The announcement that Tripadvisor has partnered with AI cloud company Snowflake to roll out a new AI-powered trip builder has left me feeling more wary than excited. The idea of letting an algorithm plan my holiday feels like a recipe for disaster, and here’s why I’m not ready to let AI take the reins of my wanderlust.
Firstly, I’m not just placing my trust in Tripadvisor’s AI. No, that’s not enough—this system also involves Snowflake’s AI. And as the saying goes, “too many cooks spoil the broth.” The more layers of AI involved, the more potential there is for something to go wrong, and the less I feel I can rely on the outcome.
While Rahul Todkar, Tripadvisor’s head of data and AI, reassures travelers that there’s human assistance available, it’s not quite what it sounds like. The “assistance” comes from another AI chatbot—not a living, breathing human who could offer genuine expertise. This lack of accountability and human touch is concerning, especially in light of past AI mishaps.
Just look at the 2022 Air Canada debacle, where an AI chatbot mistakenly told a customer they could apply for a last-minute funeral travel discount—an error that led to a lawsuit. Air Canada’s defense? “It was the bot’s fault, not ours.” This kind of situation could easily happen in travel planning. If an AI chatbot makes a mistake—say, booking me for a holiday to the wrong St. Petersburg—who’s to blame? The chatbot? The platform? Me for trusting it in the first place?
AI may be efficient in some ways. I’ve experienced how technology can streamline travel with facial recognition at passport control or a robot delivering tea to my hotel room. However, these are relatively small conveniences compared to the full responsibility of curating a unique, meaningful travel experience. And herein lies the issue: AI requires massive amounts of personal data to function, and in today’s world of data breaches and cyber threats, I’m not willing to hand over my personal information just to have an algorithm plan my trip.
Ultimately, travel for me is about more than just efficiency or convenience—it’s about discovery. It’s the personal touches, the surprises, and the human connections that make travel so enriching. I’m not ready to let an algorithm shape that experience. AI trip planners might be great for some, but for me, it’s just another way to dampen my wanderlust and narrow the horizons of my travels—perhaps even sending me to a St. Petersburg I didn’t bargain for.
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