The next time you plan a vacation with Expedia, you can get assistance from a new travel advisor: ChatGPT.
Expedia Group said Tuesday that the online travel agency has introduced “conversational trip planning” driven by an OpenAI computer program.
The Expedia iOS app’s in-app AI, which is available worldwide in English, can make recommendations for where to travel, where to stay, how to get about, and what to do. Based on your interactions, it also automatically builds “trips” and remembers hotel possibilities.
How does the ChatGPT function on Expedia?
Users may converse with the app’s program while it is in beta testing and receive suggestions on where to go, where to stay, what to do, and other topics.
Hotels mentioned in the chat are immediately saved in the app as part of the process, the business stated in a press statement. This “helps members stay organized and makes it easier for them to start choosing dates, checking availability, and adding on flights, cars, or activities.”
In a video example that Expedia posted, a consumer requests advice on “romantic resorts on Maui” for an upcoming honeymoon in Hawaii. The function enables them to click through to their preferred selection once the software offers a few possibilities.
Who may use the ChatGPT function on Expedia?
The company’s iOS app offers access to the function for travelers. According to a spokeswoman, they will require an Expedia account in order for the hotel suggestions to be added to a “trip” on the app.
Users of Android devices cannot use the function, which is also only available in English.
The Expedia representative wrote in an email, “This is a new technology, so we intend to test and learn how travelers interact with it but ultimately, we envision this experience being rolled out more broadly.”
Can ChatGPT be used as a travel agency?
The free version of OpenAI’s ChatGPT does not provide the same breadth of services as a human travel agent. For instance, the program could exchange flight information, such as which airlines operate between specific places, but it was unable to assist the user in making reservations.
According to Expedia, the OpenAI partnership enables it to “rapidly evolve the experience” in response to user interaction. Expedia warns that AI chatbots are still being developed, hence the “beta” designation. The experience “may not work exactly as expected at times, despite many measures being taken to limit inaccurate results and inappropriate responses,” the business states.
