ENGAGING THE AUDIENCE WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: INCREASINGLY INTERACTIVE CORPORATE EVENTS

Once, speaking of artificial intelligence would conjure images of robots and science fiction scenarios. Today, however, AI has become a tangible reality, capable of transforming and enhancing every stage of a corporate event, from planning and management to post-event analysis, making the experience more interactive, engaging, personalized, and effective. It is not merely about technology, but about a new kind of experience that places the audience at its core, redefining the way we network, communicate, and remember what unfolds during an event.

In the world of events, interaction is no longer a mere “bonus”: it is the key to transforming a passive audience into an active, connected community. To participate, to share, to feel, and to leave a mark – the experience matters as much as, if not more than, the content itself. It is from this very awareness that Plesh was born, an Italian tech company revolutionizing the way events are conceived and experienced through artificial intelligence.

As Maurizio Murciato, founder and CEO of Plesh, explains, “Events must learn to engage in conversation with their audiences. Today’s public no longer wishes merely to observe, but to participate, to influence, and to co-create the experience itself. ”.

But how can one create a truly interactive event in 2025? The answer lies in a virtuous blend of technology, data, and creativity.

Plesh: innovation and creativity at the service of events

Founded in 2019, Plesh develops proprietary digital solutions that integrate AI, design, and technology to make every event more interactive, emotional, and measurable. With a multidisciplinary team of engineers, designers, and creatives, the company has already collaborated with major international brands – from Barilla to Coca-Cola, from Meta to Ferrari – garnering numerous accolades at the Best Event Awards for four consecutive years.

Plesh’s mission is clear: to put digital tools at the service of human interaction. It is not a sterile use of technology, but an intelligent approach that amplifies the value of connections, making the experience more authentic, engaging, and personalized.

2nd Stage: Artificial intelligence as an event “companion”

At the heart of the Plesh ecosystem is 2ndStage, the platform that transforms participants’ smartphones into an interactive second screen. For years, corporate events focused solely on spectacle. Yet the “wow” effect lasts only a few minutes, while what endures is the feeling of having been part of something meaningful. This is where interaction comes into play: a single QR code grants access to a world of active participation, featuring live quizzes, polls, Q&A sessions, applause meters, digital challenges, selfie walls, and word clouds that animate in real time – tools that give voice to attendees and create a direct connection between the stage and the audience.

What makes 2ndStage truly innovative is its integrated artificial intelligence, capable of processing guests’ data and emotions in real time to deliver original and immediate content: songs, images, videos, infographics, or automated summaries of presentations, displayed on screens in the room or shared via streaming. The result is a “gaming” effect that sparks curiosity and keeps the audience fully engaged.

2ndStage thus becomes the intelligent companion to the event, that does not interrupt the experience, but amplifies it, making every attendee an active part of the narrative. Its flexibility also allows for the creation of interactive game formats inspired by the most famous television quizzes or talent shows: the only limit is the creativity of those who use it.

In addition to the playful aspect, transforming smartphones from potential distractions into tools for direct engagement also reduces the costs associated with using or renting dedicated devices.

Data, emotions, and insights: AI that “listens” and learns from events

Every interaction generates valuable data: responses, choices, participation times. This information reveals audience behavior and helps identify what truly excites and engages. When analyzed intelligently, it becomes actionable insight for designing events that are increasingly personalized, inclusive, and measurable.

“Artificial intelligence has now become an integral part of our industry”, emphasizes Murciato.“We cannot simply endure it; we must learn to harness it. At Plesh, we began experimenting with AI as early as 2018, and today it lies at the heart of our creative and technological processes. ”.

Plesh has made this vision a cornerstone principle: technology is not merely for amazement, but for “listening.” Through sentiment analysis, automated evaluation of participants’ tones and emotions, and automatic reporting, AI “reads” guests’ reactions and translates them into graphs, dynamic visuals, and keywords that reflect the audience’s mood, providing a powerful representation of the event’s emotional impact.

Imagine concluding a conference and seeing on a large screen the most frequent concepts emerging from participants’ responses and speakers’ presentations: a dynamic mosaic of emotions, ideas, and perceptions.

A digital ecosystem between efficiency, accessibility, and sustainability

Artificial intelligence originates from the human desire to simplify and automate certain processes. In this regard, automated check-in systems with facial recognition, real-time generated simultaneous translations, predictive logistical management, and virtual assistants for guest agendas contribute not only to improved accessibility, but also to reducing costs, waste, and downtime.

From a green perspective, AI helps anticipate attendance, optimize energy consumption, and manage resources sustainably. Plesh has developed a suite of tools, alongside 2ndStage, that make event management more efficient:

• Winston manages and automates organizational secretarial services, invitations, and guest management;
• Sticket optimizes staff management and food consumption at large events, festivals, and music tours, reducing waste and optimizing costs.
• Plesh TV is the platform for interactive streaming and multichannel broadcasting that integrates 2ndStage engagement features with television quality.

Every platform is born with a common goal: to make the work of organizers smoother and live moments more intense and memorable, by putting digital technology at the service of human interaction, not the other way around.

More human events thanks to technology

When it comes to artificial intelligence, the most common fear is losing the human touch. In reality, successful cases prove the opposite: technology works when it facilitates networking and enhances interaction between people.

The goal is not to create “more digital” events, but more human ones through digital means. AI does not replace humans, but enhances their capabilities. In the world of events, this means crafting experiences that foster creativity and collaboration. Companies like Plesh demonstrate that innovation guided by thoughtful sensibility can make every gathering more inclusive, emotional, and sustainable.

The venue as an integral part of the experience

In an event that integrates artificial intelligence and digital interaction, the venue is not merely a container, but an integral part of the experience. Spaces like 10 Watt, where technology and design converge, become ideal innovation hubs for creating a coherent sensory and narrative dialogue. LED walls, video projection systems, distributed audio, automation, and advanced connectivity fully enhance the potential of platforms such as those developed by Plesh, built on the seamless synchronization of physical and digital content.

In such settings, light, sound, and architecture interact with data flows and audience feedback, transforming every interaction into an immersive experience. Choosing a venue that is both technologically equipped and thoughtfully designed thus amplifies engagement and allows creativity to merge into a single, vibrant, shared experience.

The future is participatory: adaptive and phygital experiences

The events of the future will not merely be “experienced,” but co-created. The challenge for brands and agencies is to shift from a vertical communication model to a circular dialogue, where every participant becomes a co-author of the experience. With the aid of artificial intelligence, and of companies like Plesh that harness it as a driver of creativity, this challenge is not only possible—it is already a reality.

Looking ahead, the next technological evolution could be adaptive environments: spaces that respond to participants. Sensors and algorithms capable of reading the room’s emotional flow and adjusting lights, sounds, and projections in real time to match the rhythm of the event. Increasingly phygital experiences promise to make events both accessible and emotionally engaging, whether attended in person or remotely, in a continuous and coherent manner.

And if in the past the question was “how much can we do with technology?”, today we might ask, “how much can we move and inspire through technology?”

All images featured in this article have been kindly provided by Plesh, which guarantees their legitimate origin.