Piloting practical AI tools, Marriott and others in hospitality show that small, focused innovations can drive scalable transformation — one use case at a time
Jun 17, 2025
At the Skift Data and AI Summit, Marriott International and other hospitality leaders showcased a grounded, practical approach to artificial intelligence: start small, learn quickly, and scale what works. Marriott’s pilot of an AI tool that automates hotel room assignment is a prime example of this mindset — reducing hours of repetitive front desk work and freeing staff to focus on guest experience. The broader message from industry voices: AI transformation doesn’t happen overnight, but incremental innovations can pave the way for scalable, lasting change.
Key takeaways
- Marriott’s room assignment AI: Marriott is piloting an AI tool to automate the complex task of assigning hotel rooms — a process that currently takes staff several hours and must account for arrivals, preferences, loyalty status, and more. The tool now assigns up to 1.2 million rooms in a fraction of a second.
- Iteration was key: Initial versions of the tool failed, with staff overriding all AI suggestions. But continued refinement and testing across more hotels improved the model’s effectiveness. Staff still retain override control.
- Empowering staff, not replacing them: The goal is not full automation, but efficiency — allowing hotel staff to spend more time on guest interaction and less on routine backend tasks.
- In-house AI innovation culture: Marriott has invested in AI since 2023, with an internal AI lab and regular hackathons to explore solutions for staff, guests, and franchisees.
- Industry advice: Start small: Highgate Technology Ventures’ Kurien Jacob emphasized incremental adoption. Small AI solutions — like chatbots or automated integrations — can lead to broader transformation.
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