Booking.com announced on Tuesday that it will be testing a trip planner feature, partially powered by ChatGPT’s large language model, on its travel booking app.
This functionality will enable selected travellers in the United States to ask questions and create itineraries. The feature, available from Wednesday, will also utilize Booking.com’s existing machine-learning models to provide destination and accommodation recommendations.
Rob Francis, Booking.com’s technology chief, expressed enthusiasm for the possibilities offered by their new AI Trip Planner, stating, “Our new AI Trip Planner provides us with some really exciting possibilities to help our customers plan and search for travel options in a very natural, human way.”
ChatGPT, developed by San Francisco-based OpenAI, is a chatbot that can simulate dialogue, respond to follow-up questions, acknowledge errors, challenge incorrect assumptions, and decline inappropriate requests. The emergence of generative AI technology has generated significant interest and prompted many companies to explore its applications.
An initial version of the trip planner will be gradually rolled out to select members of Booking.com’s loyalty program, “Genius,” in the United States over the next few weeks. Expedia, a competitor of Booking.com, also launched a test version of its in-app travel planning experience in April, incorporating ChatGPT’s capabilities. Expedia members can engage in conversations with the feature to receive recommendations on places to visit.
With the integration of AI-powered trip planning, Booking.com aims to provide a seamless and user-friendly experience for travellers, leveraging the advanced capabilities of ChatGPT to enhance the efficiency and convenience of travel itinerary creation.