Artificial intelligence has become an unavoidable buzzword in event communication—but behind the promise of “AI-driven” experiences, there is often little more than rebranded automation. The real question is where AI truly creates value, and where it remains a marketing label.

We discussed this with Botond Szabolcs, CEO of the Visual Europe Group, who has tested and implemented a wide range of AI-based solutions at large-scale national and international events in recent years.

According to his experience, meaningful AI applications are most effective in the background: content and visual generation during the planning phase, AI-powered event assistants answering participant questions in real time, and advanced data processing and feedback analysis. On the attendee side, those solutions perform best that are immediately understandable and intuitive — such as AI-based avatar creation or real-time photo selection systems that enhance both engagement and social reach.

Looking ahead, AI is expected to become an invisible but essential layer of event production rather than a standalone attraction. It will support more efficient organization and increasingly personalized experiences, while decision-making responsibility remains firmly in human hands. Measuring success, meanwhile, goes beyond traditional ROI, with growing emphasis on ROE — return on experience.

Read the full interview and in-depth analysis in Hungarian here: https://marketing.hu/cikkek/pr-cikk/ai-a-rendezvenyiparban-eszkoz-nem-attrakcio