Posted on Wednesday, 23 January 2019

Business travel is a fact of life for many people, with regular national and international trips a necessity if their employers are to compete and grow. Traditionally, organising business travel has been somewhat time consuming and complex. However, some of the various challenges related to business travel may soon become a thing of the past, thanks to the advent of a raft of artificial intelligence systems. While AI may spook some people - especially given today's surveillance society - these inventions ultimately promise to make business travel simpler, less stressful and quicker to organise.

Organising and booking

One of the most challenging aspects of business travel is the time it takes to sort out. Larger companies often employ dedicated travel managers to guide employees in this regard - and crucially to keep tabs on costs. Other firms have business travel policies, which should, in theory, also help keep control of expenditure on hotels, taxis, meals and other essentials. In this area AI promises to streamline many of these organisational tasks. One firm, HRS Innovation Hub, has been recording data and working on tools to better understand traveller preferences, so that its AI systems can offer recommendations on subsequent trips. For example, such a system could reduce the time needed to find a hotel, because it suggests accommodation that the traveller may like.

AI suitcases

If all that sounds a little wishy-washy and designed to please the bean counters, you may like this next AI innovation: Ovis by ForwardX is a motorised wheeled suitcase that travels alongside you in the airport or on any level stretch of ground. It features cameras so it can avoid obstacles, and comes with a bracelet that vibrates if the luggage gets more than two metres away from you. We're not sure if it can handle escalators, though.

Digital concierges

Some might argue that technology is eliminating the need to communicate with other people, but in a lot of instances, it simply makes life easier. It is now possible to check into a hotel with an app - and then use that app to request a particular room, ask for the wifi password, or order room service. Some cutting edge hotels, such as Jupiter Next in Portland, USA, even have special speaking consoles in its rooms, which can help with requesting fresh towels or suggesting a movie to watch. And other hotels already have robots undertaking room service - and taking out the rubbish!

Reducing your workload?

This brave new world of AI certainly seems to promise a better experience for business travellers. However, when a robot can take your place on a business trip, you - and many others - may find themselves out of a job! With luck, however, that won't happen.

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