Dive Brief:

• Expedia is beta testing an integration of OpenAI’s ChatGPT within its mobile app, according to a press release. 
• Consumers using the feature can have an open-ended conversation within the app to gain personalized travel recommendations and insight. The feature will also save hotels discussed during the conversation to a “trip” for easier planning down the line.
• The feature is currently limited to English conversations but is rolling out globally. Expedia’s latest move follows other recent efforts surrounding ChatGPT and builds on existing artificial intelligence (AI) features within its platform.

Dive Insight:

OpenAI’s ChatGPT continues to spark the imaginations of marketers, leading many to wonder how the conversational tool could enhance their efforts. Primed for opportunity, Expedia’s latest move sees the company bridging the gap between the buzzy tech and the travel industry, offering consumers more assistance as they plan their next adventure.

Using the beta feature, consumers in the Expedia app can now engage in an AI conversation to get personalized travel recommendations on where to stay, things to do and see and tips on how to get around. Layering in intelligent shopping, users will also notice that hotels discussed in the chat will be saved to the app in an effort to offer enhanced convenience when later booking a stay.

The travel brand’s latest move follows another recent effort on the ChatGPT front, which included a partnership with Kayak to build a plug-in directly through the chatbot to help build personalized travel plans using data from the two companies. Now accessible through its mobile app, Expedia’s ChatGPT integration could help the company keep a stronger pulse on consumer loyalty and the tool’s direct impact. 

As marketers continue to show strong interest for ChatGPT, OpenAI has taken notice, recently making its ChatGPT platform available via API to allow businesses to more easily layer the software into their apps and websites. Companies like Snap, Instacart, and Shopify have been quick to jump on the enhanced capability.

In its release, Expedia noted it already uses AI and machine learning to deliver personalized and relevant trip options out of a pool of 1.26 quadrillion variables. The tools are also used for price comparisons, for example, along with a virtual agent for customer service. 

Such experimentation is not without its challenges, however. Early experiences with responsive conversational AI have veered into occasionally creepy interactions, with some, like Snap, already outlining new safeguards around its integrations. During the beta testing phase, Expedia cautioned that inaccurate results and inappropriate responses are possible despite measures being taken to limit such actions. The company also said it would be using feedback from employees and users to ensure the responses meet its standards.