You don’t need to be a tech expert—or even particularly tech-savvy—to incorporate AI into your workflow. Today’s AI tools are built for ease of use, helping planners streamline their processes with minimal effort. Open a free account with tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot or Claude and start experimenting to see how AI can streamline your processes.
Huong Nguyen, president and CEO of Shiloh Events, first explored AI out of curiosity. It quickly became a powerful efficiency tool, helping her automate tasks and enhance strategic decision-making. Today, it’s an indispensable part of her workflow, acting as an intelligent assistant that refines her work and saves time—so much so that Nguyen now leads industry sessions on AI adoption and is developing a proprietary AI platform designed to improve on-site event management.
Navigating AI’s Learning Curve
If you’re only just foraying into AI, expect a learning curve, but don’t let that deter you, Nguyen advises fellow planners. The more you interact with AI, the more refined and useful its responses become. Follow tutorials, read articles and experiment with prompts to refine your approach. “Once you get past that initial hurdle, it’s really fun and incredibly helpful,” Nguyen says.
AI tools are powerful—but not infallible.
Expect occasional inaccuracies or bias in responses, and refine your prompts to improve the output. If AI generates information beyond what you provided, always verify sources and fact-check before incorporating its suggestions. Thoughtful engagement ensures the best results.
Consider This
Once AI becomes a natural extension of your processes, you’ll find new ways to refine and expand its capabilities.
Before that can happen, consider these easy ways to utilize AI:
1. Research meeting destinations
Wondering where to host your next event? AI can help. Share your event parameters and let it suggest potential destinations.
Sample prompt: “I’m looking for a warm U.S. destination for a 50-person corporate retreat in July. Direct flights must be available from New York, Chicago and San Francisco. It must have several high-end hotels. Beach destinations preferred.”
When Vendelux plugged this prompt into OpenAI’s ChatGPT, it offered five destinations that fit this criteria, including Miami and Naples in Florida, San Diego and Santa Barbara in California and Honolulu, Hawaii—with reasons why it works.
Here’s an excerpt from ChatGPT’s response:
Miami, Florida
Why: A top corporate retreat destination with luxury beachfront hotels (e.g., Fontainebleau, The Setai, 1 Hotel South Beach).
Airports: Miami International (MIA) offers abundant direct flights from NYC, Chicago and SF.
Activities: Beach events, water sports, vibrant nightlife, nearby golf courses.Pretty good, right?
Next steps: Keep the conversation going—just as you would with a trusted colleague or supplier. Ask for crime statistics, local attractions, recommended restaurants, average hotel prices and other details relevant to your decision-making.
2. Brainstorm event themes
Need a creative theme but struggling to find something fresh and relevant? AI can help refine your ideas and offer innovative suggestions.
Sample prompt: “I want a theme for an awards dinner that is not trite or overused. The event is for top performers in finance. It needs to be clever and original.”
When Vendelux tapped Microsoft Copolit, here’s a bit of what it had to say on the matter:
“Beyond the Numbers” – Celebrating those who see past spreadsheets and market trends to create real impact.
“Mavericks & Masters” – Honoring risk-takers, visionaries, and industry game-changers.
“The Infinite Edge” – A nod to continuous growth, innovation and the pursuit of excellence.Next steps: It may seem silly to provide feedback to a robot, but don’t be shy to share what resonates and what doesn’t. The more guidance you offer, the stronger the results will be. It;s how a large language model learns. Expect some back-and-forth; AI is designed to refine ideas with your input.
3. Improve program material
For any written material related to your event—marketing, promotional emails, web content, educational sessions—let AI act as your editor. Give it a draft and ask for a more polished copy.
Sample prompt: “Here are descriptions of educational sessions for an upcoming event. Refine the copy to make it more concise and engaging. Also, it needs more compelling titles.”
Next steps: Fine-tune as needed. You might ask for a more casual or professional tone, a minimum and maximum word count or different formatting. Keep in mind that a human eye is still essential to ensure consistency in all content related to the event.
4. Edit speaker bios
Speaker bios often vary in length and style—some are two sentences, others are two pages. AI can standardize them for tone and length.
Sample prompt: “Following are speaker bios for my upcoming event. Each should be 150 to 200 words and emphasize experience in the hospitality industry.”
Next steps: Review AI’s edits to ensure the most relevant aspects of each speaker’s qualifications are highlighted. As a professional courtesy, consider sharing the revised bios with speakers for approval before publishing.
Remember: You’re the expert.
AI is a powerful assistant—but strategy, intuition and experience will always be the planner’s domain. Information generated by AI should never be copied and pasted without careful review. Always apply your professional judgment to ensure accuracy, alignment with your goals and adherence to your high standards of excellence.
