As the use of AI forever transforms the world of meetings and events, elite planners are refocusing on what matters most: people. Photo courtesy of Jon Fishman

As with all industries, the meeting-and-event sector continues to see an unprecedented increase in the use of AI, as planners are now using the technology in ways no one would have expected a decade ago. But with its application, certain “soft skills” — including emotional intelligence, intuition, creativity and empathy — are often being lost in the process of planning successful events. So, how do event professionals develop and foster such abilities in the age of AI?

As a project manager at GoGather, Shannon Fouts leads corporate event programs and is involved in all aspects, from planning to execution. These events include leadership meetings, incentive trips and conferences with thousands of attendees. According to Fouts, today’s corporate event planners must be empathetic, communicative and adaptable. They have to know when to lead and when to collaborate, and they have to be able to tailor their planning approach based on the client, the event type and even the vibe in the room.

“Persuasion and critical thinking come into play all the time, especially when making recommendations or solving problems on the fly,” Fouts says.

Jeffrey Cesari, CMP, HMCC, is the former director of meeting services and strategic event services for Genentech. He agrees that some of the most important soft skills for meeting and event planners today include empathy, adaptability, communication, critical thinking and collaboration.

“Empathy is the heart of hospitality — it means understanding attendee needs, anticipating emotions and making people feel seen and valued. Adaptability is equally essential because the industry is dynamic; even with perfect planning, change is constant,” Cesari says.

He adds that communication and storytelling help us take all the moving parts and craft an experience that resonates. Critical thinking ensures we make smart decisions even with imperfect data or shifting expectations. And finally, collaboration is key — no event succeeds without strong teamwork among diverse vendors and stakeholders.

“Whether you’re brand new to the field or a seasoned pro, these soft skills are the glue that holds everything together — even as our tools and technologies evolve,” Cesari says.

The Impact of AI — and the Human Factor

As AI continues to infiltrate all aspects of the corporate meeting and event planning process, its impact on the soft skills of event professionals is particularly evident. In Fouts’ experience, she is seeing the technology starting to change how meeting planners work, especially when it comes to elements such as communication and problem-solving.

“On one hand, it’s great for speed — writing emails, building agendas, finding vendors — but the downside is that it can strip out the nuance that comes from real human connection,” Fouts says. “You can almost always tell when a message was AI-generated versus when someone actually took the time to understand the client and personalize their response.”

Because of that, some soft skills, like empathy and contextual thinking, can start to fade if you’re not careful. She adds that it’s easy to rely on a resource to give you an answer without really questioning whether it fits the situation, but you also need to layer in personal expertise.

“So while AI can be a powerful support tool, it’s important to stay intentional about using your judgment and keeping that human touch front and center,” Fouts says.

Cesari adds that AI is an incredible tool in the meeting and event industry, with its ability to streamline everything from venue sourcing to registration management. But there’s a flip side.

“I see a real risk of overreliance on automation that can erode essential soft skills. For example, AI can negotiate rates, but it doesn’t build trust the way a human negotiator does,” Cesari says. “Predictive tools might suggest the ‘best’ agenda — but they can’t sense the room’s energy or pivot in the moment the way an experienced planner can. Even everyday communication can suffer if we lean too heavily on AI-generated copy instead of cultivating authentic, human relationships.”

Cesari says that as leaders, meeting planners need to ensure they’re not losing the human touch that makes events truly impactful.

A great example is venue sourcing. AI-powered platforms can instantly generate lists of properties based on budget, capacity and amenities — it’s a huge time-saver. But it also changes how planners negotiate and build relationships.

“Where we used to spend time nurturing connections with sales reps, understanding their property in detail and building long-term partnerships, some of that personal rapport risks being lost. We have to be intentional about keeping those relationships strong even as the process gets more automated,” Cesari adds.

In the age of AI, there has been another noticeable shift in how corporate event planning teams approach time management and communication. New tools have made it much easier to do things like draft emails, organize information or build initial agendas, and that can be a confidence booster for newer planners or those juggling a lot at once.

“But the downside is that some people stop developing the instinct to personalize or think critically about what they’re sending,” Fouts says. “It’s easy to take what AI gives you and hit ‘send’ without considering whether the tone is right or if the content fits that specific client or situation.”

Messages that feel too generic can undermine a critical need for trust.

“The event planning industry is built on relationships, and when that human element is missing, people notice,” Fouts says.

One of the biggest challenges is balancing the efficiencies of AI with meeting planners’ need to stay deeply human in their approach. As Cesari points out, it’s tempting to accept AI-generated recommendations without questioning them, which can weaken critical thinking and creativity. There’s also a risk that teams might stop practicing soft skills like negotiation, active listening or problem-solving because ‘the system’ can handle so much.

“As leaders, we have to push ourselves and our teams to see AI as an assistant, not a replacement — using it to free up time for the truly human work that makes events special,” Cesari says.

Emotional Intelligence Is Key

Jon Fishman leads the events division of Bond, a marketing services company that orchestrates meetings, events and incentive travel programs for Fortune 500 clients. Fishman says that in an industry built on experiences, emotional intelligence is what separates good meeting planners from great ones.

“Success comes down to how well you connect with people, pivot when needed and lead under pressure,” Fishman says. “AI is phenomenal at optimizing processes, but it’s subtly eroding intuition. When planners over-rely on automation, we risk losing the human nuances, like reading a room or managing tension. The real value comes from a balanced blend: using AI for speed and efficiency, combined with the experience and soft touches of humans to truly maximize results. It’s not about AI alone, but how we integrate it with human insight.”

