As promised, a few thoughts about Day 2 at the Learning Technologies Exhibition and Conference.

I spent a lot more of the day at the exhibition yesterday and here are some key standout thoughts, comments and reactions:

AI is here but more subtly described. I saw lots of people talking about AI powered, and AI supported, but it was implicit, not explicit. Is that a conscious marketing decision I wonder?

As one of the vendors said to me, there is a wall of noise when you enter and it can be overwhelming. Sharon Green commented on yesterday’s post, you needed to go with intent.

People want to talk, not stand in front of demos. The best conversations were with people who wanted to talk and listen.

There’s an interesting shift in stand size. The coffee bars, baristas, massage chairs, and assorted ‘toys’ are there but it felt a more level playing field.

The audience seemed more informed and asked more challenging questions. When budgets are squeezed, tight or unknown, people want to sweat the resources they have and make sure what they buy does everything they need.

The HR Technology exhibition was an interesting addition; there is so much crossover and I expect to see joint stands and platforms next year.

Vendors still struggle to prove impact. Organisations are reticent to share their performance data with vendors.

It was, as always, loud and a bit overwhelming, but a great opportunity to reconnect with people in so many ways.

What do you think? At 24-48 hours after the event, what are your reflections? Let me know in the comments.

#lt25uk