“AI does not decide what impact matters. People do”: A conversation with #Meet4Impact’s Geneviève Leclerc
Beyond attendance and delegate spend, what do events actually change? Geneviève Leclerc, CEO of #Meet4Impact, introduces ImpactAIQ, launched at IMEX America, and shares why better measurement starts with better questions.
What is ImpactAIQ, and what challenge does it solve?
ImpactAIQ is a platform that helps destinations, associations and event organizations plan, measure and communicate the broader impact of their events.
We all know that events create value well beyond attendance, delegate spend or satisfaction. They can influence knowledge, relationships, collaboration, business development, sector growth, community outcomes and even policy. The problem is that much of that value is still difficult to capture in a structured and credible way.
ImpactAIQ is about making that practice much more accessible and scalable, so organizations can move from “we believe this event made a difference” to “here is the evidence of what changed, what we learned and what we should do next.”
How can that evidence help people make better decisions?
A destination can make better choices about which events to attract or support. An association can see whether its congress is genuinely advancing its mission. An organizer can understand which activations are creating value and which need to change.
It can also strengthen conversations with boards, funders, sponsors, government and partners. So for us, measurement is not really the end point. The end point is better decision-making.
Where does AI come in?
Impact measurement can become very manual very quickly. You may be working across multiple stakeholders, outcomes, indicators and sources of evidence, much of it in qualitative form.
Within ImpactAIQ, AI can help clarify intentions, challenge the logic of an impact pathway, suggest possible outcomes or indicators, identify gaps and help analyze large volumes of evidence.
But we’re very clear about one thing: AI does not decide what impact matters. People do.
We’ve built an AI Impact Assistant, Q, as a kind of impact co-pilot. Q is there to help people ask better questions and think more critically, not to replace strategic judgment.
What’s the most common measurement mistake?
Starting with the data instead of starting with the change you are trying to create.
People often ask, “What should we measure?” before asking, “What are we actually trying to achieve, for whom, and how could this event contribute to that?”
That leads very quickly to measuring what is easy rather than what is meaningful.
What can attendees expect from your education session at IMEX America?
Singapore Tourism Board, Business Events Montréal and IMEX are approaching impact from different perspectives, so attendees will hear how a destination, an event organizer and different market contexts are beginning to structure this work, where the challenges are and what they are learning.
The practical message will be: don’t try to measure everything. A good impact journey doesn’t start with a huge measurement framework. It starts with better questions.
Your top tip for making the most of IMEX?
Don’t over-schedule yourself. Leave space for the unexpected conversations. Go to a session outside your immediate area of work. Talk to someone you don’t already know. And step outside the convention center at least once and remind yourself there is a whole city happening around you. Events create value through connection. It would be ironic to attend IMEX and leave no room for serendipity.
Geneviève Leclerc at IMEX America
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