HANOVER/LONDON (dpa-AFX) – Generative artificial intelligence (AI) will have a major impact on the tourism industry, according to Tui manager Pieter Jordaan. “Those who use the technology will be faster and more productive than those who do without it,” the travel group’s CIO said. Generative AI that can generate new content will replace tasks very quickly, he said. It also has implications for end users, he said. “It will fundamentally change the way people plan and book their travel in the future.”
In the UK, Tui now uses the ChatGPT text robot in its app. About half of its customers have been able to access it in a trial so far. ChatGPT uses generative AI to provide users with personalized suggestions for trips and to answer questions about vacation destinations. With more than 10,000 users, demand for the service is higher than expected, he said.
In the future, customers in Germany will also be able to use the text robot in the app. “If all tests are successful and we are satisfied with the security, we want to launch the product by the end of the year,” Jordaan said. In Germany, there are already several travel companies using ChatGPT for various applications.
To prevent incorrect responses from ChatGPT, Tui says it has taken precautions in the app. For example, answers can be checked before they are shown to customers. For each request, the group pays a rather small fee, the CIO said. At no time does Tui share customer data when ChatGPT is used in the app./lkm/DP/stk
