Editorial Note: This blog concludes our Expo! Expo! 2025 recap series. Click on the links to read the previous installments: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4.
There’s a reason exhibitions and events professionals circle Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition on their calendars every year. It’s ONE EPIC EVENT where the brightest minds, coolest innovations and next-level ideas collide to push industry leaders to dream bigger, build bolder and turn their toughest “what ifs?” into their next “wow!” moments. Whether you’re launching a new show or hunting for fresh ways to make your current event hit harder, Expo! Expo! is the playground where that kind of thinking gets sharpened, tested and put into action.
Last year’s Expo! Expo! proved once again why this show is unmissable, and nowhere was that more evident than in the learning opportunities exploring artificial intelligence. AI has moved faster than almost any other force in this industry, and last year’s sessions captured that shift in real time. Consider this your front row seat to where that momentum is headed next!
The Power of AI’s Impact on Event Evolution
The sessions featured in this installment fall under the The Power of AI’s Impact on Event Evolution learning track. Built for exhibition organizers ready to move past the hype and into hands-on application, this track spotlighted practical ways to weave AI-driven solutions into show operations, from optimizing resource allocation and cutting costs to streamlining logistics and elevating the attendee experience. Presenters shared real-world case studies and lessons learned from putting AI applications and vendor technologies to work in their own organizations, giving attendees a grounded look at what’s actually working right now.
Let’s revisit three sessions that showed AI isn’t a future concept, it’s already reshaping how events get built and sold.
Five Steps to Launch An AI Chatbot for Your Event
Presented by Andy Lomasky, Senior Director of IT, PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies and Kapil Kher, PMP, CEM, Chief Information Officer, U.S. Green Building Council
Two events, two very different playbooks, one shared goal: give attendees an assistant that actually helps. Andy Lomasky and Kapil Kher used real-world deployments from InfoComm and PACK EXPO to walk attendees through how AI chatbot strategy shifts depending on the size, audience and complexity of an event. Through an interactive Q&A and live demo format, they unpacked what it takes to build a chatbot that improves customer service, drives session attendance and lightens staff load, and shared a five-step process attendees could take home and apply to their own shows.
There’s No Single, “Right” Way to Build an AI Chatbot
InfoComm and PACK EXPO proved that the best platform choice depends entirely on the event. InfoComm’s AVA AI connects directly to the OpenAI API, giving the team maximum customization and advanced fine-tuning control, but requiring real development resources to build and maintain.
PACK EXPO’s AI Assistant, by contrast, was built on the off-the-shelf Wonderchat platform and traded some customization for a faster deployment timeline, built-in training tools and multilingual support for its global exhibitor base.
Neither approach is objectively better; the right one comes down to a show’s technical resources, budget, timeline and the complexity of the questions attendees are likely to ask.
This Five-Step Framework Turns a Good Idea Into a Working Assistant
Andy and Kapil laid out a practical, sequential process for bringing a chatbot to life:
- Define goals and audiences for the bot
- Map key user journeys and how users will interact with the bot
- Choose the right technology platform
- Build and test the bot
- Launch, monitor and optimize the bot
They stressed that a chatbot is only as smart as the knowledge base behind it, therefore the process of gathering/organizing event details upfront and writing multiple ways attendees might phrase the same question separates a genuinely helpful assistant from a glorified search bar. When it’s time to launch, they recommended a soft launch to early registrants or VIPs to catch issues before a full rollout, paired with promotion through email, social media, QR codes and staff demonstrations to drive adoption.
Success is Measurable and the Learning Doesn’t Stop When the Show Ends
The presenters shared the metrics that make the business case for chatbots:
- Round-the-clock availability without added staffing costs
- The ability to handle thousands of simultaneous inquiries
- Response times under five seconds
Just as important was their emphasis on post-event optimization:
- Reviewing conversation volume and escalation rates
- Gathering and comparing user feedback
- Documenting successes and failures in a post-event report that feeds directly into the next deployment
Their parting advice for organizers looking ahead to their next iteration: start thinking of it as an agent, not just a chatbot.
The Bottom Line
Andy and Kapil’s session made clear that launching an AI chatbot isn’t about chasing a trend, it’s about solving a real event challenge with the right tool for the job. Whether an organization leans toward a fully custom build or a platform-based solution, the fundamentals are the same:
- Know your audience
- Build a strong knowledge base
- Test relentlessly
- Keep refining after every event
For organizers still on the fence, the takeaway was simple: start small, learn fast and let the data guide what comes next.
ChatGPT Advantage: AI Tools for Small Business and Event Pros
Presented by Leanne Calderwood, LinkedIn and Personal Branding Trainer
If the words “AI is taking over” make you want to close your laptop, Leanne Calderwood’s session was built for you. In this dynamic workshop, Leanne showed attendees how to use ChatGPT to co-create better events, sharper brand storytelling and more resonant attendee experiences without losing what makes their voice their own. Through live demonstrations, collaborative brainstorming and practical exercises, she walked the room through how to get more out of both free and paid ChatGPT tools, including collaboration features like Canvas available through Pro accounts.
