Booking Holdings Sees Next-Gen AI as Advancing the Connected Trip

Booking Holdings intends to build on its decade-long experience of using artificial intelligence (AI) to make the most of recent advances in the field and apply them to online travel.

Generative AI — which uses large language models — could improve travel searching, reservations, and customer service, said CEO Glenn Fogel during the online travel giant's first quarter earnings call Thursday.

"Two interesting possibilities are interactive itinerary building and answering travelers questions," Fogel said. "Some of our brands, like Kayak and OpenTable, are experimenting with generative AI plug-ins, while others are building ways to integrate the technology into their own offerings."

Major shifts in technology can be disruptive to the largest players in any digital field. So one analyst asked Fogel if he had any concerns about Booking's future.