What AI Means for The Future of Human Gatherings

Artificial intelligence is accelerating workplace processes at a remarkable pace, while the human experience of work presents a more complicated picture. Gartner projects worldwide spending on AI models and platforms to reach $64.3 billion in 2026, while Gallup reports that global employee engagement stood at 20% in 2025. The two findings point to a workplace where digital capabilities are expanding, while attention, engagement, and human connection are declining.

At the same time, organizations continue to invest in opportunities for people to come together in person. The Events Industry Council, in partnership with Oxford Economics, found that business events brought together 1.65 billion participants across more than 180 countries in 2025, generating $1.3 trillion in direct spending.

That activity is also reflected in the corporate events market. Mordor Intelligence estimates the global corporate events market at $369.65 billion in 2026 and projects it could reach $686.49 billion by 2031. Its research also estimates that offline formats represented 67.15% of the market in 2025, while planning and management services accounted for 39.25%. Those projections suggest that organizations may need to lean more into physical gatherings to maintain employee satisfaction and retention.

For Hailey Dawood, owner of The Idea Hunter, a Toronto-based corporate event planning and full-service event production company that plans and produces events across Canada and throughout North America, that continued demand is something she has seen firsthand. Dawood has seen an increase in the need for professional event planning services in recent years, and according to her, the ability to implement AI into the agency has allowed the team to service that demand.

In her view, AI is an incredibly powerful tool for planning and managing the work behind an event. It can assist with tasks such as checking banquet event orders, comparing documents, identifying details that require significant attention, and organizing information. By helping the team work through these demands more efficiently, the technology can create more capacity for the parts of event planning that depend on human judgment and creativity.

"There is no fear that AI will replace the human experience," Dawood says. "If anything, it's allowing us to create more of it faster."

That distinction is central to the role Dawood sees for technology within the events industry. AI can help planners process information and manage increasingly complex workloads, but the most meaningful part of the event remains the people who attend it. Technology cannot replace the need for people to gather, celebrate, and connect.

That need for connection can also be understood through Maslow's hierarchy of needs, particularly the role of belonging. While technology can make communication faster and more efficient, it does not eliminate the human need to feel connected to others. For Dawood, events can serve as a catalyst for that sense of belonging by giving people a reason to be in the same place and share an experience.

"AI will always be a tool, but no matter how advanced it gets, it will never replace the need for human gathering," Dawood says.

Dawood points to a four-day event for a U.S.-based association, involving 350 guests, as an example of how an event can shape human experience. Her team planned and managed the program in Toronto, coordinating themed events, business sessions, entertainment, local excursions, curated gifting, and transportation while considering how guests would experience the city and interact with one another throughout the four days.

The human details were part of that planning. The team created a welcome package that curated gifts from local vendors and provided accessible pieces of local context that could also serve as conversation starters. According to Dawood, the gifts created a sense of unity and a warm welcome that made attendees feel cared for.

"The smallest personal detail can sometimes give someone permission to participate," Dawood says. "It gives them something to talk about, something to recognize, and a reason to connect."

According to Dawood, the guests then experienced a variety of different events with the goal of giving attendees a unique Toronto experience, but also finding ways for them to connect, learn, and grow within their own organization. Over the course of four days, guests experienced iconic local venues, a Streets of Toronto-themed night, keynote speakers across several topics, and local excursions like visiting Niagara Falls.

According to Dawood, association members left with deeper connections and a wider network to lean on throughout the year, ensuring the value of coming together lasts long before they gather again.

As our investment in AI grows, our investment in events and human gatherings must keep pace. Advancing technology is only part of the process; building trust, belonging, and meaningful relationships will ensure employee engagement and retention stay at the forefront.