Hospitality and AI
AI, Hospitality and Agenda 2030
Last week, the headlines were buzzing: up to 200,000 banking jobs could vanish thanks to AI (Forbes). It’s the kind of news that makes your think and not just about jobs, about the entire system we’re working in.
Capitalism, tech, and global goals like Agenda 2030. Are we on the brink of (another) reinvention, or is it really just a colossal mess?
A Capitalist Reality Check
Capitalism thrives on two things:
If AI replaces workers and production costs nosedive to near-zero, both pillars start to shake. No jobs mean no income. No incomes mean no spending. The whole feedback loop falls... So, does AI open the door to untold prosperity (as economists like to dream), or are we hurtling toward a dystopian wealth gap??
Four Scenarios for the Future
1. Monopolies Take Over
AI could create super-rich monopolies. The companies running AI and production systems would own everything that matters. Competition? Gone. Middle class? Where? Economic growth? All about capital, not labour.
More pressure on governments to step in with regulations and taxes, but will that be enough?
2. Universal Basic Income (UBI) to the Rescue
Governments might turn to UBI to keep people spending. Trials have been popping up, showing it can work… sort of. UBI needs cash, and that cash would likely come from taxing AI giants. A system built on minimal government meddling might need major interference to survive.
Would it stabilise the economy? Maybe. Those with more knowledge that I likely have a more relevant opinion, but the cost, feasibility, and political fight over UBI are massive hurdles.
3. Time for a New Playbook
If people producing aren’t the economy’s main drivers anymore, what’s next? In a world where traditional goods lose value, that might shift to creativity, culture, and community impact.
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So how do we rewire generations of thinking where “you are your job”? Redefining purpose and worth could be the biggest challenge yet.
4. Reinventing the Whole System
If AI’s inequality train keeps speeding down the tracks, capitalism as we know it could break. The system has evolved before in times of crisis, could it happen again?
Maybe a hybrid model will emerge: part capitalism, part socialism, all about balance. Think re-skilling programs, fair growth policies, and governments, businesses, and people working together. It sounds utopian, but can it be done?
Agenda 2030?
The UN’s Agenda 2030 could be a roadmap. Goals like “Decent Work and Economic Growth” and “Reduced Inequalities” speak directly to these issues. But AI brings both opportunities and risks:
What Now?
Meanwhile, in Hospitality...
Let’s bring this back to hotels and hospitality. Hospitality isn’t exactly leading the AI revolution. Ask a Marketing or Revenue Manager:
Not really. It’s possible, but the investment needed to sort out the data infrastructure is huge. And those shiny tech platforms? Still a work in progress.
Right now, it’s a game of invest, evolve, or get left behind. But my question: Who’s demanding this change? And who’s actually going to benefit from it?
Final Thoughts
AI is reshaping work, wealth, and value. The question isn’t if, but how. Will it disrupt everything or lead us to something better? The choices we make today will define where we land. Are we on the verge of reinvention, or just a polished version of the same old story?
Humanizing AI for Hospitality | ex-Google ??
1 个月Very thoughtful, Susanne! 1. Personalised emails, chatbots or guest stay summaries are incremental improvements to existing workflows. 2. The significant disruption will come with AI agents (and later robots) that observe, reason, plan and act like humans, except that they'll be smarter, faster, cheaper, collaborative, infinitely scalable, and with minimal biases. 3. AI agents will help us solve many chronic issues, for instance: - Travelers' desire for easy planning, hyper-personalization, and no language barriers. - OTAs preventing personalization while extracting $xxBn. - Staff shortages (2M unfilled roles), skill gaps and overload. - Affordable access to knowledge, tools and skills. 4. Job losses will affect roles that are not suitable for humans in the first place or are intermediary: Revenue Management, Reservations, Accounting, Night Audit, various advising, etc. People will need to reskill and transition. Hotel schools and management companies will need to reinvent themselves. 5. It will be disruptive, but in a positive way. Guests, owners, operators, and staff will all benefit. The process will be bumpy and I find it important that we open ourselves to it and support each other along the journey.