Booking an AI Speaker for Your Event: A Practical Checklist for Organisers
You are planning a conference, a member event or a customer evening and want artificial intelligence on the programme. This checklist walks through the decisions that separate a programme item from a talking point.
Eight weeks out: topic and framing
- Describe the audience: roles, industries, prior knowledge, number of people.
- One sentence on the intended effect: what should the audience be able to do or decide afterwards?
- Fix the slot: an impulse works before lunch; nothing works after the aperitif.
- Clarify whether products may be shown — and by whom.
Six weeks out: select and brief the speaker
- Approach two or three candidates with exactly the same written brief.
- Ask for one concrete project the person delivered themselves.
- Request a quote that separates preparation, appearance, travel and follow-up.
- Ask for title, abstract (60–80 words), short bio and photograph for your programme communications — ideally agreed at the time of confirmation.
- Agree the language: talk in English or German, handouts possibly bilingual.
Two weeks out: content and communications
- Short alignment call between the speaker and your programme lead.
- Introduce two or three participants for a preparatory chat — the cheapest route to relevant examples.
- Send the announcement: state what the audience will take away, not just the talk title.
- Collect questions in advance via a form or email and forward them to the speaker.
On the day: technology and timing
- Picture: projector or screen with HDMI and USB-C, adapters ready, resolution tested beforehand.
- Sound: audio for videos and voice demos — an AI phone assistant only works if the room can hear it.
- Network: stable Wi-Fi or mobile coverage for live demos; the speaker should carry an offline fallback.
- Microphone: a headset rather than a handheld if the speaker works on a device.
- Timing: agree a start and a hard stop; schedule Q&A separately instead of taking it out of the talk.
Afterwards: protect the effect
- Send the slides as a PDF to participants, ideally within 48 hours.
- Have open questions answered in writing and send them out together.
- Prepare a follow-up offer: anyone who wants to go deeper needs a next step — a workshop, an office hour or a working group.
- Run a two-question survey: what was new, what is still missing?
Frequently asked questions
How do I know whether a speaker fits my audience?
Give every candidate the same written brief and compare their questions. Those who ask about roles, prior knowledge and the intended effect are preparing; those who send a quote immediately are probably delivering standard material.
How far in advance should I book?
Six to eight weeks is comfortable. For popular dates — spring and autumn are the Swiss event high season — book earlier.
What does a specialist talk cost?
It depends on format, preparation and travel. Ask for a quote with separated items so comparisons are fair.
Is a recording worth it?
Yes, if you reuse it internally. Clarify the rights beforehand; individual client examples may be confidential and have to be cut.
Planning a talk or a workshop?
Send us the date, the audience and your time slot — we reply within two working days with a topic proposal.