SAM transforms first-party data into proactive insight, helping live event professionals identify audiences, refine segments, and drive earlier, smarter campaign strategy

New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - January 23, 2026) - Activity Stream and The Shubert Organization today announced the launch of SAM, a first-of-its-kind AI assistant designed to help live entertainment professionals make faster, more informed audience and marketing decisions. SAM turns complex sales and engagement data into structured, conversation-ready insights, enabling users to identify key audience segments, spot changes in behavior, and activate smarter strategies without needing advanced technical skills.

Developed collaboratively by Activity Stream and The Shubert Organization, a leader in the theatre industry, SAM was shaped through months of real-world testing in high-volume, data-rich theatrical environments. Built specifically for the live events sector, the tool combines AI and machine learning to support more proactive audience development, replacing fragmented reports and manual queries with an intuitive, insight-rich interface.

"Having an AI agent that helps teams rapidly generate marketing hypotheses, audience segments, and test plans using reliable first-party data means we're able to start developing audiences earlier and more efficiently," said Kyle Wright, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at The Shubert Organization. "By eliminating 'blank page paralysis,' SAM lets us refine segments from the start, helping shows in our venues increase campaign effectiveness and unlock real budget efficiency."

"Shubert runs a world-class operation with an incredibly thoughtful team," said Einar Saevarsson, CEO of Activity Stream. "Their insights have been essential in shaping SAM. Live events organizations are often stuck reacting to what already happened. SAM helps them act earlier and see audience behavior in time to build better relationships, make smarter investments, and run more sustainable businesses."

SAM is capable of responding to natural-language queries such as:

• Which audience segments are engaging or falling off?

• Which demographics are gaining traction or at risk?

• Where is new opportunity emerging?

• How is behavior shifting week to week?

"SAM doesn't guess," said Saevarsson. "When it encounters complexity due to missing data, conflicting signals, or questions that need to be broken down, it works through them methodically."

"Using conversational analytics and SAM's built-in research capabilities, we get clearer, context-rich insights faster," added Wright.

The system integrates with Shubert's decades of ticketing, marketing, and engagement data, enriching its outputs with responsibly sourced demographic, household, lifestyle, and philanthropic indicators. This allows SAM to move beyond basic transactions and understand the "why" behind audience behavior.

"The value isn't just speed on simple questions," said Wright. "We've always had the data and the people. But real investigation takes time and there's always something more urgent. SAM changes that. 'What's really driving the difference between these two shows?' 'Which segments are growing and which are quietly disappearing?' Now those questions get answered, whether the team is slammed or not."

"You can't serve audiences properly if you only see transactions," said Saevarsson. "We need to understand motivation, lifecycle, and value."

Using AI-powered clustering, SAM surfaces audience groups like loyal repeat attendees, occasional buyers, and high-value donors-and tracks how each cohort responds over time.

"We're moving past the idea of a single average audience," said Wright. "Instead, we're seeing a multi-layered ecosystem where different audience groups require different messages, timing, and investment."

"The goal isn't just better campaigns," added Saevarsson. "It's stronger audience relationships and a healthier, more sustainable future for live entertainment."

About Activity Stream

Activity Stream builds software for live event organizations that want to understand their audiences better, work more efficiently, and deliver stronger live experiences. The platform integrates marketing, engagement, and venue operations to help teams make smarter decisions across the full event lifecycle. Focused on the vitality of live entertainment, Activity Stream helps venues and producers grow audiences, optimize revenue, and build lasting relationships. Learn more at www.activitystream.com.

About The Shubert Organization

The Shubert Organization is America's oldest professional theatre company and the largest theatre owner on Broadway. Since the dawn of the 20th century, Shubert has operated hundreds of theatres and produced hundreds of plays and musicals enjoyed by millions of theatregoers both in New York City and throughout the United States. Shubert currently owns and operates 17 Broadway theatres, six off-Broadway venues, and the Forrest Theatre in Philadelphia. Under the leadership of Robert E. Wankel, Chairman and CEO, The Shubert Organization continues to be a leader in the theatre industry, including innovative ticketing and distribution, marketing, producing, and more. For more information, visit Shubert.nyc.

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