Exhibitions face innovation ‘perception gap’ as AI reality sets in

Exhibition businesses appear to be navigating a “notable” disconnect between public innovation claims and actual digital adoption, according to Event Tech Forecast findings.

New global survey data in the report by ExpoPlatform reveals 74% of firms position themselves as leading innovators, while 45% admit artificial intelligence has yet to meaningfully impact their business models.

Kai Hattendorf, partner at jwc GmbH, argues this positioning may have to do with a perceived need for many companies to be seen as “AI advanced”, related to the current period of intense global mergers and acquisitions activity.

He said: “If this survey data is an indicator for the wider industry – it may be testament to a perceived desire to be seen as ahead of the curve.

“The survey data suggests that many companies see themselves as quite far ahead – whereas then if you ask them specifically in the same survey, they admit they’re not. There’s a gap here.”

Organizers face a strategic dilemma as they attempt to navigate the complex transition from traditional space-and-service providers towards more data-driven organizations.

This self-assessment among eventprofs indicates a high level of organizational confidence, yet the actual impact of artificial intelligence remains largely concentrated on basic operational tasks such as time optimization. 

Key to closing this gap could be through aligning technological infrastructure with clear company values and desired audience outcomes to ensure digital tools generate true value.

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Kai – who is an expert contributor in the Event Tech Forecast – said: “We are an industry that brings together people to meet. Many are pitching us to be a data-driven industry – AI is a huge enabler of that.

“Of course that unlocks more business opportunities – and with that – drives valuations of businesses.

“We have to learn the tools of the trade of AI to apply it properly so that we can adapt and we can adopt the potential of the technology to drive valuations and benefits.”

The AI implementation paradox

Another issue identified by Kai is businesses who treat artificial intelligence as a “big box of Lego bricks”, but who are yet lacking a functional instruction manual.

The forecast shows 82% of event professionals have successfully optimized their individual time using AI – but the broader organizational impact remains unclear.

Efficiency gains are currently concentrated in a modest bracket, with 63% of organizations reporting internal improvements of only 0-24%.

A huge barrier to deeper transformation – often cited – seems to be a reliance on out-of-the-box AI tools, which can fail to deliver the context-aware insights required for complex B2B environments.

The industry appears apprehensive for standard applications to evolve in other sectors before embedding these technologies as a core part of its nature.

But eventprofs can overcome this by utilizing specialized AI agents for specific tasks to ensure that technology generates genuine business value rather than superficial efficiency.

Kai said: “Think of AI as a big box of Lego that you’ve just been given and you can build so much with it. 

“Instinctively, you’re looking for the manual – you’re looking for instructions on what to build with it. 

“These instructions aren’t there yet, so you ‘build along’ and experiment. We are just not primed to lead in tech innovation by our very own nature as an industry.”

Integration and the ‘collaboration muscle’

Integration with existing systems is another major hurdle cited by eventprofs in making the most of the potential of AI and other event technology.

The survey data shows this has jumped to the number one digital challenge facing event professionals, cited by 74% of respondents.

A lack of an overarching common data model in the industry has been highlighted as something which forces organizers to spend too many resources making different tools communicate with each other.

Kai sees a growing culture of cooperation within the industry – even among potential competitors – as part of the solution.

This was set out as leading to a “collaboration muscle” that is now a core asset for senior leadership.

He said: “This industry has become so much more collaborative. You can be competitors in one market but collaborators in another market. 

“It’s a totally different ball game now, where the senior leadership across the industry has really really built a collaboration muscle. 

“Especially around new technologies, there’s a lot of potential to use that for the good of the industry.”

WATCH: Kai Hattendorf sets out gains to be made with an exhibition collaboration muscle.

This new era of collaboration is particularly vital for navigating the complexities of technology.

Organizations can remain competitive in their specific show niches, but they are increasingly sharing knowledge on technical infrastructure to solve shared problems:

• Scaling knowledge: Leaders are sharing lessons on AI implementation to avoid the common “perception gap” where tech investment fails to drive actual efficiency.
• Joint problem solving: Collaboration allows the industry to address massive hurdles like system integration – ranked as the top challenge by 74% of respondents – by pushing for unified standards.
• Resource efficiency: Partnering on the tools of the trade for AI enables organizers to adopt the technology’s benefits more effectively than working in silos.

Geopolitical resilience and regional shifts

Meanwhile, Kai set out how the industry has demonstrated significant resilience by navigating a new level of global uncertainty amid complex geopolitical situations.

A more fragmented world of regional blocks is forcing organizers to spread their brands across specific territories to capture localized momentum.

The US remains a critical domestic opportunity for organizers, while the Indian market is following its own growth trajectory as increased venue space allows for more aggressive show launches.

Saudi Arabia is witnessing a surge of eagerness to grow shows in Riyadh – reflecting a broader trend of development across the GCC region in other markets like Qatar, Oman and Bahrain.

Event tech is one thing supporting this regional expansion – providing a scalable digital infrastructure that allows global organizers to launch “geocloned” events quickly while maintaining centralized data standards.

Kai said: “You regionalize your brands to make sure you can capture the momentum of specific markets. 

“It’s also an insurance policy if you find one market to become more challenging. 

“That kind of one world-leading event the Germans call ‘Leitmesse’, while still going strong for some industries, is in retreat – and continues to be in retreat, in favour of a global network of regionally leading shows under one brand.”

The 2030 revenue flip

The traditional role – and dominance – of floor space sales is eroding as organizers shift their focus toward service revenues and digital monetization strategies, figures show.

Revenue shares derived from floor sales currently sit at 63%, but recent data compiled by Kai projects this to decline by 6% by 2028.

On this trajectory, Kai foresees the likelihood for a fundamental “flip” in the early 2030s when space sales may fall below the 50% threshold – making the industry more reliant on other sources of income.

The forecast shows sponsorship is becoming an embedded fixture of the roadmap, with 61% of organizers expecting their digital budgets to expand.

Kai said: “At some point in the early 2030s, space sales will likely fall below the 50% threshold and we will actually make more money and more revenues as an industry from other sources than just the sales of floor space. 

“One big open strategic question for our industry is if we can roll out subscription-based models besides event-based models for revenues.”

Thank you for reading. Get more insights from Kai, other expert contributors and analysis of the global survey data in the Event Tech Forecast 2026.