Hilton Just Bet on AI Agents. Your Next Hotel Stay Could Look Very Different.

Hilton hotel exterior with the brand logo on the facade. Source: CX Dive

AI shopping agents are a new audience for companies to win over. Hilton is no exception, they plan to invest in a technology stack that encourages AI systems to promote the Hilton name when consumers seek AI for advice on travelling and stay. 

For some context, AI shopping agents are software programs powered by artificial intelligence that research, compare, pick, and even purchase products based on the prompt given to it. Not many people use these agents because trusting AI with your credit card information is unsafe (as of now), but consumers still actively use it for recommendations. 

Now, picture this… you’re planning a trip with friends, but you have specific requirements; for example, your friend needs unlimited booze and you need an ocean side view because finals have drained the life out of you. Well, you express these concerns to ChatGPT and it recommends Hilton Hotels as a top choice. This is exactly what Hilton wishes to do, to be the first brand consumers when they prompt AI for recommendations. 

The company is truly thinking like a futurist; they constantly attempt to implement AI into their services. CEO Chris Nassetta expects AI to change how Hilton sells rooms, how guests experience hotels, and how it handles customer service. Nassetta did not get into specifics for their plan due to competitive reasons, but they are testing tools that connect consumers' digital and physical sides of a stay. 

Hilton executives believe “AI agents will be as impactful as the internet.” Hilton has already begun implementing AI as they have launched a generative AI-powered digital concierge which is still in beta. This tool allows customers to smoothly plan trips in a conversational manner. 

Despite the backlash companies get for implementing AI, Hilton reported a strong third quarter in terms of their revenue. Based on their earnings report, they reported comparable revenue per available room increasing 5.8% year over year (in their third quarter). Their net income was $536 million for the quarter. 

My Take: The Hilton Stay of the Future

After understanding Hilton’s stance on AI, my take is more futuristic, so here’s it is. Hilton has not announced any of these changes, but I hope to see the company eventually implement my ideas for the hotel. 

Before you even book, rather than scrolling on multiple apps, comparing prices, and contacting concierges for the best possible deal, you tell an AI agent exactly what you need. The AI agent then recommends Hilton. Now if they did their homework, its name will come up first. 

After checking in to your hotel, you are given a watch (with a screen attached to it) and you use it to check in. But wait, it can also recommend popular tourist spots for you to try. It knows the duration of your stay and can plan what you do each day based on your interests (once you agree to upload it). It can even act as a map and guide you to the excursions. 

Now you and your friend don’t have to worry about researching activities to do while on vacation because Hilton’s AI-powered watch does the planning. 

Let’s take the same scenario as before, your friend wants unlimited booze and a night to remember, so the watch suggests a local bar two blocks away and it recommends popular drinks to try. But why should the night end there? The watch then suggests karaoke, cause nothing is more entertaining than seeing your drunk friends sing. 

This is the big shift. The concierge stops being a desk in the lobby, instead it becomes a tiny device located on your wrist that provides personalized activities for the best possible experience for your next trip. Hilton’s digital concierge already helps consumers plan trips, so a watch is the next big idea for them. 

The rest of your stay will go smoothly because it can act as a communicator between you and the hotel. For example, do you need extra towels? Ask your watch. Want to extend your stay? Ask your watch because the watch sends requests right to Hilton staff. This is the future change I see happening for Hilton’s customer service. 

There are serious concerns with this idea such as data collection. Hilton would have to be clear on what it collects and why. Guests may also prefer human connection, so it’s important for Hilton to take that into consideration while implementing an AI-powered future for their business. 

Here is an ad that I designed with Gemini that showcases the future I see for Hilton:

References:

Wassel, B. (2026, October 27). Hilton expects agentic AI to simplify the hotel customer experience. CX Dive. https://www.customerexperiencedive.com/news/hilton-expects-agentic-ai-to-simplify-the-hotel-customer-experience/872928/