Artificial Intelligence (AI) has slowly permeated almost every industry. From chatbots to registration assistance and interactive entertainment, AI can bring a significant boost to your event-planning business. But before you hand the mic to a robot or let ChatGPT design your next seating chart (yikes,) let’s talk real strategy.
AI is a game-changer—but only if you use it like a pro. It can never replace your creativity. But it can definitely replace some tedious tasks and streamline how you produce NYC events.
As a New York event planner, keeping up with evolving technology and the accompanying dos and don’ts is important. So, we’ve built out this handy list to guide you in leveraging AI’s incredible benefits without experiencing some of its common pitfalls.
DO: Use AI to Save Time on Grinding Tasks
Event planning is 80% logistics, 10% event design, and 10% keeping your cool. So, when it comes to that logistics portion of your job, check out the available AI software solutions to help you with:
- Summarizing event contracts
- Creating social media posts for events
- Managing RSVPs with automation
- Drafting email invitations and campaigns
- Generating event checklists
- Managing event timelines
Do: Leverage AI in the Event Management
You are the creative genius behind all your NYC events. But you can tap into Canva and other tools to help you pull together event design mockups and mood boards. See invitation concepts and color palettes in seconds. Create winning event designs for marketing that align with your ideas with just a few clicks.
Some other ways AI can help in the event-planning process include:
- Client proposals and pitches
- Event vendor presentations
- Listing creative event themes or ideas
Do: Have AI Track Your Event’s Metrics
Many of the event management tools event planners already use today have AI features. This technology is a fantastic tool for tracking metrics and putting together attendee trends at lightning speed, especially if you love real-time feedback. Knowing how your audience engages at your event helps you decide what sessions, activations, and entertainment resonate most or see how everyone likes the catering spread.
AI can also be helpful with tracking social media activity with “social listening,” which can provide insight into broader industry trends and sentiments.
AI can also be an additional useful tool for answering common questions for guests. Pre-event interaction and on-site chatbots can help relieve planners from these smaller tasks effectively so they can focus on more complex issues.
Don’t: Rely on AI to Be a Fail-Safe
This kind of technology isn’t a fail-safe for everything. AI can provide a starting point if you’re planning an event to cater to a niche audience with nuanced needs. Don’t use it to replace any particular steps in managing your event planning business. Instead, lean on it to streamline processes, save time, and better dissect event data. Remember, AI is still learning and evolving. As the tech gets better, you can find new ways to adopt it into your business model.
Don’t: Let AI Do All the Talking
While AI can help spark creativity and check that certain elements align, it’s not a substitute for human-generated marketing content for events. Your brand and voice are yours. You are your business’ biggest advocate. Don’t let a bot do all the talking.
As a New York event planner, you can use creative marketing content to advertise your event, create engaging elements, and give it your personal touch. AI doesn’t have that level of skill and often falls flat when people generate sums of content. If it sounds artificial, it won’t speak to your guests and will be a turnoff for most of your clients.
Don’t: Overlook Data Privacy and Ethics
You’re handling guest lists, payment info, and proprietary brand data. Not all AI tools are built with GDPR or other compliance rules in mind.
Protect your clients. Protect your business. Use vetted tools, avoid uploading confidential data into open AI platforms, and stay educated on AI privacy policies.
Do: Let AI Help Spark Your Creativity
Struggling with a theme? Want to wow your client with something no one’s done yet? AI is great for inspiration. Ask it:
- “Give me 5 interactive ideas for a tech industry happy hour.”
- “What’s a fun, futuristic theme for a holiday party in NYC?”
- “What unique welcome gift ideas can I offer sponsors?”
Then tweak. Polish. Elevate. You’re still the magician—AI just hands you a deck of cards.
Learn How to Effectively Integrate AI With Event Planning at The Expo
The best events in 2025 (and beyond) will blend tech + talent, automation + intuition, data + delight. So, plug in, power up, and remember—robots can assist, but you are still the magic.
Want more insights and inspiration on how to leverage AI for your events business? Get in the room this October with the top event tech and planning professionals at The Event Planner Expo. The Expo is the premier events industry conference of the year that attracts top event planning professionals right here in New York City. One of the biggest perks is Day 3’s high-energy tradeshow floor. And each high-value exhibitor has their own expertise to offer and the potential for incredible network connections. As an exhibitor, you can showcase your niche skills in the event planning industry. It’s your opportunity to generate more leads in one place than you can all year! Register your booth today!
