Can AI fix the travel mess the Internet created

[nihalsari]

The Internet revolutionized travel by putting every flight, hotel and rental at consumers’ fingertips. It also buried them under too many choices. AI is now being pitched as a way to undo some of that chaos.

Booking Holdings boss Glenn Fogel and Airbnb chief Brian Chesky both told the Skift Global Forum in New York that AI could revive the simplicity of the travel-agent era.

In the pre-Internet era human agents distilled thousands of possibilities into a handful of curated options. The web killed off those agents which AI can bring back.

AI has the potential to replace today’s search bars and filters with conversational tools that narrow thousands of choices into just a few tailored options.

Airbnb plans to pilot natural-language search later this year, aiming for a full rollout in 2026. The ambition is to turn the app into an “AI-native” platform within three years, replacing filters and endless scrolling with a conversational interface.

Chesky warned that AI poses an “existential risk” even to Airbnb, but also a chance to grab share if rivals stumble.

The company is also tweaking its model, from a standardized host fee to a fresh hotel-sales interface, while holding onto longer-term dreams of being the “Amazon of Services.”

Booking sees parallels between today’s AI boom and the dotcom era, in which many ventures will flop, but those that survive will be stronger.

Executives say AI is already improving marketing returns and could eventually power a seamless “Connected Trip” that automatically rearranges flights, hotels and cars when disruptions hit.

[Nahid10]

AI could be the new travel agent — cutting through noise to give curated choices. ️

[jacson4]

Too many options online = chaos. AI brings back simplicity we lost.