Spring Fair, Autumn Fair and Glee Partner with Accio Work to Launch AI-Powered Event Assistant
New agentic AI technology will help buyers discover products faster, plan smarter buying trips and maximise their time at the shows
Spring Fair, Autumn Fair and Glee have partnered with Accio Work, Alibaba.com’s agentic business platform for SMEs and solo founders, naming the platform the shows’ Official Agentic AI Partner. The collaboration introduces an AI-powered event assistant designed to help buyers and exhibitors make their time at the UK’s leading retail trade shows more productive.
The technology will launch at Autumn Fair and Glee in September 2026, offering visitors and exhibitors free access to tools designed to make navigating large-scale retail events more efficient and personalised. Buyers can use the assistant to discover relevant brands and products, create customised exhibitor shortlists, map efficient routes around the show and build personalised agendas before arriving.
The partnership is also part of a broader rollout of Accio Work’s AI-powered Exhibition Agent across major European trade shows.
To support visitors in using the technology, large interactive touchscreens will be installed at the entrances of Autumn Fair and Glee in 2026, with Spring Fair set to feature the same facility in 2027. Visitors will be able to explore the platform, download the app and access assistance during the events.
Unlike conventional event apps, Accio Work uses agentic AI to interpret buyers’ requirements and provide recommendations based on their specific business needs. Visitors can ask questions using natural language, such as “Show me sustainable garden brands under £30 wholesale” or “I’m looking for new children’s gift brands exhibiting at Autumn Fair,” with recommendations generated from the official exhibitor directory.
The platform also introduces image-based discovery capabilities. Buyers can upload photographs of their shops, displays or shop windows and ask the AI assistant to identify exhibitors and products that align with their retail environment, customer demographics or visual merchandising preferences.
As the assistant draws on information already contained within the official exhibitor listings and online resources for Autumn Fair, Glee and Spring Fair, exhibitors are not required to upload additional content or create separate profiles.
The partnership also creates an additional discovery channel for exhibitors. When buyers search for specific products or suppliers, brands whose offerings match those requirements can be recommended by the AI assistant, potentially connecting exhibitors with highly relevant buyers already attending the events.
For visitors, the platform can create personalised walking routes by grouping recommended exhibitors together, helping buyers make better use of their time on the show floor. It also allows users to browse the event agenda, save seminars they want to attend and build customised itineraries. By transforming exhibitor information and floorplans into personalised sourcing tools, the technology aims to simplify the buying journey.
Jackson Szabo, Portfolio Director at Spring & Autumn Fair, said: “Spring Fair, Autumn Fair, and Glee are all about helping retailers discover the right products, make valuable connections and maximise every visit. As our shows continue to grow, we wanted to introduce technology that genuinely improves the buying experience rather than adding complexity. Partnering with Accio Work allows us to offer buyers a simple, intuitive planning tool that helps them discover brands they may otherwise have missed, build personalised buying journeys and spend more time having meaningful conversations on the show floor. It’s another way we’re investing in making our events smarter, more efficient and even more valuable for both buyers and exhibitors.”
Michalle Lau, Managing Director France, from Accio Work, said: “Trade shows remain one of the most important places for buyers and suppliers to connect, but navigating thousands of products and hundreds of exhibitors can be overwhelming. By partnering with Spring Fair, Autumn Fair, and Glee, we’re making AI practical and accessible, helping visitors discover the right brands faster, plan their visit more effectively and ultimately create better business opportunities for everyone attending.”
The AI assistant is free for buyers and exhibitors and has been designed to accommodate users with varying levels of experience with AI technology. Visitors can download the app through their usual app store before attending or access it through the interactive touchscreens at the shows.
By combining AI-driven product discovery with personalised event planning, the partnership represents another step towards more technology-enabled retail trade shows. The initiative aims to help buyers spend less time searching and more time discovering products, brands and ideas that can support the growth of their businesses.
Autumn Fair: 6–9 September 2026, NEC Birmingham
Glee: 8–10 September 2026, NEC Birmingham
Spring Fair: 7–10 February 2027, NEC Birmingham
