For hoteliers, the art of hospitality has long been about creating exceptional experiences, understanding guest needs, exceeding expectations and making each stay special.
In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) and automation have had a huge impact on hospitality, from redefining service delivery and streamlining operations to elevating personalization.
The Middle East has positioned itself at the forefront of this technological evolution, especially key hubs like Dubai and Riyadh. Led by AI-driven digital personalization, seamless check-ins and automated concierge services, technology has changed what it means to offer luxury. However, as we chase seamless perfection in automation, are we at risk of removing the human touch?
Vince Lombardi, the legendary American NFL coach, once said, “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.”
This rings especially true for hospitality. While automation promises efficiency, a flawless guest journey risks leaving little room for genuine, personal interactions. The challenge for hoteliers is not just to integrate these new tools, but to ensure they allow space for the essence of hospitality to live and breathe through human connection.
The development of AI and automation has been fascinating to witness over the past 30 years, marked by key milestones along the way. Tracking the evolution of these tech tools and analyzing their impact on today’s guest experience provides valuable insights into how to make best use of them. Significantly, it also helps in the search for solutions to tech-related industry challenges.
Laying the foundations (1990s – 2000s)
The first wave of AI and automation in hospitality took place largely behind the scenes. Initially, hotels began introducing automated reservation systems, early customer relationship management (CRM) tools and basic property management systems (PMS) that streamlined operations. Revenue management software allowed hotels to adjust pricing based on demand, marking one of the earliest uses of AI in decision-making.
By the 2000s, keyless room entry systems using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology became more common, improving guest convenience. These developments laid the groundwork for more advanced AI-driven innovations.
The rise of digital personalization (2010s)
We began to see the true potential of AI in action in hospitality in the 2010s, as machine learning began influencing guest interactions. Hotels started leveraging AI to analyze guest preferences, predict needs and enhance personalization.
For example, Marriott introduced ChatBotlr, an AI-powered assistant that allowed guests to request services via messaging apps. Meanwhile, Hilton launched Connie, an AI-driven concierge that provided personalized recommendations based on guest inquiries. In other developments, automated housekeeping and maintenance systems were now improving efficiency behind the scenes.
AI at the heart of hotel operations (2020s and beyond)
Today, AI and automation are woven into every aspect of hospitality. Predictive analytics are helping hotels to anticipate guest preferences before they even check in. AI-powered chatbots are handling reservations, room service requests and concierge recommendations, ensuring round-the-clock availability.
For example, AI-driven systems across hospitality already assist international guests in multiple languages, while the advanced CCTV system at Atlantis The Palm in Dubai has the potential to use facial recognition for seamless check-ins in the future. More generally, automated housekeeping schedules and predictive maintenance ensure that hotels operate with maximum efficiency.
AI personalization beyond expectations
AI and automation have transformed hospitality by taking over many time-consuming and repetitive tasks, allowing employees to focus on high-value, guest-facing interactions. Once a luxury, personalization is now an expectation, with AI analyzing booking history and preferences to create tailored experiences. Hotels like Mandarin Oriental and Marriott leverage machine-learning to anticipate guest needs, ensuring every detail, from room temperature to itinerary suggestions, aligns with individual preferences.
Contactless check-ins, smart room controls and AI-driven concierge services have streamlined operations, offering unparalleled convenience, while reducing the burden on front-line teams. AI has also optimized housekeeping schedules and predictive maintenance, improving efficiency and sustainability in hotels such as Accor. These advancements not only enhance service, but can also help to reduce employee turnover by eliminating key tedious tasks associated with job dissatisfaction. By automating routine processes, technology is now allowing employees to dedicate more time to personalizing guest experiences in ways that it is unable to replicate.
The risk of over-automation
AI and automation have undeniably improved efficiency, but they also come with risks. If hotels fully automate the guest experience – with every request predicted and every service executed flawlessly – do they risk making hospitality feel mechanical rather than meaningful? When guests enter a hotel, they need to feel, surely, that they are valued, rather than simply another data point in an algorithm.
AI operates by seeking out the most probable response to a given prompt, meaning that its outputs, by design, are distinctly average. This raises an important question for hotel owners, operators and investors. Would you be satisfied if guests continuously described your hotel as ‘distinctly average?’
While AI can be impressively accurate, constantly refining its responses as it learns from more data, accuracy is not the same as inspiration. AI cannot surprise, innovate or inspire. It simply delivers what is expected, without any urge to go beyond expectations. True hospitality, on the other hand, thrives on the unexpected. This could be the personal welcome, the thoughtful upgrade or the intuitive service that goes beyond what the guest even knew they wanted. It is these moments that turn first-time visitors into lifelong guests.
Retaining human brilliance
The most successful hotels will likely be those that use AI not as a replacement for human interaction but as a tool to enhance it.
The best technology allows human service to shine, making interactions more meaningful rather than diminishing them. Human brilliance is a key ingredient in creating these ‘wow’ moments that drive guest loyalty, and I certainly don’t believe that any algorithm can accurately replicate the magic of that genuine hospitality experience.
