GenAI In [Hospitality] Study 2026-LNU-Group 11

Executive SummaryThis study explores how generative AI tools influence customer experiences and service interactions within the hospitality sector. The study is based on interviews with participants who have interacted with AI services such as chatbots, travel agents or recommendation systems. The findings highlight both positive and negative aspects of generative AI in hospitality services. According to the results, generative AI tools have positive aspects such as improved efficiency and faster access to information. Participants have described how easy and quick they can get information, recommendations and summaries of questions they have asked. Which will help them make decisions more effectively during travels or for a dinner reservation. However, not only positive aspects of influence were brought up during the interviews. Participants also described several limitations of generative AI, including inaccurate information, difficulties to understand different requests but also frustration when problems occur and can not be solved. This negatively affects both customers' experience and the quality service interaction. Taking these aspects into consideration there is an importance for companies to acknowledge both the positive and negative outcomes of their own Generative AI’s on e.g. company websites. Some of the AI’s that interviewees emphasized as bad were found on larger booking websites, where the funding aspect of building AI doesn't seem to be an issue. With this in mind companies should be more aware and develop their AI further with the large existing knowledge available. Furthermore enhancing their AI our body of research indicates that customers are more likely to stay on as customers and not go out searching for other companies with similar solutions. In terms of AI influencing consumer decisions some interviewees indicated that it is now more difficult to detect when AI is present and not. With the ever evolving functions that AI develops some interviewees further emphasized that they are almost not aware anymore when it's them that are making the decisions and when it's the AI making it for them. The study also shows that human interaction still is important in service experiences. AI tools are a great and useful tool for routine tasks but many of the participants still prefer human support in complicated or emotional situations. These findings suggest that generative AI is best used as a complement to human service rather than replacing it. Research Question:“How does Generative AI on hospitality websites influence customers' experiences and service interactions?”