AI Gap: Leadership, Not Tech, Challenges Travel

SECTION 1: THE SUMMARY

The travel industry’s AI gap is a leadership and alignment challenge, not a technological one, according to a new report which found that while 80% of travel companies use AI, only 12.5% feel prepared to deploy it at scale.

This disconnect, highlighted in Amperity’s 2025 State of AI in Travel Report, shows that most investment is in back-end functions, while only 35% of brands use AI in guest-facing experiences. The core issue is not a lack of tools but organizational barriers: over a third of organizations provide no AI training, 58% of companies report fragmented customer data, and only 29% of customer-facing teams can manage data independently of IT.

The report’s main strategic insight is that solving these alignment issues is key. The solution is to create a unified data foundation, with the report noting that companies using a Customer Data Platform (CDP) are five times more likely to achieve full AI adoption. The primary opportunity lies in shifting investment from back-end operations to guest-facing applications—like check-ins and service recovery—to build lasting loyalty.

SECTION 2: KEY DATA & INSIGHTS

Key Data & Insights

Key Quantifiable Data

• 80%: of travel companies use AI in some capacity.
• 12.5%: of companies feel prepared to deploy AI on a larger scale.
• 35%: of travel brands currently use AI in guest experiences.
• 58%: of companies report that their customer data is fragmented or incomplete.
• Over a third (approx. 33.3%+): of travel organizations provide no formal AI training.
• 29%: of marketing/customer-facing teams can manage customer data independently.
• 14%: of these teams rely entirely on IT.
• 5x (five times): Companies using a Customer Data Platform (CDP) are five times more likely to achieve full AI adoption.
• 2x (nearly twice): Companies using a CDP are nearly twice as likely to use AI daily.

Key Strategic Insights

• Key Report: Amperity’s 2025 State of AI in Travel Report.
• Core Problem: The AI gap is a “leadership and alignment” problem, not a technology one.
• The 3 Barriers: 1) Limited training, 2) Heavy IT dependency, 3) Data fragmentation.
• The 4 Solutions: 1) Unify data, 2) Build trust through quality/transparency, 3) Invest in people (training), 4) Evolve toward context-aware AI.
• The Key Tool / Solution: The critical importance of a Customer Data Platform (CDP) as the “foundation that allows AI to operate effectively.”
• Key Strategic Opportunity: Shift investment from back-end functions (marketing, support) to guest-facing applications (check-in, personalization, service recovery) where loyalty is built.

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