We just returned from working with the smart folks at InfoComm 2026 in Las Vegas. While the show focuses on audio/video tech, our job was to make that tech come to life for the retail industry. As we like to say, retail has become an omnichannel journey and retailers need to be everywhere, all at once: on your screen, in your inbox, on your curb, in your socials and in the store. 

At the sessions we curated at InfoComm 2026, here are the bigggest concerns that were discussed:

What the heck to do about search?
Increasingly, customers are using complex agentic contextual search instead of heading directly to your website. Ouch. After all that work that went into your website. 

What’s a search with context? 
Take this example: I tell Gemini or any of the other AIs that “I am on business in Berlin and want to go on a bike trip afterwards. I want it to be moderately challenging (40 miles a day), self-guided, have my luggage delivered, and do it in Europe in a place I can get to from Berlin in one day. It should not cost over $3,500 for two people and should be no longer than 5 days.” I haven’t combed websites. My agents are doing it for me based on my criteria — optimizing your site for agentic crawlers is a new skill set every retailer needs to cultivate. 

Explain smart display signage. 
Display signage has become interactive, participatory, and dynamic. Even the smallest bodegas have packed away the neon tubes and replaced them with smart LED screens. Digital signs can now act as your digital dressing room. They can give you up-to-the-minute tips on how to accessorize your purchase, based on everything from current inventory, to weather, to social trends. The signage on a shelf can interact with you, offering up everything from recipes to coupons. It would not be a stretch to say that digital signage is becoming the operating system for all of retail.

Tyler Priest-Heck, our assistant marketing director, attended a recent Skift Summit on the use of AI in the events space and boy, did she get an expert earful.

Tyler reports that every company has a story when it comes to AI, and the events industry is no exception. Skift Meetings is tracking this shift and will be publishing research that examines how artificial intelligence is reshaping event technology. Their June 12 webinar, “AI and the Next Era of Events,” brought that research to life, mapping out almost 700 event tech tools to paint a clear picture of what the future of AI-powered events looks like.

Moderated by Miguel Neves of Skift Meetings, the session featured three seasoned voices in the event tech space: Vanessa Lovatt, Founder of Event Tech World, Tess Vismale, Co-Founder of Event Tech Atlas, and Doug Muller, Vice President of Technology and Innovation at George P. Johnson. Together they offered perspectives on how AI is being adopted and where the industry still has room to grow. 

When asked if AI is changing how events are run, Tess Vismale said yes, but noted that adoption has been uneven across the industry. She framed the current moment as a point of no return, emphasizing that event professionals must lean into the tools available to them, and that many event tech companies are already rising to meet that demand. Vanessa Lovatt addressed the important nuance that the expectation to use AI is high, even in instances where it’s not the most practical solution. Her advice was straightforward: stay focused on goals and outcomes and then utilize AI to support those targets rather than adopting technology for its own sake.

On the tools side, Tess Vismale highlighted Spark AI. Built specifically for event organizers, the platform uses familiar industry language, making it accessible even for those newer to AI. Doug Muller emphasized that AI can be used for strategic purposes. He noted that AI’s ability to process large volumes of data and translate it into actionable direction is a significant leap forward. Register to watch here.

AI is not a future consideration but is a present reality, and understanding how to harness it effectively is becoming a core competency for event professionals and organizations alike. In the closing moments of the session, each panelist left the audience with a piece of practical wisdom. Doug Muller encouraged experimentation: explore what AI can do, but always have a contingency plan in place while the technology continues to mature. Tess Vismale urged professionals to think about AI as a problem solver and a time liberator, offloading repetitive, mundane tasks so that human energy can be redirected toward the creative and strategic thinking that great events truly require. Vanessa Lovatt offered perhaps the sharpest lens of all: don't buy a tool, buy an outcome. Before investing in any AI solution, get clear on what will actually be delivered and how it moves you closer to your goals. Taken together, their advice reflects a broader truth: the event professionals who will thrive in this next era are not necessarily those who adopt AI the fastest, but those who adopt it the smartest.