Wordly has set out three areas it expects to shape conferences and trade shows in 2026, as organisers deal with higher costs and tougher demands for measurable attendee engagement.
The AI translation and captioning company said event teams faced rising production costs and pressure to show value to attendees, exhibitors and sponsors. It said organisers had to adjust how they plan and deliver programmes without larger teams or budgets. As for the impact of AI, Wordly expects the technology to impact personalisation, live captions and multilingual capabilities.
Personalised events
Wordly Founder & CEO Lakshman Rathnam described a move away from uniform programming and towards more individual experiences. The company said organisers will face a crowded event market and stronger competition for attention.
Wordly said audiences have become more global and diverse. It also said personalisation will include the way attendees consume content and participate in sessions, including access in different languages.
"Attendees are increasingly selective about where they invest their time," said Lakshman Rathnam, Founder & CEO, Wordly. "In 2026, events that feel personalized; whether through content, networking, or language access will drive stronger engagement and loyalty."
Wordly said AI tools will shape this shift. It said organisers will use AI for language preferences, session discovery and post-event insights that reflect what each attendee participated in.
The company pointed to AI Summaries. It said organisers can provide attendees with post-event recaps based on the sessions they attended.
AI captions
Wordly also expects AI to move from experimentation to operational reliance. It said speed and budget pressure will drive this change, alongside more demand for immediate access to content.
Wordly said live captions will become more common at events. It said attendees already read captions when they consume other kinds of content.
"People already consume content by reading captions," said Rathnam. "In 2026, attendees will expect that same experience at events. Live captions will become a standard way audiences follow sessions, stay engaged in busy environments, and absorb complex information, whether or not translation is needed."
Wordly said its platform delivers live AI captions and translation across sessions and rooms. It said organisers can manage this through a single platform.
The company also highlighted AI voice transcripts and AI dubbing. It said organisers can repurpose event content for marketing, training and on-demand use. It said this can happen without added production time or complexity.
Multilingual reach
Wordly's third prediction focused on multilingual content. The company said increased competition for attendance and sponsorship will push organisers to differentiate through accessibility and reuse of content.
Wordly said multilingual access will influence audience reach, engagement and event ROI. It said exhibitors and sponsors have increased expectations around measurable outcomes.
"Events that limit content to a single language limit participation," said Rathnam. "Multilingual access allows organizers to reach more people and create more value from the same content."
Wordly said real-time translation, captions and AI dubbing can broaden participation for international and multilingual audiences. It said this approach removes the need for interpreters and specialised equipment.
The company said organisers will also reuse sessions across regions, channels and audiences. It said this can extend the lifespan of event content beyond the end of an event.