organizers’ 84%, suppliers demonstrate that AI integration is pervasive across the entire exhibition ecosystem, not just among event producers. This synchronized adoption rate suggests competitive pressure is driving change throughout the industry.
- Service delivery applications remain exploratory: With suppliers evenly split on using AI to operate client-facing services, the industry is still determining best practices for AI-enhanced B2B offerings. The diversity of applications, from data analytics to chatbots, indicates experimentation rather than consensus on value.
- Knowledge gaps persist despite high adoption: Despite 86% usage, 5% cite insufficient experience and 2% lack awareness of available tools, revealing that even active users may not be maximizing AI’s potential. This suggests opportunities for both suppliers and organizers to deepen their AI capabilities through targeted training.
Take a Deeper Dive
Access the complete CEIR Quick Poll reports to explore detailed findings, methodology, and actionable recommendations for both organizational leadership and individual staff members navigating this transformative technology.
