THE A.I RENNAISSANCE

FROM PERSONALISED EXPERIENCES TO ADVANCED TRAVEL-RELATED TECHNOLOGY, AI IS SET TO TRANSFORM HOW WE TRAVEL THE WORLD

- NITIN CHAUDHARY

ONE DAY, PERHAPS in the coming months, you could be lying on your couch and thinking about a vacation. You would have your phone nearby. You pick it up and tell your artificial intelligence-powered phone that you want to take a week-long trip to Rome in Italy. "Prepare me an itinerary that includes a visit to the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and yes, not to forget, include all the nice cafes that I must visit for my morning cappuccino and afternoon espresso shots," you would dictate while lazily reclining on your couch, "And don't forget to tell me the availability and prices of the air tickets. I prefer to travel in the late morning and return by Saturday evening."

Within minutes, your phone would churn out a near-perfect travel plan, including airfare options. "Should I book your air tickets and make a reservation at the restaurants based on diet preferences that you have told me before?" it asks. After a passing look, you would say yes and go back to your afternoon nap.

This future is not far away from science fiction stuff anymore. Al-enabled bots, such as ChatGPT, have already started creating itineraries and help away the hassle of collecting information manually by studying guidebooks or scrolling internet sites. Very clearly, AI algorithms will act as personal assistants and help travellers create a personalised itinerary based on travellers' preferences, past choices, and real-time data. These recommendations will range from destination suggestions to activities and dining options on the go.

Soon, there will be many more use cases and AI tools available that will disrupt the travel industry. Here are some of the ways in which we may see the disruption in the coming decade.

AUGMENTED REALITY AND METAVERSE