A moodboard, a convincing presentation or the guiding idea for an event rarely come together in an afternoon. Even so, this process looks different today than it did a few years ago: AI tools such as ChatGPT and Canva help us move faster from a vague idea to a tangible starting point, whether that is an event theme, a first mood image, or material for a client conversation. The question is therefore not whether AI plays a role in event planning, but where exactly it helps and where our team's actual work begins.
Every concept starts with a blank page and the question of how many angles a topic can be approached from. For this early phase we use ChatGPT, an AI-powered assistant from OpenAI, to structure thoughts, look at a topic from different angles and develop first approaches for an event theme, for example for a company anniversary, a kick-off or a summer party.
This does not replace our team's actual creative work. It does help us move faster from a vague idea to a tangible starting point we can build on. Read more about this step in our article ChatGPT: supporting concepting and first moodboards.
A guiding idea is hard to convey in words alone. Once the first content ideas from working with ChatGPT are in place, we bring them together in Canva, an online design platform, into a coherent moodboard: colours, shapes and imagery that show how an event could feel, rather than just describing it.
This is how the two tools complement each other in our concepting process: ChatGPT supports thinking and structuring, Canva takes care of the visual execution. More details in Canva: how we develop concept ideas and present them to our clients.
This AI-supported visualisation does not replace the hands-on execution on site. Stage design, signage, print production and everything that becomes real on the event day are still created through our own design and production work.
Instead of only describing a guiding idea, we show in structured Canva presentations how it could look and feel. This makes the decision much easier, because clients see a visual concept, not just a description, from first moodboards through to concrete programme ideas.
This keeps the whole alignment process understandable, from the first idea through to final execution.
AI provides impulses, structure and speed in the early concept phase. What it does not provide is an understanding of a company, its culture and the people taking part in an event. Whether an idea fits the occasion, the audience and the company's brand is still decided by our team, as is translating a concept into venue, technology, catering and running order.
INCENTRY perspective: A moodboard or a first graphic draft is a starting point, not a finished production. The final guiding idea for an event comes from our own conceptual work and our understanding of each client.
AI speeds up the first steps from idea to visible concept. The guiding idea that fits the client, and the execution of the event, remain the craft of our team.
A first draft from ChatGPT or Canva does not replace aligning it with the client's brand, audience and occasion.
A moodboard shows a direction, not a finished production. Venue, technology and materials still have to make the concept real.
Without understanding the client and the format, AI provides ideas, but not the right guiding idea.
Together we develop a guiding idea that fits your company, from the first sketch through to execution on site.
