Behind every innovation, there’s inspiration and — as any sci-fi fan will tell you — no place is more full of inspiration than the future, especially when it comes to technology. Indeed, if we think about some of the genre’s greatest works, every single one has dazzled readers and viewers alike with depictions of the technology of the future. Yet here we are, in a world where scientists, technologists and creators have used vision and skill to bring any number of seemingly impossible concepts to life.

But while it’s certainly true to say that the technology that we use today has been directly inspired by science fiction, it’s equally fair to say that event planners are direct beneficiaries of this visionary spirit. After all, these are professionals who — part craftsmen, part creative — are forever fusing futuristic innovation with boundless imagination to create immersive and fantastical event experiences. While it doesn’t take a great leap of the mind to see that sci-fi-inspired tech is now deeply embedded into today’s event landscape, seeking out the inspiration behind the innovation is a journey well worth undertaking. 

And so, from “Star Trek” and “Star Wars” to “Blade Runner” and “Back to the Future” — from video calling and AI to biometric scanning and wearable tech — it’s time to explore how science fiction has informed the wider events industry and, more importantly, to discover how professionals within the sector are using these realities to build a new horizon of event experiences.

Back to the Future: From Sci-Fi Classics to Technological Innovation

But if you really want a feel for the future of events, then it pays to go back to the past. We could start with any number of famous works of sci-fi, but “Star Trek” is undoubtedly one of the genre’s most recognisable franchises. Making its TV debut in 1966, the series soon became a cultural phenomenon, giving rise to generations of trekkies, hordes of Klingon speakers and countless Vulcan salutes. But cultural impact aside, the series is also notable from a technological standpoint; for example, it introduced us to the possibility of video calling, a concept that — from the perspective of 2024 — is now completely unremarkable. After the original franchise wrapped in the mid-1970s, the subsequent “Star Trek: The Next Generation” series picked up the technology baton, with Captain Picard and his crew regularly seen tapping away on tablet-style computers or — in a prescient nod to VR and AR — bending reality to their will via the omnipresent holodeck.

But “Star Trek” wasn’t the only franchise to have a premium on technological possibilities. Think, for example, of HAL 9000, the sinister AI antagonist of 1968’s “2001: A Space Odyssey” or the eerily human-like replicants of “Blade Runner” and — right there on our screens, decades before the likes of ChatGPT, Gemini and CoPilot — you can catch the faintest glimpse of things to come, a foreshadowing of the conversation that is today happening around the omnipresence of AI. 

Looking deeper within the genre, we see that biometric scanning features heavily in “Minority Report" while drone technology is used to scout the Resistance in “The Terminator”. Even in the lighter-hearted “Back to the Future II”, Marty McFly dons futuristic glasses to receive information and communicate — wearable tech not too dissimilar from today’s Oculus headset.

In fact, it’s hard to think of an innovation that we now use that doesn’t owe something to sci-fi. But what bearing do all of these innovations have on the future of the event industry? Why do they matter?

From Fiction to the Future

Because when it comes to bridging that gap between fantasy and reality, event planners are always at the vanguard of innovation. After all, these are professionals whose very livelihood depends upon their ability to connect and engage with their audience. As such, they are constantly looking for new ways to thrill and dazzle. For them, any new tool represents a fresh medium of engagement and entertainment.

Let’s look back at the technological advancements we mentioned above, those concepts that — while inspired by sci-fi — are all commonplace today. For each and every one, we can find a real-world example of how planners are tactically deploying them to push the boundaries of the audience experience.

Video Calling and Cloud-Based Communication Platforms

Way back in the ‘60s — when Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock had important stuff to say (and when didn’t they?) — they used a communicator to transmit messages and videos to receiving parties. Undoubtedly, these devices helped to inspire the likes of Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and cloud-based platforms used by planners today to host large-scale remote events. Not only has this technology offered planners a global reach with no physical constraints, but it has laid a pathway to creating large-scale future events that have a significantly reduced environmental impact.

AR, VR and Hologram Technology

Next up, let’s tackle Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). As seen on screen in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and “Total Recall", this kind of tech is already firmly embedded within the events landscape, used by planners to create immersive and interactive enhancements to the event experience. For the on-the-ground planner of today, this means, for example, creating virtual showrooms and event booths. In a similar vein, hologram technology is being deployed to create virtual appearances and build visually striking presentations — no holodeck required! For planners looking to build the event experience of tomorrow, it’s important to note that AR, VR and hologram technology is now being used throughout the industry as a tactic that allows delegates and attendees to explore spaces or products in ways that we could once only dream of.

AI

But what about AI? Yes, “Blade Runner” and “2001: A Space Odyssey” put a certain spin on what a future with AI might look like, but for planners, this technology is an absolute gift. Perhaps more than any other tech, AI is now woven throughout the fabric of the industry; just think, for instance, of the chatbots so commonly used to enhance the attendee experience or of the AI-driven platforms that aid delegate matchmaking for networking. Used to help personalise attendee experiences, optimise event schedules, and even provide real-time analytics on audience engagement, AI helps planners to refine their future event offering by predicting preferences and creating tailored content, thus making events evermore relevant and engaging. What’s more, AI — as evidenced by Tesla’s Optimus robot — is now and will continue to be deployed to enhance the event experience. From welcoming attendees to serving drinks and even delivering interactive sessions, this kind of AI is a crucial part of the future delegate experience. 

Biometric Scanning

As for the kind of biometric scanning seen in “Minority Report", this innovation is now widely utilised as a tool to enhance safety and security at events, with facial recognition and fingerprint scanning increasingly used by planners to speed-up the check-in process and prevent unauthorised entry. What about drone technology? While the hunter/killer drones in “The Terminator” were harnessed for nefarious purposes, planners today have repurposed this kind of tech for good: to capture and document their spectacular events, to deliver items or even as live entertainment (think, for example, of swapping fireworks for quieter, more sustainable drone-powered light shows). Moving forward, this innovation offers planners an easy way to effortlessly enhance an event’s visual appeal and operational efficiency.

Wearable Tech

Last but not least, we come to wearable tech. In an era of smart badges, wristbands and rings, etc., Doc’s glasses in “Back to the Future II” don’t look quite so far-fetched. Indeed, this kind of tech is now used by planners to track attendee movements, provide personalised notifications, and even facilitate networking at events. What’s more, these devices measure engagement levels and help planners collect all-important data, a point that allows them to build and refine the future event experience. 

But these, of course, are just a handful of the sci-fi inspired innovations that have made the leap from the depths of fantasy into the ordinary world. With their innate sense of vision and creativity, planners have embedded these innovations into the heart of their work, forging ahead to create a bold horizon of event experience to delight and amaze, from now well into the future.

While we haven’t quite reached the stage of flying hoverboards and cars — as foreseen when Marty McFly ventured into 2015 — it’s interesting to think about the potential of what we’ve already accomplished along with those innovations just over the horizon. One thing, however, is certain: over the past 50 years — from the advent of the IBM personal computer in 1981 to the launch of AI and the ongoing development of miraculous medical technology — we’ve experienced an incredible launch into the art of the possible. What does the future hold? We’d love to see your ideas in the comments.