From endless scrolling to real insights

Do you remember the days when Google was your only lifeline if you needed to quickly find something? You'd type in a question and get hundreds of thousands of links. Then, it was up to you to start digging. As an event professional, you don't really have time for that. Imagine this: one immediate, reliable answer without all that endless clicking. Sounds like music to your ears, right?

That future is now. AI tools are taking us from simply searching to genuinely researching. Instead of a list of websites, you're immediately presented with insights—often including sources. It's like having a personal research assistant rapidly sifting through libraries of information and summarizing the key points for you. Soon, AI won't just find answers—it will do the research for us. Let's dive into the new generation of AI-driven research tools and why you don't want to miss out on them.

Perplexity AI: lightning-fast, reliable answers

We're kicking things off with Perplexity AI, the AI-powered search engine that acts as the world's first real answer engine. While Google leaves you swimming in a sea of links, Perplexity gives you an immediate, clear-cut answer backed up with evidence. No guesswork, just facts. You ask a question, and within seconds, Perplexity provides a concise answer, neatly accompanied by sources for further exploration​.

Why is this revolutionary?‍

Because it saves time and effort. No more opening ten tabs to reach a conclusion. Perplexity AI provides instant, reliable insights without the noise. It's transparent (you see which sources were consulted) and up-to-date (it searches the web in real-time). For event professionals needing a quick fact-check or statistics for a client presentation, this is worth its weight in gold.

Imagine a client asking last-minute for the latest event trends—Perplexity delivers the answer with figures and references while you're still stirring your coffee. In short, Perplexity AI feels like Googling 2.0. It’s searching without the search effort. The result? Lightning-fast answers you can trust, exactly what busy event managers need.

Leverage Deepseek within Perplexity

Now it gets even more interesting: Perplexity has integrated the much-discussed (and controversial) DeepSeek R1 model into Pro Search. This advanced reasoning model provides in-depth analyses and unlimited, uncensored answers. Hosted in the US and Europe, your data remains secure. More context, more insights—less hassle.

In-depth research with OpenAI's & Google's "Deep Research"

Ever wished an AI could deliver not just an answer, but an entire research report? Meet Deep Research. OpenAI recently introduced this new agent within ChatGPT Pro, specifically designed for deep, comprehensive research.

Instead of a simple chat interaction, ChatGPT Deep Research independently gets to work: it browses, reads, and analyzes for 5 to 30 minutes, then returns with an extensive, substantiated summary (including citations from discovered sources).

‍
Almost sounds too good to be true, doesn't it?

How does it work?

Say you want a complete overview of sustainability trends in events. You ask Deep Research to collect everything on this topic. The AI breaks down your request into sub-questions and performs 10 to 20 targeted searches for each aspect. It then reads the articles, compares the information, and constructs a comprehensive report answering all your sub-questions. The result feels like you've assigned hours of research to a dedicated assistant—done in a fraction of the time.‍

But what about Google?‍

Google isn’t sitting idle, of course. It has developed its own version of such a research agent (coincidentally also called "Deep Research"). Although details are limited, industry observers note that Google's version, while providing many sources, doesn't dive as deeply as OpenAI's.

Think of it as the difference between getting a stack of books versus having an assistant who has already summarized the chapters for you. Both tech giants are pushing the boundaries of what “searching” really means.

What does this concretely mean for event professionals? In an industry where thorough preliminary research can make or break an event's success, these types of AI tools are a blessing. Whether you're conducting market research for a proposal, comparing suppliers, or incorporating the latest scientific insights on crowd control—a ‘Deep Research’ AI can achieve in no time what previously took days of investigation. The beauty is that these tools are specifically designed for knowledge-intensive professions. It almost sounds like they had “event manager” specifically in mind, right?

NotebookLM: your personal assistant for documents

Besides searching the web, as an event professional, you likely struggle with your own mountain of information: scripts, request for proposals, minutes, evaluations... Wouldn't it be amazing if an AI could dig through all these internal documents and neatly summarize the insights for you? That’s precisely what Google’s NotebookLM does.

