The number of AI tools is growing faster than teams can keep up with. For event planning, the question is therefore less which tool is the best and more which tool genuinely helps with which task. This overview is sorted by area of use and names where the limits lie (as of October 2026).
According to the PULSE survey by Cvent and Northstar Meetings, 65 percent of the event planners surveyed use generative AI, but only 16 percent say it has significantly improved planning and execution. A study by the staffing consultancy Soundings paints a similar picture: about half of the organisations surveyed have started using AI, mainly for content and marketing.
Use is therefore widespread, but the benefit depends heavily on what AI is used for and how targeted the use is. Both sources come from providers or service companies in the industry and should be read as a tendency.
Language models such as ChatGPT and Claude help structure briefings, formulate first ideas for the flow, draft agendas, emails and FAQs, or prepare quotes so they can be compared. We use both tools at INCENTRY, depending on the task. Workspaces such as Notion AI also offer summaries and search across planning material.
With Claude you can also create artifacts: standalone results such as documents, diagrams or small interactive applications that open beside the chat and can be edited and shared (according to the Claude help centre). That is useful, for example, to make an idea visible quickly as a prototype.
How we use ChatGPT in concepting is described in ChatGPT in concepting and first mood boards. The results are material to work with, not finished concepts.
For design and presentation we use Canva: for mood boards, decks, signage and social graphics, with integrated AI features such as automatic background removal. Canva and Anthropic now work more closely together: artifacts and HTML content created in Claude can be imported into the Canva editor and edited there, for example by changing colours, layouts and elements without regenerating the code (according to Canva, April 2026).
This means a draft developed in Claude can be refined and presented in Canva. Other image generators such as Midjourney or Adobe Firefly add the ability to visualise moods and scenarios quickly.
How we use Canva for concept ideas and client presentations is described in Canva: how we develop and present concept ideas. A generated image is an idea, not a commitment: whether something can be realised on site is decided by venue, technology and materials.
For working together on concepts, schedules and to-dos, co-creation tools such as Microsoft Loop are a good fit. According to Microsoft, Loop bundles project components in workspaces and movable components that stay in sync across several Microsoft 365 applications. Copilot offers suggestions for planning and brainstorming.
The benefit in event planning lies less in the AI than in everyone involved working from the same, current version.
Large event platforms are building AI features into their software. Frequently mentioned are:
They play to their strengths at large, data-rich formats such as congresses and trade fairs. For smaller corporate events, the effort is often not justified. Many statements about features and impact come from the vendors themselves.
Besides a catalogue of music, sound effects and footage, Artlist offers AI generators for images, video and voiceover. According to Artlist, the creations are covered by the Artlist licence, which is meant to include commercial use. Always check the licence terms for your specific use.
After the event, tools such as Descript, Opus Clip or Submagic help turn photo and video material into highlight clips and transcripts quickly. With automation tools such as Zapier or n8n, recurring processes can be connected, for example from registration through the CRM to the email to participants.
This is often the least spectacular but most reliable benefit: less manual work on routine tasks and more time for what really counts at the event.
The figures and tools mentioned come from the following sources, some of which contain vendor claims: Cvent: PULSE survey, Prevue Meetings on the Soundings study, Rework: AI tools for event planning 2026, Skill Sprinters: AI for event agencies (in German), Canva: collaboration with Anthropic, Artlist: AI image and video (in German), Microsoft: Loop (in German) and Claude help centre: artifacts. The landscape changes quickly, so please check current features and terms.
There is no single AI tool for events. Language models, graphics tools, event platforms and video tools help with different tasks, but concept, responsibility and delivery remain with people.
Without a concrete use case the benefit stays small and the effort of learning the tool is underestimated.
Personal data does not belong in services without a clarified data processing agreement.
Language models can produce wrong information. Facts, prices and commitments must be checked.
A generated image shows an idea, not what is technically and spatially possible at a real venue.
We show you where AI supports concepting and planning and where delivery remains craft.
