Artificial Intelligence tips

Good morning from Skift. It’s Wednesday, November 15. Here’s what you need to know about the business of travel today.

Airbnb said Tuesday that it has acquired an AI company founded by a creator of Siri. The company, called GamePlanner.AI, is a 12-person AI company that has been developing outside of the public eye since it was founded.

Uber is working on a lot of projects to push its business beyond its traditional focus. 

Hidden in Tripadvisor’s latest earnings from earlier this week was some updates on its AI-based trip planning feature that it launched in July, along with some concrete numbers on performance of AI-assisted travel planning.

Amadeus and Microsoft have been working together to explore how generative AI can be integrated into new technologies for the travel industry.

If Viator turns profitable in 2024, would Tripadvisor consider a spinoff? Or would that be like giving up your favorite child?

Now that Airbnb has seen its listings numbers collapse in New York City because of a regulatory crackdown, the short-term rental company thinks boutique hotels can help fill the gap.

IHG Hotels & Resorts recently rolled out a function that allows guests to find and book rooms based on certain attributes, a project it says has been years in the making.

Google on late Thursday outlined its highly anticipated updates to Google Maps, which it began rolling out to users in a select list of cities — mainly in North America and Europe to start.

Amadeus is piloting a new AI-powered retail system meant to make airlines sales more like shopping on Amazon.

Think China’s travel recovery is “sluggish?” Don’t say that to Calvin Chu, managing director and head of international vacation business at Alibaba’s Fliggy.

Since ChatGPT was released last November, several other well-funded companies have released their own versions in an effort to compete. 

The way we travel is constantly changing.

Mews, the property management system startup that raised $185 million late last year, is upping its focus on helping hotels implement next-generation personalization and AI. 

The first generative AI chatbot was released almost a year ago, and there’s been a lot of talk since then about how it could impact travel.

The shift from desktop to mobile created new winners in various industries. Will the current innovations around artificial intelligence do the same? That’s unlikely, according to Spencer Rascoff, co-founder of Zillow and CEO of 75 & Sunny Ventures.

Today’s travelers are in pursuit of emotional engagement, meaningful connections, and memorable moments, and AI is going to be a pivotal tool in fulfilling these desires.

Jason Calacanis and Brad Gerstner are looking forward to the days that generative AI becomes reliable and has a real effect on how the world operates. And they believe that could be the case in some areas in as soon as a year.

So-called junk fees have been in the forefront of many travel executives’ minds, especially after the Biden administration took aim at charges travelers increasingly see as unnecessary and excessive.

Artificial intelligence was a big topic of discussion at the Skift Global Forum in New York City. The biggest names in travel agreed: AI will create huge opportunities for how travel companies engage with their customers and also affect travel jobs. But the full impact won’t be known for years.

A new store powered by Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology has opened at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.