THE BULLETIN
AI is reinforcement ; IT ’ S NOT A REPLACEMENT
EDITORIAL David Eisen Editor In Chief
This is not a column bashing AI . No , not Allen Iverson ; rather , artificial intelligence , which no one can stop talking about since ChatGPT dropped it on humanity .
I am far from a Luddite . Imagine the amount of ankle injuries Allen Iverson would have incurred playing in Chuck Taylors . Technology can often improve human functionality and AI has clear benefits to simplify processes .
AI should make lives easier , yet it still has an insidious connotation , much of it the doing of Hollywood . Before Will Smith slapped Chris Rock , he starred in a science fiction film called “ I , Robot ,” whose source material is certainly pulled from arguably the most prominent sci-fi writer of our time , Isaac Asimov . Without giving away the plot , the movie centers on highly intelligent robots filling public service positions , but then things go haywire , because it ’ s a movie .
At the core of the film is what ’ s known as The Three Laws of Robotics , rules , concocted by Asimov , that dicate the human / robot relationship . Basically : robots must listen to humans , care for humans , adhere to human directions .
Cool stuff . Asimov died in 1992 , so it ’ s unclear whether he knew that his fiction might someday become non-fiction .
What are the implications for travel and hospitality ? So much . Maybe I ’ m a cynic , but I can ’ t shake the thought of C-suiters in the back room , smoking cigars , sipping cognac and trying to figure out how AI can save money or , euphemistically , improve the customer experience .
AI was discussed in many sessions during June ’ s NYU conference . A small sampling of quotes from CEOs absent attribution : “ AI can ’ t fully replace the roles of individuals who supply the critical human interaction .” “ AI , if deployed correctly , can remove friction from the search and booking process .” “ AI is already being used in pricing and revenue management .” “ I don ’ t want a robot to welcome a guest .” I recently asked a source whether AI would replace hotel workers . After mulling the question over , here ’ s what ChatGPT relayed : “ While AI has the potential to automate certain tasks and improve operational efficiency in the hotel industry , it is unlikely to completely replace all hotel workers in the foreseeable future .”
It then listed five reasons why : 1 ) Human interaction and personalized service — AI may augment these services but is unlikely to fully replace the need for human interaction . 2 ) Complex and context-specific tasks — though AI can assist , it may struggle to replicate the level of understanding required for such tasks . 3 ) Unpredictable situations and emergencies — humans are better equipped to handle these scenarios . 4 ) Guest preferences and cultural nuances — AI may struggle to match this level of cultural awareness and adaptability . 5 ) Emotional connection and empathy — these are challenging for AI to replicate authentically .
The last reason is all you need to know . AI is not sentient . At least not yet ( gulp ). No machine , robot or floating head can replace the sensitivity needed when little Susie scrapes her knee by the pool or replicate the composure needed when dealing with an unruly guest .
AI is here and will only evolve . Its implications are vast and it can make , for example , booking a vacation or business trip or meeting easier . And that ’ s good for the hotel industry . What it can ’ t do is replace hospitality because , by definition , hospitality is delivered with feeling and love .
Homer Simpson once exclaimed : “ Computers can do that ?” They can do a lot of things , sure , but there are some things better left to humans .
Kathakali Nandi Editorial Writer
Tatiana Valenzuela Editorial Coordinator
Juan Cruz del Val Designer
Contributing Writers Derek Herscovici , Stefani C . O ' Connor and Micah Solomon
PUBLISHING Ali Jahangiri CEO
Brian Levine Publisher
INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD Gilda Perez-Alvarado Global CEO , JLL Hotels & Hospitality
Arash Azarbarzin CEO , Highgate
Danny Hughes President , Americas , Hilton
Jeanelle Johnson Partner , PwC
Raj Chandnani EVP & CDO , WATG
Mike Deitemeyer President & CEO , Aimbridge Hospitality
Cindy Estis Green Co-founder & CEO , Kalibri Labs
Raúl González CEO EMEA , Barcelo Hotels & Resorts
Alan Fuerstman Founder , Chairman , CEO , Montage International
Patrick Scholes MD , Lodging and Leisure Equity Research , Truist Securities
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Jul / Aug 2023 hotelsmag . com 5