Artificial intelligence as a driver for the transformation of the trade fair industry

Artificial intelligence is no longer a vision of the future - it is already shaping the trade fair industry today. Whether planning, marketing or visitor experience: AI is changing processes along the entire trade fair value chain. The AUMA study "Trade fairs in the age of AI" (2025) shows how far the industry has already come and where the key lines of development are.

Around 70 percent of organisers are already using AI tools, particularly for text support, chatbots and data analysis.

Utilising opportunities, mastering challenges

The potential of artificial intelligence is diverse: it ranges from intelligent visitor guidance and automated marketing to data-based decisions in planning and space management. At the same time, the study shows that the successful use of AI requires more than just individual applications.

Strategic decisions and new competences are becoming increasingly decisive. The key challenges remain the responsible handling of data and data protection, the lack of AI expertise and the integration of new technologies into existing systems and processes.

The trade fair industry is at a turning point. The AUMA study is the first to systematically analyse

• how AI is being used in the industry today,
• which 79 AI fields of application have been identified,
• and which future scenarios could characterise the development of the trade fair world.

The study provides orientation in a dynamic technology field and supports decision-makers in realistically categorising AI - beyond hype and alarmism.

Images of the future for trade fairs in the age of AI

What will the trade fair of the future look like? The AUMA study outlines four possible development paths for the trade fair industry in dealing with artificial intelligence:

• Trade fairs as data islands - Local AI as an efficiency booster
• Trade fair experience 4.0 - a playground for the senses
• AI platform & app marketplace - trade fairs as ecosystem operators
• Always-on hybrid platform - trade fairs as a permanent, networked platform

The future scenarios illustrate the different strategic orientations that will play a role in the future of trade fairs.

The AUMA Technology Radar categorises the 79 identified AI fields of application according to their degree of maturity and strategic relevance, from "quick wins" that can be realised in the short term to long-term fields of innovation. It shows

• where the trade fair industry stands today,
• which applications are already market-ready
• and which technologies will gain in importance in the coming years.
  

Orientation for the industry

AUMA sees artificial intelligence as a key development topic for the trade fair industry. Technological, economic and regulatory developments are continuously monitored and analysed in order to classify trends at an early stage and make their impact on the industry transparent.

As an important economic driver, trade fairs make a significant contribution to Germany's competitiveness as a business location. AUMA's aim is to support the trade fair industry in responsibly utilising the potential of AI and positioning itself for the future in the long term.