Business Travelers' Attitudes Towards Artificial Intelligence in Travel
A recent report by travel and spend management platform Engine reveals intriguing insights into how business travelers perceive artificial intelligence (AI) in the context of travel arrangements.
86% of business travelers are willing to delegate "routine travel arrangements" like booking flights and hotels to AI, while 82% are comfortable letting it handle expense reporting.
Richie Karaburun, a clinical associate professor of hospitality and tourism at New York University, expressed a common pain point:
"It's the most archaic system: matching the receipts, classifying the expenses, identifying the anomalies. I don't want to take a picture of my expenses or think, oops, I forgot I got this glass of wine and now have to take it off the claim."
However, when it comes to client-related tasks, travelers' preferences shift. 53% still prefer a human touch for planning client trips or dinners.
Adam Braun, CEO of Clarasight, offered a strategic perspective:
"The best decisions for AI to make independently are those that are high confidence, reversible, and consistent with preferences and company rules."
Despite the comfort level with AI for some decisions, 76% of respondents acknowledged that AI might struggle with understanding the value of face-to-face meetings, such as attending trade shows or meeting clients in different cities.
The Engine report, based on responses from 1,000 U.S. business travelers, also highlights mixed results regarding AI's impact:
- 77% of travel managers reported increased visibility and control over travel.
- 71% witnessed improved compliance.
- However, 60% noted a rise in travel costs, and 60% spent more time on planning, booking, and expense filing since implementing AI.