Is business travel ready for AI?

Many say they look forward to it, but hesitation remains

- WORDS ENRIQUE PERRELLA

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE HAS become the industry's most talked-about tool, with companies racing to introduce booking assistants that promise to streamline the corporate travel experience. Yet despite the fanfare, new research says the business travel community remains cautious - intrigued by Al's potential, but wary of handing over the reins just yet.

SAP Concur's 2024 Global Business Travel Survey, based on 3,750 travellers across 24 markets, highlights this paradox. Nearly nine out of ten respondents said they would be “comfortable” with Al-powered booking tools, provided they were rolled out responsibly. A fifth even described Al-driven travel recommendations as “critical”.