{"id":5120,"date":"2025-09-29T09:12:50","date_gmt":"2025-09-29T09:12:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bridged.events\/blog\/?p=5120"},"modified":"2026-03-31T15:08:37","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T15:08:37","slug":"terrapinn-scaling-ai-in-events","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bridged.events\/blog\/spotlight\/terrapinn-scaling-ai-in-events\/","title":{"rendered":"How Terrapinn Is Turning AI Pilots into Scaled Impact"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Right AI Perspective<\/h2>\n

As the digital and AI landscape evolves, many organizations find themselves trapped in a cycle of endless AI experiments, with countless pilots that never move beyond the testing phase. Terrapinn<\/a>, a global\u00a0events and media company, has a different story. Under the leadership of Asghar Maqsood<\/a>, Group Digital and AI Director<\/span>, Terrapinn is moving from AI-powered pilots to scalable, impactful solutions that drive tangible business results. The truth is, the goal isn\u2019t to embed AI everywhere; it\u2019s to solve business problems and create measurable impact.<\/p>\n

We recently sat down with Maqsood to discuss the strategy behind his success in scaling AI in events. His insights reveal that true AI transformation isn’t about the technology itself; it’s about a strategic, human-centric approach.<\/p>\n

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The Terrapinn Blueprint: From \u201cWhy\u201d to \u201cWhat\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

For Maqsood and his team, every successful AI initiative begins with a single question: “What are our pain points?” This value-first mindset ensures that AI is never seen as a shiny new tool, but as a strategic asset designed to solve real business challenges. This approach is built on three core principles:<\/p>\n

\"AI<\/p>\n

1. Start with value<\/strong>
\nInstead of chasing tech for tech’s sake, Terrapinn first mapped out the biggest challenges across its operations, from attendee experiences to sales processes to marketing campaigns. A question is always asked, \u201cWhere can AI add value back to our event?\u201d<\/p>\n

That mindset meant AI wasn\u2019t framed as a cost-saving trick or a vague innovation project. It was a business strategy. Every trial had to answer: did it make the event easier to attend, the sponsor story sharper, or the sales cycle faster?<\/p>\n

2. Prove it, then scale it<\/strong>
\nEvery AI initiative begins with a clear hypothesis tied to a business problem.<\/p>\n

Test your hypothesis very quickly, don\u2019t sit on it forever. If the hypothesis is validated, scale it. If it\u2019s not validated or it\u2019s not scalable, move on.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And scalability matters. If a solution can\u2019t be rolled out across Terrapinn\u2019s global portfolio, they don\u2019t pursue it.<\/p>\n

We want to make sure any AI solution we bring in is scalable very quickly across all events, because that\u2019s where we start seeing the biggest return on investment.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

3. Keep humans in the loop<\/strong>
\nTerrapinn never positioned AI as a replacement for people. Instead, they involved teams early and made them part of the journey. That turned fear of replacement into advocacy for adoption.<\/p>\n

We want AI to amplify what we are doing. We are not looking to replace people, we are looking to leverage AI to produce better results. AI is here to augment our colleagues rather than replacing them.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Turning Principles Into Practice<\/h2>\n

These principles came to life with one of Terrapinn’s biggest operational challenges: the high volume of repetitive attendee questions. Running 90+ events meant teams were drowning in repetitive queries, from \u201cWhere\u2019s my badge?\u201d<\/em> to \u201cWhat time does the keynote start?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The hypothesis was simple: if an AI concierge could handle routine questions, teams could focus on higher-value work while attendees got instant answers. Terrapinn partnered with Bridged to launch event-specific Knowledge Agents across their websites.<\/p>\n

The pilot showed the technology worked, but more importantly, it proved the teams could own it. Staff were responsible for training the agents, shaping tone, and feeding in the right information. Because they were involved from day one, they saw the value first-hand and became champions for scaling.<\/p>\n

\nhttps:\/\/bridged.events\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/KA-event-2.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n

From there, momentum accelerated. Once the initial agents delivered results, the same model was rolled out to more than 50 events.<\/p>\n

They\u2019ve been a game changer. Always on, answering questions 24\/7 for attendees and sponsors. They make the experience better, people don\u2019t need to wait for somebody to come online or scroll through a Q&A. They get answers instantly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

One thing is clear: Terrapinn didn\u2019t escape the pilot phase by luck. They stuck to their three principles: start with value, prove it before scaling, and keep people in control.<\/p>\n