CD That's Me

It seems like everyone is talking about AI. And when this talk started, I'll admit it, my first thought wasn't "Wow, this is exciting." It was more along the lines of: "Well, now robots have finally come for the event industry."

As someone who's spent years producing events, managing timelines, navigating last-minute changes, calming stressed clients, and somehow locating a missing podium five minutes before doors open, I was skeptical.

Because if you've ever worked in events, you know one thing: Nothing ever goes exactly according to plan. And honestly - that's half the job.

The other half is pretending everything is under control while internally freaking out and calculating seven backup plans and wondering if you've remembered to eat today.

Event Producers Are Basically Professional Problem Solvers

People think event production is so glamorous and its all about pretty tables and color palettes. Ha bless their hearts.

It's actually about logistics, diplomacy, project management, psychology, crisis response, negotiation, and occasionally therapy sessions for executivrs or keynote speakers.

I've had speakers miss flights. I've had AV fail. I've had weather decide to become the main character. I've had clients call me with an "easy little change" three days before an event that somehow required rebuilding an entire program and stage.

And through all of it, the secret ingredient has never been technology. It's been people. Experience. Instinct. Relationships.

And an alarming ability to function under pressure.

Then I Started Using AI...

And I had a moment. Not a "the future is here" moment. More of a "wait... you can make my life easier?" moment.

Because it turns out AI isn't particularly good at producing events. But it IS shockingly good at helping produce events.

Need a first draft of a sponsor email? Done.

Need twenty new theme ideas because the first nineteen sound terrible? Done.

Need social media captions, attendee communications, speaker questions, event descriptions, marketing copy, post-event surveys, thank-you notes, and a meeting summary from the call you barely remember attending? Done. Done. Done. Done.

It's like hiring an assistant who never sleeps, never gets annoyed, isn't cuter or younger than you and doesn't charge overtime.

And remember AI Doesn't Know What Happens Behind the Curtain

AI can write a run of show. It cannot run the show.

AI can create a speaker briefing document. It cannot look a nervous speaker in the eye and say, "You've got this."

AI can generate an event timeline. It cannot walk into a ballroom and instantly notice that the room feels off because there are not enough seats at each table.

AI can suggest a floorplan. It cannot convince a hotel CSM we need to move that registration desk right now.

There is a magic that happens in live events - its called human magic.

It's the energy in a room. The relationships. The creativity. The ability to read people and solve problems befure anyone even realizes there is a problem.

That's not something you automate. So relax my fellow producers, we still got this. I am going to use my slower summer months to learn more about how to use it effectively and enthusiastically. Of course there are dangers and mistrust (more on that in my next post) but again it comes down to US and always reading between the lines (or prompts).

See you all in a week - me and Chad are going to build a workplan.