The beginning of 2020 might have thrown the events industry into a rage, but virtual events calmed their nerves towards the end of the year. They gained massive popularity within a blink of an eye and there was no looking back ever since. With over 93% of event marketers using and investing in virtual platforms, it was established that virtual events are not here to just stay, but to grow exponentially.
Integration of AI in virtual events has made things even better. From conferences to award shows, to meetings and what not, AI-powered bots drive virtual partnerships for audiences and deliver customer engagement because of the personalized experience they offer. Adapting technologies like machine learning helps in observing and learning customer behavior to enhance engagement.
AI is equipped to enhance the digital experience of virtual events because machine learning performs much faster than human intelligence. It provides a hybrid platform that has deeper and reliable data analysis which ultimately improves the overall experience of virtual events.
With tools such as Zoom, Skype, Cisco Webex, and MS Teams, the virtual events were organized, scheduled, planned, and conducted effectively. Trade shows, conferences, and even exhibitions were showcased on these platforms with much larger audiences since online tools are available and accessible to everyone across the globe.
Besides, comparing the costs incurred to arrange for physical events, virtual event platforms have deeper audience insights, higher engagement, and better results at lesser costs. You can even let your attendees experience immersive 3D virtual environments through these platforms which are impossible otherwise.
AI has also facilitated content creators in creating engaging and informative content in the form of videos, infographics, etc., that can be accessed by anyone and anywhere in the world. Creators across the country are sharing each other’s content and collaborating to reach out to bigger audiences by planning collaborative virtual events, live sessions/chats, and even QnA’s to encourage larger engagements.
Business matchmaking, a concept that has been prevalent for the longest time has also been improved with virtual events and AI integration. While traditionally this process was done manually, machine learning has taken over now. Virtual exhibitions and events help in connecting people from different businesses together and AI assists in drawing information of the attendees during registration, pulling details from their LinkedIn profile, etc., to effectively connect those with common interests.
To add to it, facial recognition technology supports event registration and also provides valuable analytics to the organizers. These tools can even identify the emotional responses of individuals which can be analyzed, measured, and optimized to upgrade the data collected. This technology also allows real-time tracking of occupancy levels and physical distancing.
Another great example of AI is Siri and Alexa, who are helping us with road directions, playing our favorite songs, sending messages on our behalf, etc., and that too just by commanding them. This feature is called voice recognition, which is again a highly optimized feature helping multiple people at multiple levels. It has proven to be of great value during meetings as well. It helps in real-time translations which work well for non-native speakers during presentations etc. These tools can understand and translate over 15 different languages used throughout the country.
Industries including healthcare, pharmaceuticals, retail, and even BFSI have adopted virtual event platforms for conferences, seminars, and better customer service experiences. It has made communication with a larger audience much easier and faster than in a cost-effective manner. Virtual event marketers are no longer just event coordinators because they are now combining marketing and consulting to deliver interactive and rich virtual experiences.
(The author Manish Singh is MD at VouchPro and the views expressed in this article are his own)
