Everywhere you look, the conversation about AI in hospitality seems stuck in the same loop. Will AI replace revenue managers. Will AI automate hotel operations. Will AI run pricing without any human involvement.
NB: This is an article from TakeUp
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These questions create anxiety, and understandably so. But they’re rooted in a misconception about what people actually want from AI. The assumption is that users want AI to operate autonomously in the background, handling decisions for them. In reality, the people getting the most value from AI today are doing the opposite. They are using AI in a way that gives them more control over their decisions, not less.
The truth is simple. AI becomes most powerful in hospitality when it works with people, not instead of them.
Why Users Want More Control, Not More Automation
The idea of a fully autonomous AI system is attractive on the surface. It promises speed. It promises simplicity. It promises to “take work off your plate.”
But in practice, these black-box systems rarely succeed in hospitality. This industry runs on local knowledge, nuance, and lived experience. Properties differ wildly from one another. Guest behavior is influenced by micro-events, weather swings, brand identity, and the unique personality of the property itself.
No AI model can absorb that context without human partnership.
Collaborative AI works because it strengthens the decisions operators already make. The AI handles the pattern recognition and number crunching. The human brings strategy and situational awareness. Together, they create something better than either could on their own.
This combination builds trust. It improves outcomes. And it helps teams adopt AI confidently, without feeling like they are giving up control.
Collaborative AI in Action: Hospitality Pricing
If you want a real-world example of collaborative AI done right, look at pricing for independent properties. Pricing is one of the most complex responsibilities in hospitality, because market conditions shift daily and decisions have compounding effects. AI can help operators make these decisions better and faster, but only if users stay in the driver’s seat.
Here are a few ways collaborative AI is already reshaping pricing.
