In response to customer and partner questions regarding our plans for AI, RainFocus has issued a press release detailing our strategy. This new approach will empower customers, partners, and employees to work more efficiently while elevating attendee experiences.
Marius Milcher, VP of Platform Strategy and AI, said in the press release, “Our investment in AI involves a foundational shift from a focus on building individual product features to a complete transformation of our operations, platform, and partner ecosystem.”
We spoke with Milcher about RainFocus’ holistic approach to AI. Here’s what he had to say:
Building Toward An AI-Native Future
The term “AI-native company” is everywhere. Milcher noted the difference between a company that simply uses AI tools and one that is AI-native. “In the same way that companies have started to think about mobile first, we are thinking about solutions to problems with AI in mind as opposed to AI being the afterthought,” he explained. “RainFocus becoming AI-native implies that AI will become the fabric of our platform rather than an embellishment.”
Operational Transformation
A critical component of our AI strategy is ensuring our employees are proficient in AI. We discussed how we are leveraging tools like workflow automation and sales intelligence to drive efficiency across our organization. “Thinking about AI as a transformation requires us to evaluate how we use it across our entire business,” he said. “How we use it to service our customers is just as important to us as our product development.”
Product and Platform Development
Speaking of product development, RainFocus has begun implementing AI across client events. In the last year, we expanded our product offering to include AI-powered survey sentiment analysis and personalized recommendations. We are also supporting clients with their use of agentic AI. Using our data, our customers can power their agents to help attendees find session and event information. Our vision is to ensure every one of our customers and their attendees has their own personal “event assistant.”
“We are a B2B2C company,” Milcher said. “We’re thinking of the needs of not only our customers, but also of their customers. The attendee experience is critical to operational efficiency and drives the success of the event.”
Establishing an Ecosystem of AI
Events are a critical junction in the customer journey. Companies need the rich behavioral data that events provide. When events, marketing, and sales data are integrated, AI can draw upon the most relevant information to drive conversions. Expressed interest and buying signals make it easy to create and repurpose content across the entire marketing ecosystem.
Milcher explained that we have deliberately architected our platform to be interoperable through open standards, composability, and strategic partnerships. We have several out-of-the-box integrations with CRMs, CDPs, and MAPs that support this effort.
“For the last 20 years, companies have been creating an open web where humans can exchange information,” he added. “Now, we are pivoting from the web serving humans to serving agents. The idea of interoperability is really taking hold as companies continue to invest in agentic solutions. It’s imperative that platforms can speak to one another. Here at RainFocus, we are building for that future by building bridges rather than islands.”
