Part of the AI in Events 2025 research from Event Tech Live. Interview by Adam Parry, founder, Event Tech Live. Published 14 February 2025. Last updated 18 April 2026.
Mike Seaman, CEO of Raccoon Events, on why supplier sustainability is the question nobody in events is asking, the real cost of migration, and why AI inference of meeting context is not as reliable as it looks.
The three things Mike says you need to know
Over 80% of AI startups fail. RAND research cited by Seaman puts the AI startup failure rate at twice that of non-AI tech startups. Before relying on an AI vendor, run ‘know your supplier’ diligence the way the payments industry runs KYC.
Migration always costs more than suppliers claim. Every new system is ‘easy to implement’ and ‘will save loads of time.’ The migration and training period almost always runs longer than expected. That short-term cost has to be weighed against any long-term gain.
Context is everything in meeting-note AI. Different humans infer different meaning from the same conversation. AI will too. A missed comma can change ‘Let’s eat, Grandma’ into ‘Let’s eat Grandma.’ Blind trust in AI-inferred insights is a mistake.
What concerns do you have about AI’s role in events, and how do you balance caution with innovation?
Seaman describes his position as cautious, not Luddite. The potential benefits are genuinely interesting, but he argues for proceeding carefully rather than diving in. He lays out three specific concerns.
How sustainable are the providers?
There are many interesting AI products in the market, all of them claiming to save time or revolutionise the business. However, given the nature of the market, these companies are often new startups and may not be around for years to come. Research from RAND says that over 80% of AI startups fail, twice the failure rate for non-AI technology startups. Seaman argues for ‘know your supplier’ diligence before relying on an AI vendor, modelled on the payments industry’s know-your-customer approach.
Migration
Anyone who has installed a new CRM knows migration is painful. The new system can always ‘do everything,’ is always ‘really simple,’ and will always ‘save loads of time.’ This is often broadly true, but the migration and training period regularly runs longer than expected and almost always creates conflict and stress. Learning new systems takes time away from day-to-day tasks. That short-term cost has to be weighed against any long-term gain.
Bringing in a new team member
‘AI is potentially the only team member you would hire but never interview.’ Seaman has seen people use AI to transcribe meeting notes and then infer insight, but questions whether that insight reflects the context of the conversation. In several meetings he has attended, different people have taken different meanings from the same content. AI has the same problem. Context is everything. As he puts it: ‘It only takes one missed comma to kill your gran rather than invite her to dinner.’
How are you approaching AI adoption with your team?
Seaman sees unbridled curiosity and willingness to engage. His role, and the role of leadership, is policing and protection rather than curbing enthusiasm: setting the right restrictions and rails to protect the business from potential negative outcomes.
Will attendees embrace AI-driven personalisation or push back?
The potential is huge, but Seaman has yet to see ‘battle-tested’ real-world solutions. He is open to new technology but does not want to be the guinea pig.
Does AI threaten the personal touch Raccoon is known for?
Seaman sees the opportunities, but is careful to frame them as opportunities to consider rather than solutions to implement. The driver for every decision is customer experience and safety. If the customer experience is good and the technology is safe and trusted, Raccoon will look at it.
On personalisation specifically, he draws a distinction between personality and personalisation. AI can take available data and make predictions, but current solutions rely too heavily on previous behaviour as a predictor of future behaviour. People are multi-dimensional; water does not always travel the same way.
How do you evaluate AI use by your suppliers and partners?
Seaman treats it similarly to how Raccoon would evaluate a sub-contractor: the supplier is relied upon to do a good job assessing their own tools, but Raccoon wants to understand how the sub-contractor works. It is an additional layer of diligence.
“I think the potential benefits of AI are really interesting, but my personal view is that we need to proceed with caution rather than diving in headfirst.”
— Mike Seaman, Raccoon Events
About Mike Seaman
Mike Seaman is the CEO of Raccoon Events, a UK-based consumer events and exhibitions business. He brings a sceptic’s eye to technology adoption, underpinned by extensive operational experience across major public-facing events.
This interview is part of AI in Events 2025: Adoption, Barriers and Forecast. Download the full PDF report. Browse all Event Tech Live research.
