Episode Summary:

Brandt Krueger and Will Curran return with a lively breakdown of the latest trends spotted while judging the Eventex Awards, offering a behind-the-scenes look (within NDA limits) at where event technology is headed. From lightning-fast badge pickup and GDPR-compliant facial recognition to hyper-personalized attendee journeys and the resurgence of event bots, this episode unpacks the innovations shaping conferences, registration, AI, and event apps. The conversation also explores the tension between niche solutions and global platforms, the creative uses of Generative AI, and the growing importance of deep integrations between proprietary tools and third-party event apps.

Since recording, the winners of the Global Eventex Awards have been announced, so be sure to check out the winners!
https://eventex.com/winners2025

Discussions Include:

• How AI is transforming attendee journeys, reporting, and real-time event analytics
• The rise of hyper-personalized registration flows and niche event tech providers
• Creative uses of generative AI for art installations and next-gen word clouds
• The return of event chatbots and the push for deeper, more meaningful event app integrations

Quotable Quotes (Should you choose to share):

“Speed, right? That was one of the things- it was all about how quickly can we get thousands of people registered, get them their badges and things like that.” – Brandt Krueger

“Most of these high-end registration platforms have the ability to really customize the journeys that your attendees will take. We’re used to having a few different buckets for attendees… Well, now you can have 50 buckets.” – Brandt Krueger

“Let’s be honest, no one in planning space wants to learn to be a data analyst. That was the thing that I looked at for so long, especially when we were doing Klik and like there’s so much data available to planners who just don’t want to look at data.” – Will Curran

“I just couldn’t believe that finally, two years into this AI blooming that we’re seeing, we’re finally getting back to having good, decent event bots that can help us out with these things.” – Brandt Krueger

Episode Summary:

This week on the Event Tech Podcast, Brandt Krueger and Will Curran unpack the latest leaps in AI-powered image generation, focusing on new capabilities within ChatGPT and Midjourney. From photorealistic hands and seamless text rendering to transparent backgrounds and continuity across images, the conversation explores how these advancements are transforming event production, branding, and creative workflows. The hosts also touch on the evolving landscape of video generation tools and share a few candid lessons learned from the trenches of AI experimentation, including an apology to Perplexity.

Discussions Include:

• The evolution of AI image generation: photorealism, hands and body parts finally look right
• Continuity and consistency: generating series of images with persistent elements and styles
• Text and logo integration: AI’s newfound ability to handle crisp, accurate signage and branding
• Transparent backgrounds and practical applications for event production and design
• Midjourney’s new draft mode, voice prompting, and the speed gap in creative iteration
• Reflections on the future of video AI and lessons learned from using AI tools in real-world projects

Quotable Quotes (Should you choose to share):

"I have some of the worst short-term memory of all time and all I can do is blame the 90s." - Brandt Krueger

"This ability to do continuity between images makes me feel like this is going to be great for brands who are like, I need to make the announcement image for my event...and now I need to say that I'm announcing that Seth Rogen is going to be the keynote speaker." - Will Curran

"It's a very talented intern. Or I think somebody once described it as like your cousin-in-law's nephew who you've been using to do graphics design and maybe does a little too many drugs." - Brandt Krueger

"I continue to be really excited by where these things are going. All that video is- is a thousand pictures. So we're going to get there really soon." - Brandt Krueger

Episode Summary:

In this special episode of the Event Tech Podcast, Brandt Krueger and Will Curran have some exciting news to share, followed by some fun chatting about the FAR future of events- robots, AI, and beyond. The duo explores the possibilities—and limitations—of automation in the events industry. They discuss everything from robot bartenders and holographic keynotes to automated floor-chalking Roombas and AI-driven video production. Along the way, they reflect on the irreplaceable human touch in events and share their thoughts on how technology will continue to shape the industry.

Discussions Include:

• An announcement about the new AI hosts and [SPOILER] acquiring the podcast
• The role of robots in events: from bartenders to exhibit booth assistants
• How AI could enhance AV production, from auto-ducking audio to sentiment analysis
• The balance between automation and preserving human artistry in event production

Quotable Quotes (Should you choose to share):

1. "There are lots of possible futures of event technology, many of which could be very interesting." – Robotic Host (Brandt)
2. "I think there’s always going to be a call for both—the quick-and-dirty automation and the high-touch human interaction." – Brandt Krueger
3. "Imagine a world where a glass breaks, and a camera spots it, sending a Roomba to clean it up. That’s coming in five years!" – Will Curran
4. "A good camera op can tell when someone is about to move—it’s an art that AI hasn’t quite mastered yet." – Brandt Krueger
5. "We wouldn’t just drop news like that on you—or replace ourselves with AI—without telling you first!" – Will Curran

Let us know what you think about the future of robots and AI in events, and if this episode may have lived up to its release date :)