The report shows AI tools like ChatGPT have already become a mainstream source of information about hospitality venues. A quarter (26%) of consumers now use them to learn more about a venue—a level of usage on a par with Google Maps (27%) and close behind other popular sources like social media platforms (32%).

AI is also ‘transforming’ the way potential guests find and leave reviews. Three in five (60%) already trust AI-generated review summaries that distil sentiment from high volumes of feedback and 13% trust these digests more than individual posts.

According to the research, half (51%) say they would be likely to leave a review if an AI tool asked them in the right tone and at the right moment. Other insights from the research include:

• Chatbots are changing communications, and more than two in five (43%) consumers have interacted with one when contacting a venue or ordering.
• AI is personalising the discovery process, with more than a third (37%) of guests already using an AI tool to obtain recommendations tailored to preferences.
• There are concerns about negative impacts, with 39% worried about AI’s potential overriding of personal contact and 33% concerned about privacy and security issues.

Anthony Gaskell, managing director, EMEA at Reputation, said: “AI isn’t a future trend in hospitality: it’s already here. AI-powered search is transforming the consumer decision-making process, making it deeply personal and emotionally driven.

“Operators need to adapt quickly to this new age of personalisation, and harness AI to improve their ability to hear consumer voices, understand what they need, and take actions that make those consumers feel heard. Combined with economic pressures that impact consumer behaviours, AI needs to enable deeper, more personal interactions that make hospitality experiences so special.”