The second day at ITB, focusing on the integration of AI across different sectors of the industry.

Marketing Powered by AI Session:

• Artificial Intelligence is dismantling traditional departmental barriers, fostering a more unified approach between marketing, technology, and other sectors.

• Despite technological advancements, the core principles of marketing remain unchanged, highlighting the evolution of methodologies rather than foundational concepts.

• AI’s utility spans various domains, notably in personalizing customer experiences and enhancing operational efficiency.

• The adoption of AI requires a phase of experimentation and learning to fully harness its capabilities.

• Search behavior is evolving towards more complex, semantic inquiries, exemplified by questions such as the filming locations of movies and accommodation possibilities in those areas.

• Lufthansa is developing a bespoke data platform to enhance its AI capabilities, signaling a significant industry move towards custom infrastructure.

• Conversational search is poised to significantly transform the digital ecosystem, emphasizing the shift towards more natural user interactions.

SHR Group:

• SHR introduced an AI-powered booking engine in 2017, leveraging over a million data points for advanced personalization.

• The technology recognizes returning visitors and tailors content accordingly, including showcasing reviews from similar backgrounds.

• The potential for AI avatars to welcome guests in the near future was discussed, indicating a shift towards more immersive digital interactions.

• Demonstrations of dynamic website personalization showcased AI’s ability to adapt content in real-time based on user behavior and preferences.

• The concept of “trip stacking” was highlighted, where customers leverage free cancellation policies to book multiple options before finalizing their choice, showcasing changing consumer behaviors influenced by flexible booking policies.

• AI is streamlining content management tasks, such as generating varied room descriptions and automating translations, making these processes more efficient and less labor-intensive.

AI Track:

Microsoft

• Microsoft Copilot is set to revolutionize the travel industry with its advanced natural language processing capabilities, marking the beginning of a new computing era.

• The technology emphasizes the importance of context in conversations, enhancing the relevance and accuracy of interactions.

• AI is likened to the electricity revolution, with its potential to power various aspects of daily operations and ensure safe usage through “circuit breakers.”

• Copilot integrates seamlessly with advertising platforms and facilitates direct booking through innovative interfaces like Bing.com/travel.

• The system’s ability to remember user preferences and apply them automatically to future interactions was emphasized, along with its utility in providing concise, relevant information during travel.

Cytric Solutions:

• Cytric Solutions harnesses AI and GPT technology to optimize business travel bookings through Microsoft Teams. This approach not only streamlines the booking process but also seamlessly checks compliance with travel policies in real-time, underlining a commitment to incorporating ethics into AI design from the outset.

Search Generative Experience (SGE):

• SGE marks a shift from conventional search results to providing AI-generated direct answers, fundamentally changing how users interact with search engines. Google’s introduction of “Buy Now” buttons and the prevalence of SGE results in queries underscore the evolving nature of online search, compelling businesses to adapt their digital strategies to remain competitive.

Google:

• Google is at the forefront of advocating for widespread automation, leveraging AI’s vast capabilities in creation, summarization, discovery, and automation. To facilitate rapid AI adoption, Google has outlined a detailed 10-step plan:

1. Identify specific domains and use cases that align with your business strategy.

2. Select a persona to tailor the AI application towards.

3. Determine the data service to use, focusing on minimizing errors and enhancing explainability.

4. Create a dedicated team (Tiger Team) consisting of a business user, prompt engineer, and ML ops specialist.

5. Define clear intentions, objectives, and the desired output of the AI implementation.

6. Design prompts in collaboration with the Tiger Team to ensure effective AI interactions.

7. Build a user-friendly UX and UI that follows a logical flow.

8. Gradually expand AI usage to additional individuals within the organization.

9. Develop a language model operations plan to oversee and manage AI deployment.

10. Extend the AI application to additional use cases, broadening its impact across the business.

• This strategic framework emphasizes the importance of open systems and methodical planning in successfully deploying AI technologies.

Home 2 Go:

• Home2Go is revolutionizing the vacation rental market by employing AI to significantly improve search and booking experiences, featuring an “AI mode” that offers users personalized interactions based on semantic search inquiries. The goal is to transition into a fully AI-powered marketplace, which underscores the importance of being adaptable in technology choices and responsive to the evolving landscape. Home2Go’s strategic approach to AI adoption showcases the potential for AI to categorize companies into innovators, enhancers, or vanishers, highlighting the transformative effect of AI on industry standards and competitiveness.