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This article is part of MPI’s new eBook, “5 Trends Impacting Every Event Pro in 2026,” which includes industry expert insights on AI, creativity, inclusion, sustainability and wellness. Check it out now!

I recently spoke with Eric Rozenberg, CMM, CMP, entrepreneur, host of The Business of Meetings podcast and past MPI International Board of Directors chair, about what inspired the launch of Eric AI, his plans for its ongoing growth and the intersection of AI and the event industry.

What are the origins of Eric AI?

I believe very much in serendipity. I had a friend and his wife coming for dinner in April or May of last year. He said, “I can’t come that night, I have a friend here visiting with his wife.” I said, “Bring them; any friend of yours…” So here we are, the six of us. And at the end of the dinner, I start speaking with a guy I’ve never met before. He’s been in tech and he’s working with AI. I told him my dream is to one day scale myself and help a lot of people 24/7 with AI. He said, “Yeah, and you can do that in their native language.” I said, “Right, that’s probably Star Wars Episode 15.” He said, “No, that’s what I'm doing now, it’s the new company I launched.” Now I’m working with them. Nobody has a better technology than they do worldwide, and it’s also integrating the human aspect, which I love.

Tell us about the company you’ve been working with to make Eric AI a reality.

I’ve been working with Marga to prepare the AI. That’s what they do. They started with people more in philosophical and esoteric fields. They’re coming out now with an app. I’m going to have my own app, Eric AI. They’re looking at people who are experts in their field, have a lot of existing content and are making a difference in people’s lives. That’s their goal. And they’re applying AI and technology to everything that they’ve learned and making sure that all the content that you’ve been creating over the years is available in a human way, in a completely different way than if you’re using ChatGPT, for instance.

They start by uploading everything you’ve done, and then you have to answer many questions in a very comprehensive onboarding process, such as, “When you speak, is it more serious/scientific or is it more an informal conversation in the lobby of a hotel?” and “How many people do you quote and what type of quotes do you like?” It's much more than just knowledge—it’s leveraging my experience and wisdom on a proprietary platform and with an amazing human aspect to help people in our industry 24/7. It’s not replacing face-to-face; it’s an addition. Let’s say it’s 11 p.m. and you need an answer to a challenge you’re facing. You don’t have to wait to be supported. You already have access to some guidance. And the idea is you’re having a totally regular conversation, interacting with me—my face, my voice—but it’s my AI, and I can do that in 70 different languages.

How are you training the AI and ensuring its ongoing growth/improvement?

All the questions I’m getting, all the interactions I’m having, I keep on training my own AI. And it’s not only with the conversations I have on the podcast or webinars and coaching sessions. It’s also me checking it and saying, “I wouldn’t say it this way. I would use another word.” Obviously, I’m not an English native, so I would use a more basic word, or I would say it with an accent, and they keep that. So, you’re going to hear me speaking with my accent, which is exactly what I want. I’m training it all the time, and in a few months, it will sound exactly like if I was speaking. Those who have already tested it are telling me that they feel like they are talking to me.

Say you’re a solopreneur, a business owner or a corporate association executive and something happened, and you want advice. You don’t have time and you don't have the means sometimes to pay for an executive coach. And there you go, you have access to experience, wisdom and mentorship.

It’s a complete game changer and something that I’m obviously excited about. I’m going to be able to continue to create content and continue to help people with the cohort I’m having, with the webinars I’m giving, with the class, with the bootcamp I’m going to do next year, and this is going to continue to feed my AI, which is going to sound more like me, including using humor and making silly dad jokes.

Tell us about how AI impacts, and will continue to impact, the event industry.

I think it’s going to simplify a lot of the work—the administrative work and the preparation work. It’s going to help people when it comes to being creative or building better structures. And in my particular case with the AI, it’s definitely going to help people manage their time better, grow their business and have support. I am very optimistic about the integration of AI and the fact that our industry is here to stay. The more people use AI, the more they will want to come in-person to make sure that it was really you who told them that and not a digital you that they didn’t recognize. And the unique experiences, the conversations at the water cooler or in the corridor at MPI’s World Education Congress, the amazing moment and the surprise you’re experiencing, you cannot experience that online. Ever.

Because we’re spending so many hours in front of our screens and because of the AI part, we would want to come together even more in-person, but in a different way—not just the classic I’m-sitting-and-I’m-listening mode, but with more interaction, a lot of small meetings/conversations and having the opportunity to be in front of the person.