Automatic

💻 2024 saw a pivotal shift as smaller AI models, one-hundredth the size of older models, began outperforming larger ones in tasks like natural language processing. Nearly 90% of AI models are now developed by companies, focusing on real-world needs. Open-weight AI models became a practical choice by early 2025, offering flexibility and cost-effectiveness. These advancements enable hospitality businesses to improve efficiencies and customer experiences, reducing dependence on cloud infrastructure and proprietary systems.

📞 1 in 5 Americans find their calls to restaurants often ignored, and 69% might abandon a restaurant if unanswered. Among millennials, this rises to 72%. 89% of Americans, led by 95% Gen Z, 92% of Millennials, and 80% of Baby Boomers, are open to AI agents for tasks like reservations (47%) and order tracking (42%). Hostie, an AI platform, helps restaurants manage communications. Survey conducted by The Harris Poll, May 29-June 2, 2025, with 2,065 U.S. adults.

🤖 In 2025, agentic AI is highlighted as the top trend in Gartner's report. This AI type functions autonomously, enhancing industries by executing complex workflows and adapting to changes. In hospitality, agentic AI boosts customer service by managing simpler tasks and optimizing resources. However, clear goals and robust data management are crucial, with Master Data Management ensuring unified, accessible data. The AI transformation demands an architectural shift for better collaboration, aiming to elevate customer satisfaction through advanced automation.

💸 Hospitality groups face complex challenges in managing employee benefits billing, especially across multiple states with various benefits plans. Manual billing processes often result in errors, leading to overpayments and disrupted coverage. Automated solutions can identify discrepancies, averaging around 5% of total premium expenses, and save significant costs. Anthony Farinella from Triton Benefits & HR Solutions highlights that unchecked billing errors can lead to hundreds of thousands in overpayments annually. Automation provides clarity, scalability, and accurate property-level cost allocation.

🏨 March 2025, Josiah Mackenzie and Wil Slickers explore major hotel industry changes, emphasizing real-time data and innovative strategies. Key topics include operational efficiency (04:25), profitability significance (07:06), technology integration challenges (10:50), and diversified revenue streams (19:22). Their discussion addresses the industry's shift beyond traditional metrics (06:02) and leveraging high-potential operational points (14:27). For a deeper dive, listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube.

💻 March 11, MURTEC: The Top Women in Restaurant Technology Awards & Rising Star Awards, sponsored by Milagro, honored White's innovative work at Union Square Hospitality Group. Her key initiatives include launching a next-day pay project to enhance employee financial independence. She champions AI for personalized dining experiences, predicting a streamlined future for AI-driven searches. White emphasizes mentorship's role in her career, valuing learning through teaching and coaching. Nominations for 2026 awards open December 1.

💻 Amadeus, leveraging OpenAI models on Azure, enhances its Hospitality portfolio with AI tools. In 2024, Advisor Chat rolled out to Agency360, saving analysts up to a day weekly. The AI tool integrates with Demand360, offering insights from 44,000 hotels and 35 million short-term rentals. Email to RFP, used by Omni Atlanta Hotel, streamlines group bookings. Amadeus plans further AI integrations in Microsoft Teams to improve performance insights and decision-making.

📶 RelayM, debuting at HITEC 2025, is a compact, 35% smaller 5G device with enhanced usability for hospitality staff. It features WiFi 6E and dual 5G connections, monitoring networks 50 times per second to eliminate dead zones. The AI-powered TeamTranslate supports 30+ languages, aiding communication in over 4,000 hotels. RelayM offers a 1780 mAh battery for 10-16 hours of use, durable MIL-SPEC 810H design, and clearer audio with advanced noise cancellation.

💻 Amadeus partners with Microsoft to integrate AI into its Hospitality portfolio using OpenAI's models on Azure. The new tools, Advisor Chat and Email to RFP, enhance Demand360 and MeetingBroker. Demand360, with insights from 44,000 hotels and 35 million rental properties, helps optimize hotel strategies. Omni Atlanta Hotel, a pilot user, benefits from faster RFP handling. Amadeus plans to extend AI solutions across its products to boost efficiency and business conversions.