What happens after your event ends?
For many communications teams, it’s a familiar story. Months of planning go into delivering a successful conference, summit, or webinar. The event finishes, everyone breathes a sigh of relief, and then the content disappears into a folder of photos, recordings, and presentation slides, never to be fully used again.
But what if AI could help communications teams extend the life and impact of every event?
In this episode, I spoke with strategic communications consultant Nicholas Bruneau about how AI is changing event communications and helping overstretched teams work smarter, not harder.
Communications Teams Are Under Pressure
Nicholas understands the reality facing communications professionals today.
Teams are expected to produce more content across more channels with fewer resources and tighter deadlines. At the same time, AI tools are evolving rapidly, creating both opportunities and overwhelm.
As Nicholas pointed out during our conversation, many organisations are eager to adopt AI, but they often struggle to find the time to properly upskill staff and experiment with new workflows.
That’s especially true in government, NGO, and multilateral organisations where communications teams are already stretched thin.
But the good news is this:
You don’t need to overhaul everything overnight.
The smartest approach is to identify the tasks that consume the most time and look for AI-powered efficiencies there first.
AI Can Extend the Life of Your Event
One of the biggest takeaways from our discussion was this:
The end of an event should be the beginning of your content strategy — not the end of it.
Events generate a huge amount of valuable content:
- Speaker insights
- Audience questions
- Video recordings
- Panel discussions
- Interviews
- Social media moments
- Survey feedback
Yet most organisations only scratch the surface when it comes to repurposing that content.
Nicholas shared how AI can help communications teams turn one event into dozens of assets including:
- Blog posts
- Social media clips
- Short-form videos
- Post-event reports
- Industry-specific summaries
- Regional content adaptations
- Accessibility-friendly formats
That means your event can continue delivering value long after attendees leave the room.
Using AI Before the Event Starts
AI can also improve the planning process itself.
Nicholas described a project where AI was used to analyse pre-event survey responses from participants. Instead of manually reviewing hundreds of open-ended answers, AI helped identify common themes, priorities, and pain points.
The insights were then used to shape conference discussions and better align the event with audience needs.
He also used NotebookLM to create an AI-generated summary video that was shown on the opening day of the conference.
Importantly, the organisers were transparent that the content had been created using AI. The goal was not to replace human expertise, but to spark discussion and surface key themes quickly.
That balance between innovation and transparency is something communicators should pay close attention to.
Human Stories Still Win Attention
With AI-generated images and videos now flooding social media feeds, many communicators are wondering:
Can authentic content still stand out?
Nicholas believes the answer is yes.
In research carried out with one of his clients, the content that consistently captured attention was simple:
Real people speaking about real issues.
AI may help us produce more content, but human connection is still what stops the scroll.
That’s particularly important for event communications where audiences want insight, authenticity, and meaningful conversation — not just polished visuals.
AI Tools Worth Exploring
During the episode, Nicholas shared several AI tools that communications professionals can start experimenting with immediately.
These included:
- Opus Clip for turning long conference videos into short social clips
- NotebookLM for summarising and organising event content
- Fireflies.ai for transcribing discussions and generating summaries
- ElevenLabs for multilingual audio and accessibility support
These tools can help teams save hours of manual work while improving reach and accessibility.
Accessibility Matters More Than Ever
Another important part of our conversation focused on accessibility.
AI is making it easier to:
- Generate live captions
- Translate content into multiple languages
- Improve website accessibility
- Create multilingual podcasts and summaries
For public sector organisations, especially, these tools are becoming increasingly valuable in helping communications reach wider and more diverse audiences.
Start Small and Experiment
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by AI, Nicholas offered practical advice:
Start with a focused experiment.
Identify one repetitive task that takes too much time and test how AI might support it.
For many communications teams, content repurposing is one of the fastest and easiest wins.
Most importantly, keep humans in the loop.
AI can help with efficiency, but strategy, creativity, judgement, and authenticity still belong to us.
As Nicholas reminded us, events are ultimately about people — and that human element should remain at the centre of everything we create.
Connect With Nicholas Bruneau
Website: www.nicholasbruneau.com
Book: www.engagewithimpact.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nbruneau
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About the Podcast Host
AI and Communications Specialist | Author | Podcaster | International Speaker
Joanne Sweeney is a recognised leader in digital marketing and digital transformation, specialising in the practical application of AI to enhance communication strategies. The founder of Digital Training Institute, Joanne, empowers leaders and communications professionals to leverage AI responsibly and effectively, ensuring transparency, trust, and tangible results.
She completed the Harvard Kennedy School Executive Programme in AI and Public Policy this summer before launching her fourth book AI Playbook, in September. Joanne has also published two editions of Public Sector Marketing Pro, which were preceded by her first title, Social Media Under Investigation Law Enforcement and the Social Web.
Her books have become go-to resources for governments, public sector and policing agencies, as well as marketing and communications professionals, all navigating the challenges of the changing Internet.
Joanne is the host of the AI SIX Podcast, a daily six-minute podcast that provides actionable insights, expert interviews, and practical advice to help professionals navigate the new world of work.
