The tech elite promise a world where AI will revolutionize the way we do everything — and that includes how we travel. Only, maybe the utopian ideal of ‘AI’ enhancing your globetrotting experiences is more pipe dream than ‘coming soon.’

Don’t expect AI chatbots or digital assistants to replace your travel planner anytime soon, or act as your personal concierge, rebooking you on cheaper flights or anticipating missed connections. Instead, many travel businesses — happy with the norm — seem to be using technology to actively worsen the travel experience.

Travel dystopia: Most travel companies have clunky websites, slow apps, and subpar support desks. First-order principles would say, let’s start there. But rather than emphasize the customer, many are accepting ‘business as usual’ and implementing technology — and whatever passes as AI to their investors — to extract more value from travelers. It’s not just revenue, but data too. Travelers would be wise to take note and be cautious — even if it costs them some peace of mind.

• DeltaDAL
  is rolling out “AI” to programmatically price tickets, creating a “truly personalized offer” — in other words, collecting an excess of data on flyers and then using it to charge the highest conceivable price.
• HertzHTZ
  is now using “AI inspection portals” to scan cars for damage — View from the Wing’s Gary Leff notes that the new system is billing drivers for damage at “5 times the previous rate.”
• MarriottMAR
  handed control of room upgrades for Bonvoy members over to a computer, too, meaning that whether or not you get a suite is now in the hands of 1s and 0s, rather than a human.

Beware of Dog “AI”

The key takeaway here is that AI is coming for your travel — but maybe not in the way you’d hoped. And unfortunately, it’s part of a holistic trend sweeping American travel brands.

• Brands have already embraced AI slop “support agents” to justify cutting down on human customer support, making it harder to get answers or help when you need it the most.
• They’re also seeking new growth through targeted advertising; they say it’s to “personalize” experiences, but it means collecting more information on you and selling you to the highest bidder.

So what can you do? To avoid a world where travelers are kept on their toes during otherwise relaxing vacations or business trips, travelers might simply have to stay, fly, or rent from somewhere else. Lest travelers are seen approving of ‘business as usual’, the gradual ‘enshittification’ of what should be your most relaxing experiences could quietly become a premium upcharge.