Expedia's mobile app integrates a ChatGPT-powered travel planning feature

The Expedia Group, a leading online travel company, announced Tuesday that it is increasing the use of artificial intelligence in the planning of travel for its customers by introducing a new ChatGPT-powered trip-planning feature within its mobile app that is powered by chatbots.

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Expedia, which boasts about the fact that it already uses artificial intelligence to make over 600 billion predictions per year on its website, has announced that it will use OpenAI's ChatGPT in its mobile app. 

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With the tool, the user is able to initiate an open-ended conversation with the bot in order to get recommendations on destinations, sites, accommodations, and transportation from the bot.

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"Every great trip can either be made or lost by the preparation and shopping for it," said Peter Kern, the vice chairman and CEO of Expedia Group. With Expedia's leading position in travel technology, Expedia continues to build out its core operating system for the travel industry, continuously improving capabilities and making trip planning a much smoother and more enjoyable experience.

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With ChatGPT being integrated into the Expedia app and combined with other AI-based shopping capabilities, such as hotel comparison, flight price tracking, and trip collaboration tools, we can now offer travelers an even more intuitive way to create their dream vacation by providing them with even more options.

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As of now, Expedia is in the beta testing phase of its new tool, which will be tweaked based on how the company assesses its effectiveness and how its users react to it, the company explained. 

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Additionally, it is important to realize that even though several measures have been taken in order to limit inaccurate results and inappropriate responses, at times, "the experience may not work exactly as expected," a press release from the company said.

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The company explained that, across its platform, it already makes use of both AI and machine learning in a wide variety of ways, including assisting its customers with travel options, booking, pricing, and trip changes through the use of both technologies.

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In addition, the company has recently added a plug-in on the ChatGPT website that allows travelers to begin planning their trips with the bot and then go directly to Expedia's website when they are ready to make their reservation.