Kayak’s travel search engine will now enable users to search for trips before booking using artificial intelligence. This week, the company launched its “AI Mode” feature, which allows users to ask travel-related questions and compare and book flights, hotels and cars through an AI chatbot integrated with the company’s website.
This feature is currently available on both desktop and mobile web and leverages Kayak’s ChatGPT integration to deliver contextual results.
The implementation follows the company’s April premiere Kayak.ai, built as a testing ground for working with AI technology. The site also combined Kayak data and tools with OpenAI technology, allowing the technical team to try out AI features before rolling them out on Kayak.com
Essentially, the AI Mode feature offers the same functionality as the Kayak.ai site, but is now built directly into the Kayak site. The company suggests that users can ask the chatbot for travel ideas, such as places to fly to within a certain price range, the best deals to a preferred destination, comparing hotel amenities, finding nonstop flights, car rental options, and more.
Additionally, users can ask the AI more open-ended questions, such as “I want to party on New Year’s Eve – where should I go?” to get recommendations without having specific destinations in mind. They can also find out when the best time to fly somewhere is based on ticket prices. (Kayak has shared other AI hint ideas on his own blog).
This feature can be useful in helping consumers in the earlier stages of travel planning when they are simply exploring ideas. However, time will tell whether AI users are willing to convert to paying customers using these methods.
AI Mode is initially available in English in the United States, but will expand to other countries and languages later this month. The company also plans to roll out the feature to more platforms “soon” and add support for voice requests.
Travel is an area being explored by both AI providers and travel agencies because, as it currently stands, online booking can be a frustrating and tedious experience for consumers. To test consumer demand for AI solutions, OpenAI recently announced agreements with travel agencies such as Expedia and Booking.com. (The latter is also owned by the parent company Kayak, Reservation holdings). As a result, these services can now run as applications in ChatGPT.
By comparison, Kayak’s decision to launch an AI chatbot on its own website could give the company more direct access to consumer information about its exploit of AI.