Beyond the Chatbot: Practitioner Perspectives on AI Integration in Hospitality

Abstract

Artificial intelligence stands poised to revolutionize the hospitality sector, introducing advanced forecasting and automated operations. Nevertheless, integrating AI into an industry rooted in personal experience sparks significant tension between streamlining processes and sustaining authentic guest connections. Although existing literature outlines AI's potential advantages, practitioners continue to navigate ambiguity when reconciling these competing demands on the ground. To bridge this knowledge gap, this research analyzes the public discourse of hospitality executives, capturing field-level perspectives on the realities of AI adoption. The study maps the primary challenges inherent in AI integration and develops a governance framework to help hospitality firms steer the implementation process. For industry professionals, the findings deliver actionable guidelines that assist managers and developers in overseeing AI rollouts, ensuring that technological advancement alignment with service delivery.