What AI Can (and Can't) Do for Event Planners

Recently, a longtime GDA client visited our office. When asked about one of the biggest pain points event planners are facing right now, her answer was immediate: "How to use AI effectively in event planning."

AI can be a powerful tool for improving efficiency, but it can't replace the experience, relationships, and insider knowledge of a trusted bureau partner. The planners seeing the biggest gains are using AI to handle routine tasks while relying on human expertise to guide critical decisions.

CHALLENGE

With new AI tools emerging almost daily, many planners are trying to determine how to leverage AI without losing the creativity, relationships, and judgment that make events successful.

TYPICAL METHOD

Most people think: The biggest benefit of AI is improving efficiency.

RECOMMENDATION

But the truth is: The biggest opportunity isn't just efficiency - it's using AI to create more time for strategy, relationships, and better decision-making.

Use AI To Remove Friction

Nikki Greenberg, futurist and AI expert, recommends starting simple.

"You speak 5–9x faster than you type."

One of her favorite productivity tools is AI-powered voice dictation.

"Not only does it help you get ideas out faster, but it improves the creative process by allowing your ideas to flow more naturally and capture thoughts that might otherwise be lost while typing. It's one of the easiest ways to reduce friction, accelerate output, and turn ideas into action."

Don't Automate The Wrong Things

Theresa Payton, the first female White House CIO and leading AI strategist, believes many professionals are asking the wrong question.

"Every business professional has read the headlines, and it's entirely natural to wonder, 'Is AI coming for my job?'"

Her answer is reassuring: "AI will not make Bureaus, Event Planners, or Agents obsolete. However, a professional in your role who knows how to use AI will outperform someone who doesn't."

She cautions planners against over-automating. "The biggest trap is using it to automate the wrong things."

AI excels at summarizing information, organizing logistics, and accelerating analysis. But the trust built between planners, speakers, attendees, sponsors, and bureau partners remains fundamentally human.

As Payton explains: "Use AI to optimize your back-office hours so you can reinvest that reclaimed time into the deep, un-automatable human relationships that turn a standard gathering into an unforgettable experience."

She also encourages planners to think of AI as a brainstorming partner: "AI can analyze historical data to tell you what worked yesterday, but it possesses zero human empathy to predict what will move an audience's heart tomorrow."

Use AI To Think Better, Not Just Faster

Organizational psychologist David Burkus sees a bigger opportunity. He points to research from Procter & Gamble showing teams using generative AI produced more creative and higher-quality solutions.

The reason? "The AI didn't replace human thinking. It helped people think across silos they couldn't cross alone."

For planners, that could mean better understanding attendee needs, anticipating challenges, or identifying opportunities that might otherwise be missed.

As Burkus puts it: "The human connection doesn't compete with AI. It gets sharper because of it."

His advice for getting started is simple: "Describe your three most repetitive, time-consuming tasks and ask AI how it could help you automate them."

Think Beyond Efficiency

Innovation strategist Jay Kiew believes AI is creating an opportunity for planners to become even more strategic. According to NIQ's 2026 CMO Outlook, 74% of CMOs are under increased pressure to prove marketing ROI.

Kiew believes event planners can help solve that challenge.

"The biggest problem to solve is not an attendee problem, but an executive problem."

Today's leaders want to understand:

• How events create pipeline opportunities
• How they increase deal velocity
• How they influence customer retention and growth

Some planners are already using AI agents to identify opportunities before an event even begins by connecting registration data, CRM insights, and sales priorities.

As Kiew explains: "The most strategic event planners are moving from measuring attendance to measuring attribution. They drive attendee satisfaction and support pipeline growth. They show both strong event feedback scores and measurable business results."

ACTION STEPS

✅ Experiment with one AI tool that removes a repetitive task

✅ Invest the time you save back into relationships with attendees, speakers, sponsors, and bureau partners

✅ Remember: AI can provide information. Experienced bureau partners provide context, perspective, and real-world insight

Partner with GDA for the human expertise AI can't replace