For years, the AV conversation was largely transactional; organisers would sit down with a venue or production company armed with a specification. They needed a stage, a projector, a couple of monitors, a lectern microphone and enough speakers to cover the room. Once the equipment list had been agreed, attention turned to the agenda and the speakers.
But that process is quietly changing.
The latest AV Trends Review from Olympia Events and Aztec Event Services suggests organisers are no longer asking what equipment they need. Instead, they’re starting with a much more important question: what do we want people to experience?
It’s a subtle shift, but one that says a lot about where live corporate events are heading. The biggest competitor for almost every conference isn’t another conference anymore. It’s the office; or, more accurately, the home office. Every delegate has become more selective about where they spend their time. If they can watch presentations online or catch up on-demand later, why should they travel, stay overnight and give up a day in their diary?
The answer is simple: they can’t replicate the experience anywhere else. That’s why organisers are investing more thought into atmosphere, storytelling, interaction and the way delegates feel throughout the day. AV has become part of that experience rather than something sitting alongside it. As Lisa Tyson, Deputy Managing Director at Aztec, puts it, technology should support the event narrative rather than become the narrative itself.
You can already see this happening across the corporate events sector. General sessions are becoming less formal. Networking spaces are being designed with as much care as the main stage. Lighting, content and stage design are working together to create environments that encourage people to stay longer, have conversations and, perhaps most importantly, share what they’re experiencing with people who aren’t there.
Interestingly, much of the technology driving this change isn’t actually new. LED has been around for years, but organisers are using it differently. Rather than simply putting a giant screen behind a presenter, they’re experimenting with curved displays, transparent LED, layered staging and immersive environments that feel much more theatrical. The technology isn’t there to impress delegates because it’s expensive; it’s there because it helps tell a story.
The same can be said for venue infrastructure. Reliable Wi-Fi, integrated streaming, digital signage and plug-and-play presentation systems are no longer seen as premium extras; they’re simply expected. Richard Harris, Technology Director at Olympia Events, describes connectivity as becoming as fundamental to an event as power or running water. If delegates have to think about the technology, something has probably gone wrong.
It also changes the role of production companies. The best AV partners are no longer just technical suppliers; they’re becoming creative collaborators. By getting involved earlier in the planning process, they can shape audience flow, suggest ways to improve engagement and identify opportunities that might otherwise be missed. That’s a very different relationship from simply pricing a kit list a few weeks before the event.
For corporate organisers, this shift probably comes at the right time. Budgets remain under pressure and every event is expected to demonstrate clear value. Creating an experience that people genuinely want to attend has become one of the few ways to differentiate a live event from the endless stream of webinars and virtual meetings competing for delegates’ attention.
Ironically, that doesn’t necessarily mean spending more on technology; it means using technology more intelligently. Whether that’s encouraging networking, making content more accessible, creating memorable moments or extending engagement beyond the event itself, technology is increasingly judged by the outcomes it enables rather than the equipment it provides.
For more AV Insights download the free Olympia AV Trends Review 2026.
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Author: Beth Hancock
Beth Hancock is a Media and Events Sales Consultant at Event Industry News where she helps event industry brands amplify their presence through targeted advertising, marketing, and media opportunities. Passionate about connecting suppliers, venues, and innovators with organisers and decision-makers across the global events sector
