The hospitality industry has always been about the details- the warmth of a welcome, the ease of check-in, the safety of the stay, and the quiet resolution of unspoken issues. But in today’s world, those details are harder to deliver. Rising workforce costs, increasing fraud, and the weight of guest expectations are forcing hoteliers to rethink operations.
The solution lies in AI- Artificial Intelligence that is not just smart but intuitive, driving security, convenience, and care for guests at scale.
AI-Based Fraud Detection
Hotels face a harsh reality: identity theft, payment fraud, human trafficking, and property theft are more common than we would like to admit. These incidents not only threaten guest safety but hit the bottom line hard. AI-powered fraud detection changes the game. By analyzing patterns across bookings, payments, and on-property behaviors, AI spots anomalies that humans might miss. A system that once relied on guesswork now delivers early intervention, protecting both the guest experience and the hotel’s reputation.
AI-Powered Self-Service
Today’s guests do not want to wait. They want check-in to happen on their phones, not at the front desk. They want personalized assistance in their rooms, not a hold tone on the phone.
AI can make this seamless self-service a reality. Identity verification and payment validation are no longer tedious or error-prone – they are near instantaneous. Imagine booking with one credit card, paying with another, and having AI confirm in seconds that both belong to you. Once in the room, an AI-powered digital concierge answers common queries such as how to adjust the thermostat, order room service, or request a late checkout- based on years of data from other guests. Hotels save on costly workforce efforts while ensuring guests feel empowered, not burdened.
AI-Based NOA (Non-Obvious Analytics)
Not all feedback comes in the form of surveys. Many travelers choose not to complain, instead expressing their dissatisfaction silently through behavior. The door that didn’t lock properly, the shower that drained slowly- issues small enough to overlook but large enough to influence loyalty. AI-driven “Non-Obvious Analytics” (NOA) can identify these silent signals. By analyzing maintenance history, unaddressed service gaps, and subtle usage data, AI can help hotels proactively resolve issues for future guests. It is about listening without being told- ensuring every stay improves, and every guest feels valued, whether they speak up or not.
Hospitality is about making every stay seamless, and AI can allow hotels to achieve this at scale. It doesn’t just reduce risk, streamline operations, or delight guests- it does all three, ensuring hotels emerge not just ready for the next wave of challenges, but ready to lead.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the horizon, these AI-driven capabilities become doubly significant for hotels in North America, where millions of travelers will flood cities and hotels could face crushing demand. These AI solutions will then go from helpful to mission-critical, when fraud attempts spike, queues stretch longer, and tiny service gaps amplify under pressure.
About the Author
Sowmya Rajagopalan heads the Travel, Transportation and Hospitality Business Unit for TCS in the Americas. She is responsible for Customer Relationship, Business Development & Growth, and Delivery Excellence. With 29 years of IT industry experience, Sowmya has managed multiple, large transformation engagements and has led one of the fastest growing units within TCS. She has played a pivotal role in building trusted and long-term relationships with TCS’ customers. Her forte lies in her ability to develop and attract business’ most vital resource- its people. Passionate about building ‘One Team’, Sowmya has organically created some of the most diverse and efficient teams in TCS that have consistently displayed the ability to take risks, think outside the box and fuel growth and transformation.
