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Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming industries, and travel is no exception. In an engaging discussion with Anna Jaffe, CEO and Co-Founder of Mobi AI, and Harriet Brown, Vice President of Product, we explored how AI is reshaping the way travelers dream, plan, and experience the world. Here’s a deep dive into the insights shared during our conversation.
Harriet opened the conversation by highlighting a vision of travel where the joy of discovery is amplified, while the mundane aspects of planning are minimized. Travelers often enjoy dreaming and crafting the perfect itinerary, but few appreciate the tedious hours spent cross-referencing maps or figuring out logistics.
“I think artificial intelligence can keep the joy in planning while eliminating the work,” Harriet explained. She noted that AI excels at reducing friction, allowing users to focus on the aspirational and creative aspects of travel planning.
Mike Coletta, Senior Manager of Research and Innovation at Phocuswright, adds, “AI is already very good at understanding travel requests and making relevant suggestions. In the future, autonomous AI agents will be able to use our digital identity credentials to gather personalized travel options for us, let us choose what to book, and then, having access to our personal data and payment information, go do the real dirty work of making the actual bookings.”
Anna delved deeper into the mechanics of how AI can revolutionize travel in three key areas:
Mike says, “Today’s LLMs struggle with spatial-temporal reasoning, although they are making progress. Still, it remains one of their biggest weaknesses in complex itinerary and logistics planning. Mobi AI’s ability to enhance their generative AI solutions with this layer is a big value add.”
We discussed how Gen Z, often the vanguard of technological adoption, is poised to drive AI-enabled travel innovation. Anna noted that younger travelers collect inspiration differently than previous generations, storing imagery and ideas on platforms like Pinterest or social media rather than traditional tools like Google Maps.
Harriet added that Gen Z’s demand for unique, eco-conscious experiences will influence how AI tools evolve. “They don’t just want to find the most popular spots—they want to uncover the next hidden gem,” she said. AI has the potential to surface underexplored locations and ensure that travel remains sustainable by avoiding over-tourism.
One of Mobi AI’s standout innovations is its intent-driven search functionality. Harriet described it as a way to let users ask the questions they truly care about, such as:
By understanding these nuanced queries, Mobi AI delivers more accurate and personalized results. Harriet emphasized, “Search in the travel industry hasn’t evolved much since the early days of dot-coms. Now is the time to reinvent it.”
Harriet and Anna shared insights on how Mobi AI collaborates with B2B partners in the travel ecosystem:
On the consumer side, Mobi AI remains primarily a B2B company. Its goal is to remain an invisible partner, enabling brands to take credit for innovations while driving conversions and customer satisfaction.
Robert Patterson, SVP of Marketing Technology at MMGY summed it up in a discussion, “Today’s travelers expect brands to understand their preferences and deliver curated, personal experiences. AI empowers travel brands to activate consumer data to deliver personalized messaging and digital interactions at scale. Without leveraging AI, travel brands risk becoming less competitive and obsolete.”