The
Amex GBT survey indicates that AI is viewed as an essential tool for driving
creativity, content creation, and tracking attendee engagement.
INTERNATIONAL
REPORT — The meetings sector is experiencing a high level of optimism, but
rising costs pose significant challenges, according to the 15th annual Amex GBT
Meetings and Event Forecast.
According to
the forecast, optimism among professionals has reached its highest level in
five years, with 85% of respondents saying they are optimistic or very
optimistic about the year ahead – up from 74% in 2025.
At the heart
of this shift, artificial intelligence has moved from an emerging technology to
an essential tool for 2026, with 50% of industry professionals now integrating
AI throughout event planning and execution.
Meeting
specialists are quickly adopting AI to enhance their work and capture the value
of meetings, with 28% of meeting professionals planning to use AI for
post-event evaluation in 2026 to better understand the “return on
experience.” Additional anticipated AI use cases for the year, according
to the survey, include connection (event communications 35%, AI-powered
matchmaking for attendees and sponsors 35%); content (creative theme generation
34%, content creation 31%) and measurement (engagement tracking 31%).
The meetings industry continues to face challenges related to rising costs, with 38% of respondents listing it as the top challenge of 2026, prompting professionals to explore innovative budget management strategies.
Because AI
is poised to enhance content and connections at future events, the forecast concluded
that meeting professionals must plan for engaging and memorable experiences to
ensure they maximize the benefits of the technology. Compared to five years
ago, attendees want meetings to provide more interactivity, such as workshops
and demos (42%); social activities and networking opportunities (40%) and
visible sustainability measures (40%).
The forecast also found that meeting professionals plan to adopt AI and digital tools to
better capture the value of meetings, with 36% stating they will utilize data
and ROI measurement tools to assess attendees' perspectives more effectively.
The meetings
industry continues to face challenges related to rising costs, with 38% of
respondents listing it as the top challenge of 2026, prompting professionals to
explore innovative budget management strategies. The survey found that 71%
anticipate cost increases, with food and beverage prices and wage inflation
being the key contributors.
“Unprecedented
optimism and technological innovation are converging to redefine how we create
meaningful connections,” said Gerardo Tejado, senior vice president of
professional services at Amex GBT. “We’re witnessing a transformative
moment where AI is not just a tool, but a strategic partner that empowers
meetings and events professionals to deliver more engaging, impactful and
intelligent event experiences with measurable impact. The meeting and events
industry’s growing confidence — with 85% of professionals feeling optimistic
about the future — reflects our collective ability to embrace change and unlock
new possibilities.”