A recent article from C&IT highlights some of the most significant shifts shaping our industry, and it’s well worth a read. Among the key takeaways:

• Hyper-personalization is more available than ever with AI-driven networking, agenda-building, and session tailoring.
• Hybrid events are here to stay, with more organizations embracing innovative formats that blend the physical and digital worlds.
• Sustainability is no longer optional, as brands and agencies alike double down on reducing environmental impact while creating memorable experiences.
• Data-driven decision-making is on the rise, empowering teams to measure and optimize every aspect of the event journey.
• Long-term partnerships are proving invaluable in navigating challenges and unlocking new growth opportunities.
• Local and small-scale events are gaining momentum, driven by sustainability and budget considerations.
• Short-form, TikTok-style content is becoming essential for post-event engagement, reflecting shifting attendee preferences.

Brent Turner, EVP of Strategy and Solutions at Opus Agency, reflected on how content delivery needs to evolve to meet attendees’s expectations: “In an AI-infused, TikTok-ified world, where attendees get fast, personalized, assisted content everywhere, event content needs to be reimagined. When everything, everywhere, is getting summarised by AI, when everything we need to learn is now an AI-assistant away, we, as attendees, will not tolerate the tropes of passive, slow content sessions.”

To dive deeper into these trends and explore what’s next for our industry, check out the full article from C&IT.