Expedia Introduces AI-Powered Travel Features

Expedia is set to launch an AI assistant named Romie, designed to improve search, itinerary building, trip planning, and real-time updates. Romie, trained on a mix of in-house and OpenAI models, will assist users in finding hotels, creating itineraries, and making adjustments via iMessage and WhatsApp. Users can interact with Romie for suggestions and direct links to the Expedia app.

Additionally, Expedia is testing a smart search feature that allows users to describe hotel preferences in natural language. These innovations are being trialed with a limited audience through the EG Labs program. The company integrates data from sources like AccuWeather and Yelp to keep travelers informed about flight changes and weather conditions.

Expedia's rivals, including Booking.com, Airbnb, and Kayak, are also exploring AI-driven features. Despite the competition, Expedia's CTO, Rathi Murthy, believes their comprehensive AI assistant sets them apart.