For hotel IT leaders, the push for innovation often clashes with the realities of network limitations, data privacy risks, and the constant need for operational reliability. Relying on the cloud for next-generation AI applications—from contactless checkout to dynamic digital signage—can introduce latency and security vulnerabilities that are simply not an option in a guest-facing environment. But what if you could deliver powerful, real-time AI processing directly at the point of interaction? HT spoke with Danya Golan, VP of Marketing at AI chipmaker Hailo, to understand how new edge AI solutions are revolutionizing hotel operations by bringing intelligence on-premise, ensuring uptime and protecting sensitive data.
How is the HP AI Accelerator M.2 Card aiming to revolutionize the hospitality industry, and how does the Hailo-10H AI accelerator facilitate that?
Hospitality providers are facing growing pressure to deliver exceptional guest experiences while facing a number of challenges, including labor shortages, theft and inconsistent network service. The HP AI Accelerator M.2 Card brings powerful edge AI capabilities to hospitality environments, allowing providers to deepen their engagement with customers, optimize operations, and scale intelligent insights. The Hailo-10H AI accelerator facilitates this revolution with its superior edge processing capabilities, enabling deep learning applications to run seamlessly on the edge, at a low power consumption and cost-efficiency.
How does bringing AI to the edge, rather than relying on cloud processing, uniquely benefit hospitality operations?
In hospitality and guest-facing applications, experiences are shaped in the moment, meaning at the front desk, in the restaurant, or at the self-service kiosk. AI applications can assist in these moments, but when they are cloud dependent, it can introduce concerns of latency, connectivity, bandwidth, and privacy. Bringing AI to the edge for these types of applications means data is processed in the moment, allowing faster, more responsive systems for tasks like inventory tracking and dynamic signage.
AI at the edge can also allow hospitality professionals to customize and tailor these experiences to the customer without introducing privacy concerns. When sensitive customer data and preferences are processed on-device at the edge, rather than in the cloud, there is less risk of the information being intercepted by bad actors.
What are some use cases or scenarios where hotels or restaurants can implement this technology today?
Hotels and restaurants can incorporate this type of technology for cashier-less checkout, allowing seamless, autonomous shopping experiences powered by real-time AI processing; personalized advertisements, allowing hyper-targeted digital signage that dynamically adjusts based on customer behavior; theft and shrink prevention, allowing real-time monitoring and analytics to understand situations; and inventory management, using AI-driven insights to optimize stock levels and prevent out-of-stocks.
Looking ahead, how do you see AI at the edge transforming the guest experience and hospitality industry over the next 3-5 years?
As compute capabilities increase, edge AI will continue to bring unprecedented processing power to the front lines of the hospitality industry. As AI accelerators increasingly become more compact and accessible, more devices will shift towards on-device intelligence – by incorporating AI on to devices where it is processed automatically, service providers will be empowered to dedicate less time to monitoring security systems or cashier checkouts, and increase operational efficiency and guest satisfaction.
