🤖 When AI Meets IRL: 5 Takeaways From Planning a Robotics Conference

Planning any conference comes with its own set of moving parts—but when you’re planning a robotics conference, you quickly realize that some of those parts might actually move themselves.

I recently had the incredible opportunity to produce a huge Robotics Conference, a day filled with groundbreaking research, brilliant minds, and yes—more autonomous tech than your average planner encounters in a lifetime. From coordinating cutting-edge demos to making sure our A/V team could handle high-stakes live coding sessions, this event was a beautiful balance of precision and flexibility.

Here are 5 things I learned while planning a conference where artificial intelligence meets real-life humans:

1. Tech Demos Are Their Own Kind of Headliner

When a robotics researcher brings a prototype, it’s not just for show—it’s the moment. We worked closely with presenters to ensure demo spaces had the right lighting, power, Wi-Fi bandwidth, and enough room for movement (sometimes literally!). Each setup was treated like a mini stage, complete with rehearsal time and safety checks.

2. A/V Support = Mission Critical

Most events require strong A/V, but in a space like this, it becomes a non-negotiable. From live-streamed keynotes to real-time coding walkthroughs and robotic voiceovers, the tech stack was extensive—and needed to be bulletproof.

We brought in an A/V team with experience in academic and startup demo days, added extra backup power, and scheduled dedicated tech checks with every presenter. The result? A seamless show that looked effortless (which means it definitely wasn’t).

3. Designing for Brainstorming and Serendipity

This audience didn’t want just another sit-and-listen conference—they wanted to connect, collaborate, and geek out. We created casual networking lounges, hosted breakout “idea labs,” and intentionally designed the space to encourage conversation between talks.

There’s nothing like seeing a PhD student, a VC, and a founder from a robotics startup scribbling notes together on a whiteboard.

4. Your Name Badge Might Have a QR Code… or a Microchip

Okay, maybe not a microchip (yet), but we did experiment with smart badges that could connect attendees to speaker bios, demo info, and each other. It made the check-in process feel more future-forward and added a layer of interactivity that this crowd truly appreciated.

People don’t just want to attend events anymore—they want to engage with them, and tech can help.

5. Human-Centered AI Means Human-Centered Everything

At its core, the conference explored how robotics and AI can better serve humans—so it was only right that the event itself kept humanity at the center. That meant thoughtful wayfinding, quiet recharge zones, delicious local food, and a schedule that respected cognitive load (because brains need breaks too).

Just because it’s high-tech doesn’t mean it has to feel cold.

Planning this Robotics Conference reminded me that while AI and robotics may be the future, the real magic happens when people come together—IRL—to share ideas, challenge the status quo, and dream big.

If you're thinking of hosting a tech-forward event, let’s chat. I’m always up for designing the kind of experiences that spark connection and innovation.