Flight Centre Travel Group has implemented several AI projects and has more in the pipeline to improve its corporate travel division. The company established a dedicated team called the “AI Centre of Excellence” to oversee the development and implementation of AI tools. This team works with various product teams across different countries to determine where generative AI could be useful and assists in building these products. Additionally, the AI Centre is responsible for developing AI best practices and managing relationships with partners like Microsoft and Amazon Web Services. The team has already deployed four major AI projects, including a tool to classify client inquiries and route them appropriately, a browser extension for generating content during booking, a tool to simplify travel itineraries with bookings from multiple sources, and a self-service customer service chatbot.
Flight Centre’s Chief Experience Officer, John Morhous, believes that there is still a lot of untapped potential for AI in the travel industry, despite the progress that has been made. The focus for now is on addressing the fragmentation in the travel industry and improving the overall travel experience for customers. While Morhous acknowledges that the industry is still in its early days when it comes to leveraging AI technology, he is optimistic about the promise that it holds for the future. As a result, Flight Centre plans to continue investing in AI and potentially grow the AI team to focus on more specialized projects that are AI-centric.
One of the key goals for Flight Centre is to enhance efficiency in company operations through AI tools. While the team does work on some consumer experience tools, the primary focus is on making operations more streamlined and efficient. Morhous explained that the team constantly has new ideas in the pipeline, with the capacity to work on about a dozen to two dozen projects at any given time. The team is primarily focused on driving innovation within the company and handing off successful projects to the respective product teams for implementation. By taking this approach, the AI team can continue to focus on new innovations and projects.
Morhous highlighted some of the specific AI projects that Flight Centre has already deployed, including a tool to classify client inquiries and route them to the appropriate service team, a browser extension for generating helpful travel tips during the booking process, a tool to simplify travel itineraries with bookings from multiple sources, and a self-service customer service chatbot. These projects have already shown positive returns on investment for the company, reinforcing the decision to continue investing in AI. Flight Centre is also committed to ensuring that its AI projects comply with training, development, security, and regulatory guidelines, making the AI Centre of Excellence crucial for overseeing these aspects.
Looking ahead, Flight Centre sees a lot of potential for AI in the travel industry and plans to continue exploring new opportunities to leverage the technology. Morhous envisions a future where travel operates as smoothly as e-commerce giants like Amazon, with seamless booking and travel experiences. While the industry is still in the early stages of realizing the full impact of AI technology, Flight Centre remains committed to driving innovation and improving the overall travel experience for its customers. The company’s ongoing investment in AI, whether through a centralized team like the AI Centre of Excellence or through distributed teams, underscores its dedication to integrating AI technology into its operations for long-term success.
