AI in Travel

Facebook will be cracking down on how many ads it includes in newsfeeds, which could impact some brands' ad performance. Instagram, however, is a promising bet to make if brands are thinking longer term about ads, who they'll reach and how they'll be seen.

After years of hype, hospitality and travel companies are now delivering real added value for consumers by integrating artificial intelligence into online search and booking platforms.

CES 2017 this month in Las Vegas marked the emergence of Artificial Intelligence-integrated connectivity and voice responsiveness into the mainstream, especially in terms of smart cars and smart homes. We will soon all be basically living and driving inside our mobile phones.

The past year was one when consumers in the U.S. began communicating with major brands via messaging apps more intuitively, travel being no exception. But the time and money it takes to test and invest in this complicated technology is significant and 2017 will likely involve more testing and learning for brands before they fully understand what most travelers want when they open a messaging app and rattle off a question.

Will the Amazon Echo eventually become the new iHome docking station of the past? Will this technology be outdated in just a year or more? And more importantly: Is this what people really want from their hotel experience just yet?

No more courting attention with shotgun-approach emails, ads and commercials. Marketers are shifting from a pattern of interruption to weaving offers and touchpoints into the guest’s life on and off…

IBM has come a long, long way in rebuilding its brand thanks to all of the cool factor surrounding Watson. But it could do more to showcase the consumer appeal around cognitive travel in 2017, including the benefits of machine learning to better connect us with travel destinations.

Despite the rapid shifts already caused by mobile, even bigger changes are on the horizon as voice search, artificial intelligence, and conversational messaging are transforming how travelers interact with travel brands. While there is a lot of excitement around the promise of each of these technologies, we now face the challenge of implementing them.

Google is using its Google Flights capability to power its new Artificial Intelligence-filled Assistant to respond intelligently to queries about travel. The service's inability to respond to queries about your existing travel itineraries, however, is a huge missed opportunity for now.

There has been serious talk about artificial intelligence in travel for the past couple of years. While Expedia CEO Dara Khosrowshahi wasn't talking about implementing artificial intelligence for customer service in the next quarter or two, be assured that Expedia and others are working on it hard.