In a world increasingly driven by technology and analytics, human connection is still paramount—take that, AI!—when it comes to what attendees desire in an in-person meeting experience, according to a new survey from two leading meetings-industry players.
[Related: Participate in Our Webinar About This Survey: What's Shaping Live Experiences in 2026]
Global event production and AV technology giant Encore teamed with Julius Solaris’ Boldpush on a survey of nearly 500 meeting planners for “The Experience Design Report: What’s Shaping Live Experiences in 2026” survey, released May 6.
The report maintains that as AI radically transforms automation outside of in-person events, the value of live experiences increasingly lies in what AI can’t replace: human connection.
The findings revealed the following key considerations for meeting professionals, according to a synopsis of the survey released by Encore and Boldpush:
- Nearly half (49%) of planners rank attendee-to-attendee connection as the top driver of event success, yet few planners dedicate enough time to it in the agenda.
- Roundtables and hands-on workshops lead in attendee satisfaction, as keynotes evolve toward shorter, multi-voice formats.
- Face-to-face networking tops the hierarchy of trust, reinforcing why experience-design choices matter more than ever.
“Live experiences are at the core of how humans do business and learn about the changing world,” said Julius Solaris, founder of Boldpush, in a media release announcing the survey. “This research brings clarity to how top event professionals are creating impactful experiences; a must-have tool for companies shaping the future of events.”
[Related: How Event Technology Transforms Meetings Into Business Drivers]
Results from the survey reinforced the idea—as did the Covid era’s proliferation of large virtual meetings followed by eventual disuse—that in-person events fill a basic need for human interaction that is very difficult to achieve with technology.
“The data makes one thing very clear: Connection isn’t a ‘nice to have’ anymore, it’s the core outcome of live events, but the industry hasn’t fully operationalized that priority,” said Jill Hunt, vice president of customer experience and insights for Encore, in the media release. “There’s a real opportunity for planners to rethink how they design formats, content and experiences to better align with what attendees value most.”
Connection Builds Trust, But Programming Hasn’t Caught Up
According to survey results, 49% of respondents ranked peer networking as the most important factor in the success of an event, yet only 8% dedicate more programming to structured connection.
The report maintains that this gap presents a major opportunity for planners to better align programming with attendee preferences. But while human connection builds trust, it is design supported by production, technology and the meeting environment that makes it possible at scale.
The Keynote Is Evolving
While the majority of respondents (65%) confirmed keynote speakers are a key registration driver, formats are shifting to shorter keynote sessions that are more interactive and often include multiple speakers. When keynote budgets are reduced, the survey maintains, production often becomes the top area for reinvestment, according to 26% of respondents, followed by connection (24%) and workshops (23%).
[Related: 4 Ways to Design Experiential Events That Activate Minds]
Tech and AI Require Integration
While mobile apps deliver the highest “connection ROI,” according to 33% of respondents, AI-driven tools are emerging in this area to rival mobile apps.
Production as Strategic Investment
While 49% of respondents indicated they view production partners as strategic or creative collaborators, not merely vendors, less than one quarter (22%) involve them at the event-concept stage, which results in a limited ability to influence experience design.
Download the full “The Experience Design Report: What’s Shaping Live Experiences in 2026."
