Event reporting has long been a challenge for organizers. The sheer volume of content, the speed at which insights need to be shared, and the lack of dedicated resources all contribute to a cumbersome process. But with AI stepping in, is the role of human summarizers becoming obsolete? We sat down with Vamshi, Snapsight’s Product Head, to break it all down.
The Biggest Frustration with Event Reporting
Event planners are stretched thin. Whether they’re managing a 100-person seminar or a 5,000-attendee conference, teams remain small sometimes just 10 to 15 people handling everything. Historically, reporting was an afterthought, often delegated to volunteers scribbling notes or later combing through transcripts.
The problem? It’s a painful process. Even when event teams try to use transcription services, the output is raw and unstructured. Sifting through it to extract key takeaways is time-consuming, and recording entire events for post-analysis is expensive. As a result, most events end up losing valuable content the moment the sessions wrap up.
However, Vamshi notes a shift: “With AI-driven summarization tools, we’re seeing more events consistently producing post-event reports. Speed and accuracy are making reporting a standard practice rather than a nice-to-have.”
Q: What’s the biggest frustration event planners have with reporting?
A: “Reporting is resource-intensive, and most teams don’t have a dedicated role for it. Historically, they relied on volunteers or manually sifted through transcripts. AI is changing that by reducing friction, making post-event reports more common.”
VamshiThe Value of Post-Event Reports
What difference does it make if an event produces a report? A lot, as it turns out. Vamshi shares a case study from a finance association workshop where participants engaged in structured discussions-like a “mini-parliament.”
Previously, the only record of these discussions came from sticky notes and handwritten summaries. This made follow-up sessions disjointed, with no structured reference points. Now, with AI-generated summaries, attendees receive a report outlining key insights and themes, improving knowledge retention and engagement.
From an organizer’s perspective, having a clear record of discussions helps plan future sessions, track recurring themes, and deliver measurable ROI. “Attendees are more engaged when they receive a tangible takeaway,” Vamshi explains. “Reports are no longer just documentation; they extend the event’s impact.”
Q: What’s the benefit of submitting a post-event report versus not having one?
A: “Reports turn event content into something tangible. They help attendees remember discussions better and allow organizers to structure follow-ups effectively. We’re seeing growing demand for these reports as a result.”
VamshiWhere AI Excels, and Where Humans Still Win
AI is impressive, but it has limitations. It can instantly summarize a single session, pulling out themes and key points, but struggles with narrative-building across multiple sessions. For large-scale events, producing a cohesive 20-page report requires a mix of AI and human expertise.
Snapsight takes an 80% AI, 20% human approach. First, AI generates structured drafts. Then, a team of analysts refines them-ensuring accurate speaker attributions and logical flow. Finally, the event’s content team reviews the report, adding crucial nuances and contextual corrections. The result? A polished, ready-to-share report within a week of the event.
Q: Where do humans still outperform AI in summarization?
A: “AI handles single-session summaries well but struggles with complex event-wide narratives. That’s why we take a hybrid approach-AI does the heavy lifting, and humans refine the final output.”
VamshiThe Future of Event Reporting: Five Years from Now
Right now, event tech platforms are fragmented. Registration systems, session recordings, engagement tools, and reporting solutions all exist in separate silos. But that’s set to change.
Vamshi predicts that in five years, data will seamlessly flow between platforms, making reporting even more powerful. AI won’t just summarize sessions; it’ll integrate insights from registration forms, speaker bios, session engagement, and survey results – giving organizers a full-circle view of event impact.
“Business event data is a marketer’s dream. When platforms evolve to connect these insights, event reporting will become predictive, not just retrospective,” he explains.
Q: What’s the biggest shift we’ll see in event reporting five years from now?
A: “We’ll see event data unify across platforms. AI will integrate multiple sources-registration, engagement, feedback-giving organizers richer insights and stronger ROI.”
VamshiWill AI Replace Human Summarizers?
The million-dollar question: Will AI take over event summarization entirely?
Vamshi doesn’t think so. While AI will continue improving, there will always be a need for human refinement, context, and oversight. “It’s not about replacing humans; it’s about amplifying their efficiency,” he says.
The future of event reporting isn’t AI vs. humans-it’s AI + humans. With AI handling speed and structure, and humans ensuring accuracy and context, the result is faster, smarter, and more impactful event reporting.
Q: Will AI replace human summarizers?
A: “No. AI will keep getting better, but human oversight will always be needed for context, narrative flow, and nuanced corrections. It’s a partnership, not a replacement.”
VamshiWe Used Snapsight to Capture the Interview
We let Snapsight do its thing while we ran the interview – didn’t have to frantically take notes or struggle to recall that one great point that got lost in the conversation.
Here’s what it picked up:
Idea Cloud
The main themes that stood out – evolution, ROI, ethical implications, future trends, and more. AI nailed speed and structure; we brought depth and context.
Key Takeaways
Snapsight didn’t just transcribe, it distilled. Gave us the essence of the conversation in a way that made sense.
The Verdict
- Event reporting has historically been a slow, manual process, but AI is reducing friction and making it a standard practice.
- Post-event reports improve engagement, knowledge retention, and event planning – turning insights into tangible takeaways.
- AI can smoothly summarize single sessions, but human expertise is still required for cross-session narratives and final refinements.
- The future lies in connected event data, where AI will analyze insights from multiple sources to enhance reporting and event ROI.
- AI won’t replace human summarizers – it will augment them, making reporting faster and more precise while keeping the human touch intact.
As AI evolves, the smartest approach isn’t choosing between humans and technology –it’s making use of both to create smarter, faster, and more impactful event reporting.