He adds that the biggest challenge is staying emotionally present in a digitally mediated world.

“With AI handling the ‘what,’ planners must double down on the ‘why,’” he says. “It’s the story, the connection and the spark that no algorithm can replicate.”

According to Helen Hart, CMP, event director at Linder Global Events, she is seeing a lot of reliance on AI for communication — large-batch communication, in particular.

“There might be some loss here, but I would argue that it’s negligible for most planners, as we spend so much of our time on communication in various forms that a little loss doesn’t hurt,” Hart says. “We are also seeing that the ability to do their own research and idea generation — and then take the next step and perform a critical evaluation of AI suggestions — is diminishing. I think this is a really big area of risk. You still need to be able to own the execution and stand behind the work. Too heavy of a reliance on AI for sole product leaves you open to the risk of not being able to problem-solve in real time.”

While Hart does encourage the use of AI on her team, she also stresses that heavy reliance can start to degrade soft skills.

“To understand the challenges, you have to look at why we use AI to begin with. The biggest driver for my colleagues and I is speed,” she says. “There are always so many things on the to-do list and not enough hours in a day. We have to be careful to pick and choose where AI enhances our abilities without degrading the output. It’s a balancing act between increasing effectiveness and speed on tasks while still maintaining a good product.”

Prioritizing Human Connection

In today’s AI-saturated world, it’s easy for corporate planners to fall into the trap of taking shortcuts and losing that personal touch exemplified by successful meetings and events.

“Sometimes you just need to slow down and think things through, especially when something that feels ‘good enough’ might actually miss the mark with your client,” Fouts says. “If they can tell you didn’t tailor your response or ideas to their specific event, you likely will see a very negative response…”

To further enhance soft skills, corporate event planners need to get out and talk to people. Building relationships with vendors and partners — and even just being around others in the industry — can help you maintain those skills.

“It reminds you how different people think, how to navigate tricky conversations and how to read the room — skills that are essential onsite and in planning,” Fouts says.

Also be sure to stretch your brain in creative ways outside of events. Take a writing class, try an improv workshop or even just explore other industries. These kinds of activities can make meeting planners better listeners, better storytellers and more well-rounded thinkers.

For planners looking to strengthen their soft skills, Cesari’s advice is to treat them like muscles, as they need regular exercise. One simple but transformative move is to practice active listening with clients and team members. You can also role-play negotiation or crisis management scenarios with colleagues to keep those skills sharp. Also, when building relationships, prioritize actual conversations over those conducted via email, remembering that AI can’t replicate human warmth. Beyond that, seek mentorship and feedback from industry peers, and after every event, take time to reflect honestly on what worked and what didn’t.

“These habits keep us growing no matter how long we’ve been in the industry,” Cesari says. “Maintaining strong soft skills is crucial because, in the end, our value lies in creating experiences that feel personal, seamless and human.”

Hart believes that, in order to offset the impact AI is having on the industry, one of the most valuable things meeting planners can do is collaborate with colleagues and industry peers.

While Hart uses AI regularly, she focuses on applying it for time-intensive tasks, making sure to finish things more traditionally. She also varies the work she’s using AI for, instead of just outsourcing a complete project or task.

Says Hart: “I think AI is a valuable tool for the events industry — the key word here being ‘tool.’ We should not be thinking of AI as task replacement. When we rely on [it] to generate ideas, I find that we lose out on the creative aspect our clients and stakeholders are relying on us to provide. Too much reliance on AI for this type of ground-up work starts to diminish the creative output we are able to create.”

What Will the Future Bring?

Undoubtedly, AI is going to continue to play an increasingly larger role in how event professionals plan, manage and execute events.

“We’re seeing it everywhere in the product offerings of major players in our market. It really is a great support tool. It can help planners move faster and reduce some of the logistical lift, especially early in the planning process,” Fouts says. “But it’s not the whole solution. The real differentiator moving forward will be how well teams blend AI with the human side of planning.”

She says that the companies that thrive will be those that use AI for efficiency but still show up with thoughtful communication and display emotional intelligence and genuine care for the client experience.

“Clients can tell when they’re being treated like just another project, and they’ll gravitate toward partners who take the time to understand them,” Fouts says. “So the future is about knowing how to use both AI and the human touch together. That balance is where the magic happens: fast, efficient processes backed by personalized, high-touch service.”

Cesari believes AI is only going to become more sophisticated in the corporate event industry, as it is used to handle even more of the routine planning and logistics — which will be a good thing if it is used wisely.

“It will free meeting planners to focus on the human aspects that truly differentiate an event: creativity, empathy, leadership and problem-solving,” Cesari says. “The future belongs to those who can embrace the technology while doubling down on the soft skills that make us irreplaceable. As leaders, we have a responsibility to ensure our teams are not just tech-enabled but deeply human-centered.”

Others believe that as AI keeps getting smarter, emotional resonance will remain the meeting planner’s competitive edge.

Says Fishman: “The future belongs to those who can pair digital intelligence with human insight and create moments that machines simply can’t mimic. The key is using AI as a tool — not a replacement — so planners can harness its speed and efficiency while still leaning on the soft skills, intuition and experience that only humans bring to the table.” C&IT