Introduction: The global aesthetic medicine industry is rapidly expanding, with conferences serving as crucial platforms for knowledge exchange and collaboration. However, concerns have emerged about the increasing prioritisation of commercial content over scientifically rigorous presentations. This study critically evaluates the balance between commercial and scientific content at aesthetic medicine conferences, utilising artificial intelligence (AI) tools to analyse the impact of industry sponsorship and live procedural demonstrations on educational value.
Method: Using the Punctuated Equilibrium Framework (PEF), AI-driven content analysis, social network analysis (SNA), and sentiment analysis were applied to evaluate conference data, including programs, sponsorship details, speaker affiliations, and attendee engagement metrics. The study analysed global and regional aesthetic medicine conferences from 2014 to 2024, identifying patterns and punctuated shifts in the balance between scientific and commercially driven content.
Results: AI-based analysis of 487 conferences, comprising over 28,000 sessions and 2 million social media posts, revealed an increasing trend towards commercially focused content, particularly in industry-sponsored events. Approximately 44% of sessions were commercially oriented, with significant spikes during product launches. Academic and clinical speakers were more prevalent in scientific conferences, while industry-affiliated speakers dominated commercial sessions. Social media sentiment, analysed using AI tools, reflected high engagement with procedural demonstrations but also highlighted concerns about educational quality.
Conclusion: While industry-driven sessions garnered higher immediate engagement, they reduced long-term cognitive retention and compromised the educational integrity of conferences. The use of AI in this study enabled a deeper understanding of content trends and their effects. Aesthetic medicine conferences must recalibrate the balance between commercial interests and scientific rigour to ensure sustainable professional development and patient safety.
Evidence level: IV.
Copyright © 2024 by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.