Artificial Intelligence: Macro View

Real—and Smart—Results

The AI Era has arrived, bringing new capabilities to enhance and advance hospitality experiences.

By Phillip G. Mike, Communications Director, National Club Association

Artificial intelligence is increasingly changing the way Americans interact with nearly every service sector: hospitality, travel, design, dining and wellness. Whether they realize it or not, club members are bringing those expectations with them.

People are most familiar with these two primary types of AI:

• Predictive AI, which uses data to anticipate future behavior.
• Generative AI, which creates content such as e-mails, images, menus or floorplans.

More businesses are now combining predictive and generative AI to anticipate preferences and deliver tailored content more quickly.

 

Shifting Toward AI

According to 2025 data from McKinsey and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, more than 45% of U.S. businesses report integrating at least one AI system into their operations, up from 18% just two years ago. The rise is largely due to improved accessibility. Tools that were once available only to major tech firms are now built into common platforms used for marketing, analytics, design and scheduling.

In the hospitality sector, nearly one in three companies report using AI for guest personalization, demand forecasting or content creation. Hotels, travel brands, fitness studios and restaurants are among the most active adopters due to cost efficiency, more relevant service and the ability to keep guest-facing content regularly updated.

 

Tailoring Digital and Physical Spaces

Two businesses using AI to tailor the customer experience are Plum Guide, a vacation rental platform, and Sonder, a hospitality company. Plum Guide curates high-end rentals using quality standards, while Sonder manages short-term rentals and boutique-style accommodations in major cities.

Both companies use predictive AI to monitor user behavior, such as what amenities guests click on or how often they filter for certain features. Generative AI then adjusts the content presented to the guest, including listing descriptions, image order and welcome messages. One user might see a unit described as “minimalist and pet-friendly,” while another sees “spacious and well-lit for family stays.”

Similarly, retailers such as Farfetch and Net-a- Porter personalize the user experience based on preferences. The same site might emphasize travel wear to one visitor and business attire to another, depending on past preferences.

As with many AI technologies, guests may encounter this kind of personalization without realizing it.

The same kind of personalization is now shaping real- world hospitality as well. In hotels, AI tools help adjust in-room settings such as scent, temperature or minibar contents. At Four Seasons, a digital concierge uses data from past stays to make suggestions, including spa bookings or wine pairings, based on a guest’s profile.

According to HospitalityNet and HotelManagement, some hotels are using AI to inform room assignments. Guests may be automatically placed in rooms based on past preferences for floor level or distance from elevators. These assignments draw on both guest behavior and property-specific data to improve comfort without guests needing to make new requests.

 

Food and Beverage: Menus That Know What You Want

AI is playing a growing role in food-and-beverage operations, from personalized suggestions to more efficient content creation.

At The Greens, a private club in Dubai, an AI-generated persona named “Chef Aiman” has been introduced as a digital extension of the culinary team. Developed by the branding firm Grit in collaboration with the club, Chef Aiman was trained on The Greens’ menus, ordering history and brand guidelines. The AI-driven persona provides:

• Suggested wine or cocktail pairings.
• Menu previews and event descriptions.
• Dietary guidance based on allergy information.
• Branded messages that create a consistent “chef’s voice” across e-mails, screens and apps.

 

Though virtual, Chef Aiman is now integrated into the member experience and even has his own Instagram page. The project blends predictive AI (what a member is likely to want) with generative tools (how to communicate it clearly and consistently). Similar digital-concierge concepts are being piloted by cruise lines and luxury hotels.

Restaurant and delivery platforms are also using AI to make food discovery more intuitive. The Sweetgreen fast-casual restaurant chain that emphasizes salads and other healthy menu items uses predictive AI to suggest meals based on order history, time of day, weather and nutrition patterns. If a customer typically orders spicy chicken bowls after workouts, the Sweetgreen app may begin to promote similar items around the same time each day. Generative AI helps to write seasonal menu descriptions and campaign content for the chain that match the brand’s tone.

Some restaurants are testing interactive menus that change based on who’s browsing, reports AI Magazine. A returning customer might see a message such as, “Welcome back, Julia. Your last order was the truffle risotto. Here’s what’s new this week.” These personalized elements are becoming more common in everyday dining.

 

Wellness and Fitness: The Always-On Coach

In the fitness industry, AI is helping to tailor experiences based on users’ behavior and their personal objectives.

Fitness tech companies such as Future, Tonal and Peloton use predictive tools to track progress, schedule patterns and customers’ goals. These insights help to identify when a user may be at risk of dropping off or overtraining. Generative AI then responds with personalized coaching prompts, new training plans or encouraging messages.

Wellness retreats are using predictive data to plan itineraries, reports Skift. For example, guests who are likely to skip meditation or prefer morning activity can be identified in advance. Generative tools then produce custom schedules and supporting materials.

Design: From Concept to Visualization in Minutes

Architecture and planning firms are using AI to speed up design timelines. Companies such as RealSpace, Hypar and ArkDesign allow users to input site constraints and quickly receive full renderings of layouts. A designer may provide basic goals, such as converting an underused lounge into a co-working and bar space, and AI generates layout options that include estimated materials, lighting flow and circulation patterns.

Some firms also use predictive inputs such as foot- traffic data, energy goals or seasonal usage patterns alongside generative renderings. This produces layouts that reflect both design intent and operational considerations. These tools complement the work of architects, allowing for faster iteration and presentation.

 

How Real Employees Manage AI

One major question posed by both tech enthusiasts and those more skeptical of these new advancements is whether AI and human staff can coexist.

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas launched an AI-powered chatbot named Rose to assist guests during their stay, allowing them to request amenities, ask for recommendations, receive updates or promotions, and play interactive games—all via text.

Behind the scenes, hotel staff shape Rose’s tone, manage responses and review guest interactions. The platform is overseen by a cross-functional team that includes operations, marketing and IT, with a digital- experience manager responsible for strategy and voice consistency.

This approach gives guests a responsive point of contact while allowing staff to direct the messaging. It also highlights a growing hybrid model in which AI is not necessarily replacing staff, but changing how they work. Employees are still essential in delivering services, and many are now supporting or guiding AI platforms.

Additionally, more workplaces are hiring dedicated AI specialists, such as prompt designers, chatbot trainers or data analysts, who work with general staff to continually refine AI behavior, ensure accuracy, and adapt messaging to shifting guest expectations.

 

Worth the Investment?

AI is starting to show real results for businesses across the hospitality sector.

Hotels using AI-powered dynamic pricing tools like RoomPriceGenie have reported a 4% increase in average daily rates and a 14% rise in occupancy. At IHG, an AI- enabled revenue-management system helped deliver a 2.7% boost in revenue per available room, according to Hotel Tech Report and The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International.

Some luxury resorts have seen more than a 20% increase in upsell activity by using AI to deliver timely, personalized suggestions to guests. A mid-size New York hotel saw a 15% jump in revenue per available room within six months of using AI tools, reports HFTP (Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals).

Beyond revenue, AI is helping hotels improve guest satisfaction through faster response times and better personalization. Properties using AI chat tools like HiJiffy and Asksuite have reported increased guest engagement and higher post-stay ratings, says Hotel Tech Report.

Operational efficiency is also improving. Some eco-conscious properties have cut energy usage by as much as 30% through smart lighting and HVAC systems. AI-powered staffing platforms are helping managers improve the accuracy of their forecasted labor needs, leading to fewer scheduling issues and less overtime.

While results vary, a 2025 BCG study found that early adopters of AI earned about $1.70 for every $1 invested—compared to $1.30 or less for companies that have been slower to adapt.