Four conversational AI characters, personalized by visitor name and supported by sign languages, turned the Las Vegas show floor into a live test of AI brand activation.

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 20, 2026 — NewMedia Creative Technology Studio, the immersive-experience company with offices in New Jersey, Madrid, Berlin and London, presented AI HOST at IMEX America 2026 (Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Oct. 13–15): an AI brand activation built around four interactive characters that spoke with visitors live, with responses generated during each conversation.

Across Smart Monday and the three show days, the characters held 402 conversations, including 374 on the show days. Visitors spoke with them in English and 25 other languages, using slang, regional expressions and accents. The median response time, from the visitor's last word to the character's voice, was 2.6 seconds.

The activation was built around four invitations: Ask. Play. Smile. Discover.

Four characters, four reasons to talk

NewMedia Guru answered questions about NewMedia and the events industry. It was the most chosen character, with 126 conversations.
The Compliment Machine offered a warm, cheerful exchange in the middle of a demanding show day (113 conversations).
The Quiz Master let visitors choose both the topic and the difficulty of their quiz (91 conversations). It held people the longest: a median of 1 minute 58 seconds per visitor who engaged.
The Oracle gave playful predictions about the visitor's future, including their zodiac sign (72 conversations).

What made AI HOST different

It was personal at both ends. Visitors entered their name before the conversation began, and the character spoke to them directly. When the conversation ended, AI HOST generated a QR code that put the whole exchange, every question and every answer, on the visitor's phone.

It was built for an international audience. Visitors could switch a character into their own language in the middle of a conversation. After English, the most frequent languages were Spanish, Chinese, French and Portuguese. AI HOST also generates sign languages, so deaf and hard-of-hearing visitors could follow the conversation.

It started the conversation itself. The characters called out to passersby in the aisle with 2,635 welcome phrases, more than three hours of audio inviting visitors to stop and talk.

It worked on a busy show floor. 99% of visitor exchanges were spoken aloud, and 99.7% of turns were answered without error. Every visitor phrase and every response was checked for safety, and four internet interruptions were covered by an offline voice.

The numbers

402 conversations over four days (28 on Smart Monday, 374 across the three show days)
More than 12 hours of live conversation, with a median visit of 1 minute 36 seconds
1,171 exchanges between visitors and characters
25 languages besides English, with 127 conversations in a language other than English
82% of the visitors greeted by a character replied; 174 held three or more exchanges
2.6 seconds median response time
42 visitors described a real event they are planning

The figures come from the AI HOST system's own records during the show.

Available for U.S. trade shows, corporate events and brand activations

NewMedia is developing brand-specific versions of AI HOST, with characters designed around each client's audience, subject matter and personality. Availability, technical requirements and scope are defined for each project. The format can support trade shows, experiential marketing, corporate events, museums and destination experiences.

AI HOST builds on NewMedia's recent AI work for live events, including MetaHuman Choir at IMEX Frankfurt 2026 and The TO Pressure Test for Destination Toronto. Before the show, we introduced the experience in Meet AI HOST at IMEX America 2026.

Case study: AI HOST at IMEX America 2026
Project film: Watch AI HOST on YouTube

High-resolution images and additional footage are available on request.

About NewMedia Creative Technology Studio

NewMedia Creative Technology Studio designs and produces immersive and AI-powered experiences for live events, including dome projection, 3D projection mapping, holographic shows, generative AI installations and brand activations. Active since 2010 and with more than 500 productions for global brands, NewMedia has offices in New Jersey, Madrid, Berlin and London. Learn more at newmedia.events.