NotebookLM is an experimental AI tool by Google acting as a smart note-taking assistant. You feed it your documents, and the model (powered by Google's Gemini AI) helps you organize and summarize the information into understandable notes.

Instead of having to remember which file contained that specific client request, you can simply ask NotebookLM: "What were the key feedback points from our last event?" Within seconds, it presents the main points, optionally enhanced with an automatically generated summary or even a podcast-style recap that you can listen to in the car on your way to a client meeting.

Streamline your event preparations‍

For event professionals, NotebookLM is like a dream assistant. Event planners experimenting with NotebookLM notice they can dramatically streamline their preparations. The AI effortlessly reads through your notes and feedback forms, offering actionable suggestions.

Need to draft an agenda? NotebookLM suggests session topics and formats. Struggling to choose between venues? Upload your location comparison, and the system clearly highlights the differences, allowing you to make a well-informed choice. It's like having a colleague who's read everything and provides the right information at exactly the right moment.

AI research in action: What's in it for you?

All these tools sound nice, but let's make it tangible. How do different roles within the events industry benefit from this? Here are a few examples:

Event Agencies:
Imagine you run an event agency. With AI-driven research, you can quickly substantiate pitches and proposals. Your team can use Perplexity to swiftly collect facts and figures that support a creative concept. Meanwhile, NotebookLM digs through all your past event reports to uncover patterns or lessons learned, ensuring your proposal is both creative and data-driven. You'll stand out to clients with insights that competing agencies overlook.

‍Freelance eventmanagers:
As an independent event manager, you may not have a whole team behind you—but with AI, it might feel like you do. Let OpenAI's Deep Research agent handle deep analyses. For example, if a client wants a sustainably organized festival, let the AI research the latest sustainability practices, providing you a comprehensive overview with references included. It saves you hours of research, making you appear exceptionally prepared. Plus, NotebookLM lets you upload client emails, event plans, and budgets and instantly extract targeted answers. Even working solo, you'll never feel alone.

Venues & Suppliers:
Event venues and suppliers benefit too. Imagine a conference venue frequently responding to RFPs (requests for proposals). Perplexity immediately provides insights into your client’s industry or statistics on attendance from similar events, allowing you to tailor your response precisely to what that potential client finds important. NotebookLM helps make all your internal documents (technical specs, capacity charts, offers) instantly searchable. For example, ask: "What was our average unused venue capacity last year?"—and voilà, AI retrieves it from the reports. Faster answers for clients mean a higher chance of securing the deal.

Event Organisers:
Whether you're a corporate event manager or a festival organizer, you thrive on information. AI research tools can support you in real-time. During event preparations, have Deep Research perform a thorough SWOT analysis of similar global events—perhaps uncovering the one idea that sets your event apart. Post-event, NotebookLM can quickly summarize event evaluations or even generate a full podcast-style recap (mind blown!). This accelerates learning from your event, allowing immediate implementation of improvements for the next edition.

Embrace AI as your competitive advantage

Let's not beat around the bush: these AI tools are game-changers. Those who start using Perplexity, Deep Research, and NotebookLM today gain an advantage tomorrow over colleagues still struggling with old-fashioned methods.

Of course, there's a learning curve, just like adapting to social media or virtual events during the pandemic. But think of these AI helpers as your new toolkit.

Next time you're about to Google something, try Perplexity instead and explore the provided sources. Or upload a past event report into NotebookLM and ask for the main takeaways. You'll be amazed at the depth and speed. Challenge yourself to experiment with these tools—your competitors might already be doing so. Let AI handle the heavy lifting, allowing you to focus on what truly matters: creating creative concepts, building relationships, and delivering unforgettable experiences.

Get started today with one of these tools and experience the difference firsthand. The future of research is here, and you hold the key. Good luck! 🚀