Optimism among MICE industry professionals has reached its highest level in five years, according to the 15th Annual Global Meetings & Events Forecast by American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT).

The report, which was released October 6, 2025, reveals that artificial intelligence (AI) is at the heart of this optimism. Fifty percent of industry professionals now integrate AI throughout event planning and execution, reflecting its evolution from an emerging technology to an essential tool in 2026.

“Unprecedented optimism and technological innovation are converging to redefine how we create meaningful connections,” said Gerardo Tejado, senior vice-president, Professional Services, Amex GBT. “We’re witnessing a transformative moment where AI is not just a tool, but a strategic partner that empowers meetings and events professionals to deliver more engaging, impactful, and intelligent event experiences with measurable impact. The meeting and events industry’s growing confidence – with 85 percent of professionals feeling optimistic about the future – reflects our collective ability to embrace change and unlock new possibilities.”

The 2026 Global Meetings and Events Forecast is based on a survey of 601 meeting professionals in eight countries carried out by YouGov. The fieldwork took place between July 14 – 21, 2025. It is augmented with insights and commentary from the Global Forecast industry panel, which is made up of Amex GBT meeting and event customers, partners, and specialists.

The research reveals that the most anticipated AI use cases for the year include:

• Connection: Event communications (35%), AI-powered matchmaking for attendees and sponsors (35%)
• Content: Creative theme generation (34%) and content creation (31%)
• Measurement: Engagement tracking (31%)

Thirty-three percent of respondents said that improving attendee experience remains a top priority for 2026. AI is trending up as a tool for measuring Return on Experience with 28 percent of meeting professionals planning to use it for post-event evaluation in the coming year.

The 2026 Global Meetings & Events Forecast also showed that the expectations of attendees are shifting, with many wanting more engaging, hands-on experiences. According to the study, 42% of attendees want more interactive sessions such as workshops or demos, and 41 percent want more social activities and networking opportunities.

Download the full 2026 Meetings and Events Forecast.