Will AI Bring Hotel General Managers Back to the Lobby?

Artificial intelligence is improving human interaction by freeing hotel leaders from spreadsheets and bringing them back to guests

Artificial intelligence has quickly become one of the most talked about topics in hospitality, and it’s often accompanied by equal parts of excitement and anxiety. The conversation is not whether AI will become part of the hotel business, but how it will influence our behaviors and interactions.

Over the next five years, the most meaningful impact of AI will come from its ability to free hotel leaders from the distracting burden of collecting, manipulating, and interpreting data. For decades, our managers have been pulled deeper into administrative work that keeps them behind a desk rather than creating relationships with guests and associates.

We need to reverse that trend.

Instead of spending hours assembling reports and reconciling information from different systems, managers should be able to leverage AI to receive clear, actionable information to help them make better decisions faster. It’s not a matter of technological efficiency; rather it’s delivering insights and clarity to leaders so they can better focus on people.

For management companies that are just beginning their AI journeys, the most practical first step is using tools that already exist. Leaders and operators need to become comfortable experimenting with AI in ways that reduce daily workflow and improve productivity. They need to practice with today’s tools so tomorrow’s solutions feel approachable. This will be a rapid evolution, but operators must jump in now to understand the opportunity.

The larger structural changes in technology, branding, and distribution will take time to evolve, but organizations that begin learning now will be better prepared for what comes next.

One of the advantages of AI is that it does not dramatically change the playing field between branded and independent properties. Data will continue to be consolidated across brands or within brand families, but the real opportunity lies in aggregating and interpreting that data more effectively. AI has the ability to distill insights from the data swamp.

Additionally, AI tools can help operators access corporate tools, operational knowledge, and process expertise that may have previously been difficult to locate or understand. Across disciplines, management companies hold a tremendous amount of institutional knowledge and history that is difficult to access. AI simply provides a new way to unlock it.

Dispelling Misconceptions

Despite all the enthusiasm surrounding artificial intelligence, there are still misconceptions about what it can realistically do today. Owners and operators are constantly being bombarded with marketing messages suggesting that AI solutions are fully mature and ready to transform the industry overnight.

The reality is more nuanced.

For some time, the hospitality industry has been using AI for revenue management and labor scheduling, but many of the most promising applications around data aggregation and operational intelligence are still developing. Those solutions will arrive, but the industry is not quite there yet.

Rather than fearing AI, the hospitality industry should view it as a tool that helps us deliver on our core promise – guest satisfaction.

The goal is not to replace human service but rather to enhance it. AI can help operators monitor the physical condition of a property, identify operational challenges earlier, and give managers the insights they need to lead more effectively. Rather than sifting through historical reports, property leadership will receive proactive alerts about financial and operational issues.

Perhaps most importantly, it can free leaders from the endless cycle of reporting and analysis that has gradually pulled them away from guests.

Collaboration is Key

The success of AI adoption will also depend on collaboration across the industry. Hotel brands have a powerful voice in shaping the technology landscape and should work closely with vendors to define the next generation of operational and revenue tools. Management companies and owners must also articulate their ideal solutions so technology providers can build systems that truly address user needs.

Ultimately, AI has the potential to level the playing field between the largest operators and the rest of the management world. When large and small players alike have access to clearer information and better analytical tools, the competitive advantage shifts back to execution. The companies that thrive are those with the strongest field organizations, the most effective processes, and the clearest strategic vision.

AI has the power to flip the script on how hotels operate.

The companies that embrace that opportunity will innovate and thrive. Those that hesitate risk being left behind.

About the Author

Andrew Carey is the Chief Executive Officer at Newport Hospitality Group, overseeing the management firm’s new growth opportunities through equity ventures and new acquisitions as well as the general operations of the company. Earning his MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, Andrew started his career 20 years ago by structuring and investing limited partnerships in a variety of real estate environments. Shortly thereafter, he joined Paine Webber where he helped to source and invest $200 million in real estate investments across the United States. Andrew now strives to ensure that every property in Newport Hospitality Group’s portfolio receives the best possible hotel management expertise.