The business community has welcomed artificial intelligence as a key means of adapting to today’s changing workforce and recommending actions based on data analytics; however, according to experts, the hotel industry has yet to leverage it fully. A recent study by McKinsey found that as many as 78 percent of respondents say their organizations use AI in at least one business function, a 6-percentage-point increase from 2024. With so many core processes now informed by AI, hoteliers must bring these capabilities into the heart of their operations: the property-management system.
Today’s AI technology is reactive; it must wait for input from users before making decisions based on new information the system receives. While it is valuable for chatbots, training tools, and customer service, many believe it’s still too early for machines to take the wheel and start making decisions. Think again.
AI is already helping hotels reduce manual work through automations like scheduled reports, pre-programmed workflows, and dynamic pricing recommendations. But these tools still rely on human instruction at every step. These restrictions, however, may be coming to an end with the debut of Agentic AI — identified as the No. 1 trend in Gartner’s Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2025. Leveraging AI “agents” as intuitive collaborators will enable hotel operators to learn new information, adjust their approach to problem solving, and take immediate action.
More Information, Less Hassle
The Harvard Business Review has referred to Agentic AI as a “digital teammate” capable of expanding a business’ efficiency as well as creating more resilient collaboration over time. The publication highlighted advancements in human resources that help connect job seekers with their ideal role, as well as website design to optimize the customer journey at all times. This flexibility demonstrates how this next wave of AI technology will provide hospitality leaders with additional ways to connect with travelers while preserving the human element.
As Agentic AI makes its way into hotel PMSs, operators will have the opportunity to extend these same capabilities to every corner of their commercial operation. For example, an active Agentic AI scheduling tool can eliminate the guesswork of staffing your property with the agent quickly adapting to changes in worker availability and updating calendars in real-time. Adopting this strategy can help operators provide dynamic schedules that benefit all team members, without adding additional complexity to your property workflow.
Agentic AI also has a transformative effect on the supply chain and purchasing, and its organizational capabilities also show benefits when applied to managing guest itineraries. Once in place, these tools can automatically manage the guest experience from start to finish, while displaying and controlling each of these elements directly through the hotel’s PMS for optimal visibility. This way, hoteliers remain informed on all guest itineraries, amenity requests, and last-minute rate adjustments with a more streamlined delivery method and a reduced reliance on input from operators.
One-Click Confirmation
Leveraging Agentic AI within the hotel PMS powers a fully orchestrated hospitality model, where staff, systems, and guest signals stay aligned in real time without added complexity.
Click here to see how a hotel PMS + Agentic AI can return a fully personalized, pre-filled cart — ready for one-click confirmation — as soon as the PMS starts listening to the guest’s intent throughout the booking journey.
AI is helping hoteliers adapt to a changing marketplace in ways that would never have been possible, and it is helping guests create new memories associated with your properties. As Agentic AI becomes more widely available for businesses and users, hoteliers should align themselves with technology partners who are willing to take this innovation and its challenges — seriously.
This means ensuring your approach to security and data aligns with that of your partners, as well as the level of accountability they include in the decision-making process, to ensure operators never fully cede control to automation. Hoteliers must also take security and accountability seriously when considering Agentic AI, including building controls into the PMS to reduce or expand its capabilities on the fly. This will be crucial to avoid potential situations, such as when AI hallucinates the ability to offer a discount or presents a rate that isn’t available.
While Agentic AI is still in its early stages within the hospitality sector, its rapid development signals where PMS capabilities are headed. Leveraging Agentic AI in the hotel PMS will allow operators to offer the “agile” hospitality experience guests, workers, and owners have been looking for. By cementing the hotel PMS as your command center, supported by AI teammates and intelligent automation, hoteliers will pioneer the next level of guest satisfaction for years.
About the Author
Lisa Jane Wheaton is the Senior Product Strategist of Maestro, the preferred Web Browser based cloud and on-premises all-in-one PMS solution for independent hotels, luxury resorts, conference centers, vacation rentals, and multi-property groups. Maestro’s enterprise system offers embedded payments and 20+ integrated modules on a single database, including mobile and contact free apps to increase profitability, drive direct bookings, centralize operations, and enable operators to engage guests with a personalized and safe experience. Maestro’s Support Service provides unparalleled 24/7 North American based live support and education services.
About Maestro PMS
Maestro is the preferred Web Browser based cloud and on-premises PMS solution for independent hotels, luxury resorts, conference centers, vacation rentals, and multi-property groups. Maestro’s PCI certified and EMV ready enterprise system offers a Web browser version (or Windows) complete with 20+ integrated modules on a single database, including mobile and contactless apps to support a digitalized guest journey as well as staff operations. Maestro’s sophisticated solutions empower operators to increase profitability, drive direct bookings, centralize operations, and engage guests with a personalized experience from booking to check out and everything in between. For over 40 years Maestro’s Diamond Plus Service has provided unparalleled 24/7 North American based support and education services to keep hospitality groups productive and competitive. Click here for more information on Maestro. Click here to get your free PMS Buying guide.
