Kayak Introduces AI-Powered Travel Planning with 'AI Mode'

Kayak launches an 'AI Mode' for travel questions, search, and bookings | TechCrunch

Travel search engine Kayak will now allow users to research trips ahead of booking using AI. The company this week launched an "AI Mode" feature that lets users ask travel-related questions as well as compare and book flights, hotels, and cars, through an AI chatbot integrated on the company's website. The feature is currently available across both desktop and mobile web, and takes advantage of Kayak's integration with ChatGPT to deliver contextual results. The rollout follows the company's April launch of Kayak.ai, built as a testing ground for working with AI technology. That site also combined Kayak's data and tools with OpenAI's technology, letting its tech team try out AI features ahead of bringing them over to Kayak.com Essentially, the AI Mode feature offers the same functionality as the Kayak.ai website, but is now built directly into Kayak's website. The company suggests users could ask the chatbot for travel ideas, like locations to fly to for under a certain price point, the best deals to a preferred destination, comparing hotel amenities, finding nonstop flights, rental car options, and more. Plus, users can ask the AI more open-ended questions, like "I want to party for NYE -- where should I go?" to get recommendations without having specific destinations in mind. Or they could learn when the best time to fly somewhere would be, based on ticket prices. (Kayak has shared other AI prompt ideas on its own blog). The feature could be useful in helping consumers in the earlier stages of travel planning, when they're just exploring ideas. However, it remains to be seen if AI users readily 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 in the month. The company also plans to roll out the feature to more platforms and add support for voice-based requests "soon." Travel is an area that's being explored by AI providers and travel companies alike, as online booking can be a frustrating and tedious experience for consumers as it stands today. To test consumer demand for AI solutions, OpenAI recently announced deals with travel companies like Expedia and Booking.com. (The latter is also owned by Kayak's parent company, Booking Holdings). As a result, those services can now operate as apps inside ChatGPT. By comparison, Kayak's decision to run the AI chatbot on its own site could provide the company with more direct access to consumer insights about the AI's use.

Kayak adds built-in AI Mode for trip planning using ChatGPT

The new feature is now available on Kayak.com for U.S. users across desktop and mobile web. Users can ask for flight deals, hotel comparisons, or destination ideas within a single chat. Travel search engine Kayak has launched "AI Mode," an integrated chatbot on its website for researching and booking travel. Available in the U.S., the feature uses ChatGPT technology to provide contextual results for users comparing flights, hotels, and cars. The new feature is accessible on both the desktop and mobile web versions of Kayak.com. Its introduction follows the company's April launch of Kayak.ai, an internal testing ground that combined Kayak's extensive travel data and booking tools with OpenAI's technology. This experimental site allowed the company's technical teams to trial AI functionalities ahead of a broader public release. The new "AI Mode" offers the same capabilities previously found on the experimental website but is now fully integrated directly into the main Kayak.com platform for consumer use. The AI chatbot is designed to handle a range of user queries, from highly specific requests to more general exploration. Kayak suggests users can ask for travel ideas, such as finding flight destinations available for under a specified price point. The system can also identify the best deals for a preferred destination, perform comparisons of amenities between different hotels, locate nonstop flight options, and present various rental car choices. This functionality aims to streamline the process of comparing detailed travel components within a single conversational interface. In addition to structured searches, the chatbot can process open-ended questions for users who do not have a specific destination in mind. For example, a user could ask, "I want to party for NYE -- where should I go?" to receive tailored recommendations. Another potential query could involve asking when the best time to fly to a particular area would be, based on historical ticket price data. Kayak has also published additional AI prompt ideas on its company blog to guide users. This capability is intended to assist consumers during the early, exploratory stages of travel planning. While the feature is positioned to help in the initial planning phase, it has not yet been determined if users interacting with the AI will readily convert to paying customers. AI Mode is initially available in English within the United States. A planned expansion will bring the feature to other countries and languages later this month. Kayak also stated its plans to roll out the feature to more platforms and to add support for voice-based requests "soon." This launch is part of a broader exploration of AI solutions by both technology providers and travel companies, aimed at improving what can be a tedious online booking experience. OpenAI recently announced partnerships with travel companies Expedia and Booking.com, the latter of which is owned by Kayak's parent company, Booking Holdings. These services now operate as applications inside the ChatGPT platform. In contrast, Kayak's decision to host the AI chatbot on its own website provides the company with more direct access to consumer insights regarding the technology's use.