Insights from Turbocharge Cyberview 2025: Panel Session 2
The events industry has undergone a seismic shift in recent years, evolving from simple gatherings to sophisticated, data-driven experiences powered by artificial intelligence. A recent panel discussion at Turbocharge Cyberview 2025 between Silmyi M.Sadek, Chief Geek of Brand Geeks Inc and Yusno Yunos, CEO of Evenesis, revealed how forward-thinking event technology companies are leveraging data and AI to create more personalised, efficient, and sustainable events.
Silmyi M. Sadek & Yusno Yunos
The New Reality: Data as Currency in Events
In events, data is the currency
Emphasised Yusno, highlighting a fundamental truth that many event organisers are only beginning to understand. While most local Malaysian event organisers still focus primarily on basic metrics like registration numbers and ticket sales, advanced companies are harvesting rich behavioral data to transform attendee experiences.
The pandemic accelerated this transformation dramatically. Pre-COVID, only 20% of events incorporated digital elements. During the lockdowns, everything went virtual. Now, in our post-COVID world, two-thirds of event planners design with hybrid experiences in mind, recognising that attendees expect the best of both physical and digital worlds.
Beyond Registration: The Personalisation Revolution
Modern event technology goes far beyond simple ticketing systems. Today’s sophisticated platforms collect nuanced preference data – from dietary requirements and accessibility needs to networking preferences and content interests. This granular data collection enables unprecedented personalisation. Yusno Noted,
When you're coming to an event and you don't feel treated well, the experience is going to be poor
For premium events where attendees pay substantial fees, this personalisation becomes crucial for retention and satisfaction.
The data collection happens at multiple touchpoints:
- Pre-event: Registration forms, preference surveys, and historical data,
- During events: Real-time behaviour tracking, session attendance, and interaction patterns.
- Post-event: Feedback collection and engagement analysis.
AI Applications Transforming Events
Computer Vision and Crowd Analytics
Advanced events now use computer vision technology to understand attendee behavior without intrusive tracking. This includes:
- Heat mapping to identify popular areas and optimise crowd flow,
- Demographic analysis for real-time audience insights,
- Waste management through automated sorting and reduction systems.
Business Matching and Networking
AI-powered business matching represents one of the most significant opportunities in events today. Yusno further shared an example from the ASEAN Travel Exchange, where AI facilitated nearly 10,000 meetings by intelligently matching attendee profiles and interests.
Sustainability Through Intelligence
Event organisers are increasingly using AI to track and reduce their environmental impact. Smart systems now monitor energy consumption, optimize resource allocation, and provide real-time sustainability metrics to help organisers understand their baseline and improve continuously.
The Hybrid Experience Challenge
Creating successful hybrid events requires fundamentally different approaches for online and offline audiences. “You cannot design the same experience for everyone,” Yusno warned. This reality is driving up event costs but also creating more inclusive, globally accessible experiences.
The key is recognizing that different market segments have different preferences. While some attendees prefer the convenience of virtual participation, others need the tactile experience of in-person interaction. Successful hybrid events cater to both without compromising either experience.
Balancing Automation with Human Connection
Despite the technological advances, the core purpose of events remains unchanged: human connection. Yusno emphasised,
The basis of events is all about meeting people
While AI can enhance efficiency and personalisation, it cannot replace the networking, relationship-building, and community aspects that make events valuable.
The challenge lies in finding the right balance. Over-automation risks diminishing human capacity and reducing meaningful interactions. The goal should be to use AI to eliminate tedious tasks while preserving and enhancing human connections.
Practical Implementation: Start Small, Think Big
For organizations looking to integrate AI into their operations, the advice is refreshingly practical: start with small, specific pain points. Yusno shared how Evenesis automated payment reminder emails using AI-generated Google Apps Scripts – a simple solution that eliminated manual work and improved efficiency. He suggested,
Look at one of the functions that you're currently doing manually that could be automated
The Future Landscape
As we look ahead, several trends are shaping the future of AI in events:
1. Enhanced Personalisation
AI will enable even more sophisticated audience profiling and content customisation, creating truly individualised event experiences.
2. Predictive Analytics
Advanced systems will predict attendee behavior, optimise scheduling, and prevent common problems before they occur.
3. Seamless Integration
AI tools will become more accessible to non-technical users, democratising advanced event technology across organisations of all sizes.
4. Sustainability Focus
Environmental consciousness will drive adoption of AI systems that optimise resource usage and minimise waste.
Key Takeaways for Event Professionals
1. Data Collection is Strategic: Move beyond basic registration metrics to collect behavioral and preference data that enables personalisation.
2. Hybrid is Here to Stay: Design distinct experiences for virtual and in-person attendees rather than treating online participation as an afterthought.
3. Start Small with AI: Identify specific manual processes that can be automated and build from there.
4. Human Connection Remains Central: Use AI to enhance rather than replace human interactions and community building.
5. Sustainability Matters: Leverage AI to track and reduce environmental impact while maintaining event quality.
Conclusion
The events industry stands at a fascinating crossroads where technology and human experience intersect. Organizations that embrace data-driven approaches and thoughtful AI integration will create more engaging, efficient, and sustainable events. However, success requires maintaining the delicate balance between technological advancement and the human connections that make events meaningful.
As we move forward, the question isn’t whether AI will transform events – it’s how quickly and effectively organizations can adapt to this new reality while preserving what makes events special: bringing people together to learn, connect, and build communities.
The future of events is data-driven, AI-enhanced, and more human than ever.
Listen to the full panel session here: https://youtu.be/cngJGqPCA4w
Regarding Brand Geeks Inc
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