Nell’avanzata digitale gli incontri reali acquistano valore

The third edition of the Event General Assemblies, promoted by the Club degli eventi/Adc Group powered by Plesh, took place at the Palazzo delle esposizioni in Rome, collaborating with the Convention Bureau Roma e Lazio. The discussions culminated in a manifesto with ten proposals centered around building a system. Salvatore Sagone, president of Adc Group, emphasized the importance of recognizing events as a strategic industry with stable representation, uniform rules, shared data, and protection of skills and creativity.

He noted that while images, videos, influencers, and even dialogues can be concise, physical presence acts as a certification of authenticity. "The real encounter restores trust, intensity, and memory to relationships increasingly mediated by screens," Sagone stated. Indeed, the numbers show a growing live communication sector: business investments in events have exceeded 1.1 billion euros, according to Astraricerche data.

A broader analysis by the Politecnico di Milano in collaboration with Live Hub, encompassing entertainment and fairs, reaches 17.23 billion euros and involves 2,580 companies and around 27,000 direct employees. Sagone mentioned that live communication is growing exponentially, and the expanded perimeter of the events industry must be considered central.

Companies invest in events because they make the brand tangible, allowing for face-to-face, living, and sharing experiences, as well as generating relationships, content, reputation, sales, and employee and stakeholder relations, all of which continue to produce effects beyond the event's duration. Now, events generated or customized by artificial intelligence are also entering the scene.

The boundary is no longer limited to a screen, yet the core remains the shared experience among real people. AI and data are pushing towards personalization, affecting the production machine and shaping new professions. "The most immediate impact is behind the scenes: generation of scenarios, forecasts, planning, simulation of flows, predictive safety, matching, and measurement," Sagone explained.

However, he does not believe in a simple replacement; rather, the value of those who ask the right questions, verify results, assume responsibility, and transform tools into experiences will grow. Events are the backbone against digital saturation, strengthening relationships, reputation, and community. "They become a relational platform that unites physical experience, content, data, and community.

They do not replace other means; they integrate them and give them a human, concrete, and shared center," he concluded, highlighting that the main hurdle to scaling up is the fragmented regulatory, administrative, and representative landscape. "Every city, entity, and venue applies different procedures, increasing times, costs, and business risk.

Without a unique code, national standards, and a stable institutional interlocutor, it becomes difficult to plan and attract international productions." Sagone predicts that in 2030, the heart of the major event will remain physical: digital will be the connective tissue, and the synthetic layer will be customizable. The large event will not be a mere technological showcase but will use technology almost invisibly to make the experience more personal, accessible, safe, and deeply human.