AI As a Creative Partner (Not a Replacement) for Your Voice
Leanne opened by flipping the script on how attendees think about AI: rather than replacing expertise, AI frees professionals to focus on the parts of their work that matter most, while they remain the voice and the expert behind it. Her sharpest reframe was that AI won’t replace humans, but humans who know how to use AI well will replace those who don’t.
The lesson for event marketers and small business owners alike is to stop putting AI “in a box” limited to a single task and start treating it as a flexible thinking partner across the entire content process.
A Strong Primer is the Foundation of On-Brand AI Content
The session’s most practical concept was the primer: a short description of tone, audience, product and brand voice that gives AI the context it needs before you ever make the ask. Leanne encouraged attendees to build primers that include their audience’s pain points and characteristics, their own strengths and writing style, and specific phrases to use or avoid.
She paired this with the CLEAR framework for prompting:
- Context
- Limitations
- Expectations
- Approach
- Result
She then demonstrated CLEAR live by building out an event activation concept from a single brainstorming prompt through a fully refined, hand-off-ready plan.
Avoiding the “Robot Voice” Keeps Content Sounding Human
Leanne called out the telltale phrases that instantly signal AI-generated content – statements like “here’s the truth,” “gamechanger” and “in today’s fast-paced world” – along with AI’s fondness for over-the-top similes. Her rule of thumb: if you wouldn’t say it out loud, don’t let AI put it in your content.
She closed with practical ways to keep AI in constant rotation without losing authenticity, from repurposing a blog post into a LinkedIn carousel to training a custom GPT on real writing samples, specific do’s and don’ts, and a defined personality so it can “sound more like me” on demand.
The Bottom Line
Leanne’s session was a reminder that the goal was never to sound like AI, it’s to sound like yourself, only faster. With a solid primer, a CLEAR prompting framework and a healthy skepticism toward the “robot voice,” event and small business professionals can use ChatGPT to brainstorm bigger, draft faster and refine smarter – all while keeping their authentic voice firmly in the driver’s seat.
AI, Meet Rolodex: New Rules of Booth and Sponsor Sales
Presented by Dan Cole, Senior Director of Sales, AVIXA and Rich Vallaster, CEM, QAS, AAiP, Senior Director of Industry Relations and Community Engagement, Momentive Software
What happens when a seasoned trade show sales veteran armed with decades of hustle and a well-worn Rolodex squares off with a digital-savvy, AI-powered counterpart? Dan Cole and Rich Vallaster brought that dynamic to life in a session that paired old-school relationship selling with new-school AI innovation.
Rather than declaring a winner, the two event sales veterans and Certified in Exhibition Management® (CEM) Faculty members unpacked what’s working, what’s changing, and what remains timeless in exhibit and sponsorship sales today, giving attendees real-world strategies for blending both approaches into a stronger sales strategy.
Relationships Still Rule, Even in an AI-First World
Dan made the case that no algorithm can replace trust. He pointed to research showing 84% of B2B decision-makers say trust and rapport influence purchasing decisions more than marketing content, and offered practical relationship tactics that still move the needle:
- Tracking and sending hand-written follow-ups
- Never skipping the in-person visit for top-tier sponsors and exhibitors
- Building a renewal pipeline earlier than most teams think to start
AI is Rewriting the Sales Playbook, Not Replacing the Salesperson
Rich countered with the data driving AI adoption in sales: teams using AI for lead scoring close deals 30% faster and generate 21% more revenue per deal. His practical tips included:
- Using AI to generate custom outreach templates and proposals
- Recording sales calls for automated summaries exhibitors and sponsors can reference later
- A/B testing offer packages with machine learning insights
- Using AI to help source new exhibitors and sponsors in the first place
A Blended Strategy is the Real Competitive Advantage
The session’s central message was that today’s buyers expect both personalization and speed, and a blended strategy is what bridges that gap. AI should enhance sales intuition, not replace it. Use it for lead scoring, pricing strategy and email automation, then reinvest the time saved into high-touch, strategic conversations.
Dan and Rich were direct about where each tool belongs, automating follow-ups and reminders while still making time for live calls and personal check-ins where it matters most. As they put it: technology helps, but trust closes; insight scales, but gut instinct doesn’t.
The Bottom Line
Dan and Rich’s session offered proof that the debate between relationship selling and AI-powered selling is actually a false choice. The organizers who win in exhibit and sponsorship sales won’t be the ones who pick a side, they’ll be the ones who know when to reach for the data and when to reach for the phone. Combine the Rolodex with the algorithm, and revenue resilience follows.
Looking Ahead
As we look ahead to Expo! Expo! IAEE’s Annual Meeting & Exhibition 2026 taking place 16-18 November in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, these sessions are a reminder that AI is pervasive in the room, on the show floor and in the sales pipeline. Expo! Expo! empowers you to adapt and activate what this technology offers so you can take your exhibitions and events to the next level!
