🚀 Gareth Williams, the founder and former CEO of Skyscanner, is now an investor observing the travel industry's shift towards AI, which can autonomously plan and book trips for travelers. He notes a disconnect between industry insiders and the public's skepticism towards AI, suggesting consumer trust is eroding faster than expected. The travel sector's "agentic" AI aims to go beyond answering queries to managing bookings and disruptions independently.

🛒 ChatGPT halts agentic commerce just five months after launch due to user behavior challenges. Last September, they introduced Instant Checkout with Walmart, Etsy, and Shopify merchants. However, scaling and catalog normalization proved difficult. Users researched but didn’t make purchases via ChatGPT, similar to Facebook and Google’s past efforts. Now, purchases redirect to retailer sites or apps. In contrast, China’s Alibaba invests heavily to change user behavior, highlighting ChatGPT's lack of commitment.

🍽 In Dubai, Chef Aiman, an AI culinary expert, designs innovative menus at the WOOHOO restaurant. The establishment blends technology and sustainability, using ingredients like meat trimmings, and features a futuristic atmosphere with shifting blue lighting and cyberpunk-inspired lounges. Co-founder Ahmet Oytun Cakir emphasizes enhancing creativity, not replacing chefs. The restaurant's design includes bronze-toned furniture and panoramic views, offering a unique dining experience where technology and art meet.

📱 Airbnb faces a brand paradox. Despite their excellent marketing, 99% of complaints relate to stays, highlighting their lack of control over guest experiences. They remain an "introduction of two parties" with no control post-booking. Airbnb's solution could be managing their own curated homes. In hospitality, AI tools like voice-to-text apps help hotel managers stay efficient on the move. The rise of surveillance, such as AI monitoring in restaurants, raises concerns over privacy and trust, but could enhance personalized experiences if managed transparently.

📱 Barcelona, Spain, March 02, 2026 – Shiji's Infrasys POS achieved over 500 installations across Europe in 2025. Infrasys POS, used by brands like IHG, Langham, Melco, and Mandarin Oriental, supports various hotel types with cloud-native architecture and seamless integration. This milestone reflects increased adoption of cloud-based solutions in hospitality. Shiji's regional teams focus on local deployment and client success. Shiji provides hospitality solutions to over 91,000 hotels globally.