Navigating Artificial Intelligence in a Changing Corporate Travel Landscape

• Travel management companies are increasingly integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) in their operations, enhancing customer experiences and operational efficiency. 
• The distinction between ‘everyday AI’ and ‘game-changing AI’ is crucial in understanding AI’s current state and future trajectory in corporate travel.

Matthew Newton, CWT’s Chief Architect, questioned organizations’ readiness to adopt Gen AI during a session at the Business Travel Tech Talk, despite a McKinsey survey indicating that 91% of workers are already using it. As the leader of a team dedicated to developing digital strategies and modernizing systems, he warns against the hype surrounding AI, emphasizing its potential to reshape the travel sector.

Travel management companies (TMCs) leverage AI to enhance post-hype corporate travel programs. For instance, TMCs integrate AI into their operations to analyze traveler preferences and streamline inbound email inquiries. AI is also aiding in ensuring that corporate travel policies and guides are quickly translated and published, allowing agents to provide their clients with relevant, timely information. AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants further augment the interaction between TMCs and travelers.

Newton underscores the need to distinguish between ‘everyday AI’ and ‘game-changing AI’. The former includes tools that automate routine tasks, while the latter refers to innovations with industry-transforming potential. Currently, the prevalent form of AI is ‘narrow AI’, designed to perform specific tasks such as recognizing faces or recommending travel routes. The broader ‘Super AI’, which can think and reason like humans, is still far off on the horizon.

While AI has yielded tangible results, the gains remain incremental. Newton suggests a balanced approach in utilizing ‘Everyday AI’ to streamline current operations while preparing for larger transformations. The success of AI, he asserts, is more about creating lasting impact rather than quick wins or isolated improvements. This calls for a strategic collaboration between TMCs, clients, travel providers, and partners to ensure AI solutions deliver value that aligns with business goals. In conclusion, Newton advocates for the readiness to embrace the disruptive potential of AI, which can create new value and improve service delivery for travelers in a way that respects human values and the planet.