To outpace its competitors in the travel industry, online travel agency Expedia announced the upcoming launch of an AI assistant designed to enhance features such as search, itinerary creation, trip planning, and real-time updates like flight status changes.
Operating a range of online travel aggregators and metasearch engines, Expedia is introducing a bot named Romie, trained using both internal data and OpenAI models. Romie assists users with hotel searches, itinerary development, and minor modifications. Available for inclusion in iMessage group chats or direct communication on WhatsApp, Romie is accessed via a phone number and utilizes ChatGPT technology.
Users can interact with Romie on iMessage by mentioning the bot to get itinerary summaries or restaurant recommendations. The bot can then guide users directly to the Expedia app, providing links to itineraries or suggested activities.
Expedia is also rolling out a smart search function on its website. This feature allows users to describe their desired hotel attributes in natural language, rather than using traditional filters. For example, typing “Rooftop and view of the sea” will yield search results featuring hotels that match these criteria.
These innovations are currently being tested with a select group through Expedia’s EG Labs program, which enables U.S.-based users to trial the new functionalities.
Expedia has announced that it aggregates data from various platforms such as AccuWeather and Yelp Network to enhance its search and bot functionalities. This integration enables the company to provide real-time updates to travelers regarding flight and weather changes. Additionally, it can offer recommendations, such as finding hotels near the airport in the event of a flight cancellation.
The company began its foray into AI last year with the launch of an in-app travel planning tool powered by ChatGPT. It appears that Expedia is now focusing on incorporating AI more deeply into its primary features.
Competitors are also advancing in this area. In June 2023, Booking.com rolled out AI-driven trip planning features. Airbnb has been testing AI-based review summaries and is working towards creating the “ultimate concierge.” In March, Kayak introduced a new conversational tool and a price comparison feature based on screenshots.
Startups are leveraging AI to challenge established travel platforms. For instance, Mindtrip, backed by Costanoa Ventures, is developing an AI travel agent, while Vancouver-based Pilot is using AI to enhance social aspects of travel planning.
Layla, which has investors like firstminute capital, M13, Booking.com co-founder Andy Phillipps, Skyscanner co-founder Barry Smith, and Paris Hilton, is creating a comprehensive travel recommendation app utilizing existing data and creator content. Earlier this year, Layla acquired FLYR.com and AI itinerary builder Roam Around, backed by Jason Calacanis.
During a call with TechCrunch, Rathi Murthy, CTO of Expedia Group, expressed confidence in their AI solution despite significant competition. Murthy highlighted that their AI assistant is multifaceted, operating as a travel agent, personal assistant, and concierge that proactively facilitates trip management and problem-solving.
Murthy pointed out that while they haven’t yet enabled the AI assistant, Romie, for use in WhatsApp group chats, this limitation is due to understanding the group dynamics rather than technical barriers.
As part of its spring update, Expedia also plans to introduce a cross-date price comparison tool, an AI-driven help page, and guest review summaries.
