ChatGPT and generative A.I. are changing the way we book travel
ChatGPT’s ability to focus on a specific, verifiable application in a particular business sector could establish it as a monetizable asset. Experts anticipate a surge in use cases for generative artificial intelligence in the next year, with customer service being a top target. This makes the travel industry, which has already been transformed by the internet, a promising area for rapid adoption.
Generative AI is already being tested within the travel industry, although with varying success. One significant limitation of ChatGPT’s current travel application is that its data only goes up to September 2021. This is currently a problem in the travel industry, where up-to-date information is essential, but only for now.
Online travel agencies are already undergoing internal transformation due to AI, and despite travelers being unaware of it, the technology influences the recommendations and decisions made on their platforms. Booking.com, for instance, has been utilizing AI and machine learning for over a decade, providing personalized trip recommendations and machine translation in over 40 languages and dialects, according to Glenn Fogel, CEO of Booking Holdings, the parent company of Booking.com.
How AI becomes your personal travel assistant
Travel industry executives are considering the impact of Microsoft-funded OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard, among other public generative AI models.
According to Glenn Fogel, CEO of Booking Holdings, the large language models that power generative AI offer opportunities for itinerary building and question answering.
However, Fogel believes that the role of AI in travel is not to replace human interaction, as travel is about connecting people and communities. Instead, AI can analyze vast databases to provide new levels of value and trip support, while human interaction continues to shape the overall travel experience.
Booking Holdings’ Kayak platform has integrated ChatGPT as a virtual travel assistant, allowing for personalized recommendations based on natural language queries and tailored to travelers’ specific needs and preferences.
Airport stress and anxiety is another focus
AI is expected to act as a personal travel assistant, providing value and support for travelers throughout their trip, with a focus on removing friction and intervening when travel plans are disrupted.
According to Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel, the aim is to use AI to recreate and even exceed the ease and personal touch of traditional travel agents through cutting-edge technology. Matt Breed, CIO of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, is also an early adopter of AI, using it to improve the customer experience and optimize operations. He envisions AI as an itinerary analyzer that can pull in multiple sources of real-time information, providing personalized recommendations to passengers.
This technology has the potential to eliminate or mitigate the anxiety associated with air travel by answering questions like “How long will it take me to get through security?” and “Will I have time to get something to eat?”
Online booking sites and apps already big winners
While AI technology like ChatGPT is creating buzz in the travel industry, some analysts caution that it is important not to overlook the context of an industry where new technology is a constant and often overhyped at introduction.
Rather than seeing new tech as revolutionary, industry consultant Max Starkov suggests viewing it as advanced tools that help operators better serve customers and increase market share. The biggest winners, he believes, will be online travel agencies (OTAs) that have implemented plug-ins to ChatGPT like Kayak, Expedia, and Trip.com.
Starkov predicts that the losers will be traditional travel agencies, tour operators, independent hotels and restaurants that lack the financial, human, and technological capabilities to take advantage of ChatGPT.
While AI will enhance trip planning, customer service, and informational chatbots, it is uncertain which parts of the travel experience AI will make easier.
Nonetheless, AI technology like ChatGPT has already improved the customer journey by making it shorter and more streamlined, and it is expected to continue doing so in the future.