Priceline partners with Google to deploy generative AI

Priceline is working with Google to integrate generative artificial intelligence technology both to enhance the travel experiences for customers and to improve internal operations for employees, making it the first Booking Holdings’ brand to announce such an integration.

Another Booking Holdings brand, Kayak, has created a plugin for ChatGPT but does not have generative AI within its platform. 

The implementation from Priceline mirrors comments made by Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel last month to financial analysts about his outlook for large language models. 

“A few interesting possibilities are interactive itinerary building and answering travelers’ questions … the way that people interact with us in that connected trip vision, the way that you really are able to recreate that human travel agent into something that’s actually an automated player but that does so much better than a machine did in the past,” he said.

The initial rollout of the technology for Priceline, on desktop and mobile, will begin this summer and will include a new AI-powered conversational chatbot that will function as a virtual travel assistant, helping users with trip planning, customer service and the ability to book within the chat interface.

The chat platform will also provide personalized hotel recommendations that consider the user’s preferences such as proximity to local attractions and restaurants. For example, Priceline said customers will be able to get answers to questions such as, “What are the best four-star hotel options in midtown Manhattan within walking distance to Central Park?” and “Can you help me extend my hotel reservation for an additional night?” 

Using Google Cloud’s Vertex AI, the new system will also provide enhanced information on a map viewable on each hotel’s details page, such as generative AI-powered descriptions of nearby attractions, seasonal events and conveniences such as grocery stores. 

“Priceline is charting a course to transform the novelty of generative AI into lasting value for our customers and our business. We believe it’s not just about having the latest technology; it’s also about practically targeting innovation to the right challenges and opportunities,” said Marty Brodbeck, CTO at Priceline. 

“With Google Cloud as our AI innovation partner, we’re doubling down on our commitment to delivering the fastest, most seamless and informative booking experience for our customers, from personalized planning and travel inspiration to customer service.”

The online travel agency will also use AI to give employees more access to internal data and to automate tasks such as coding and content generation for marketing copy and imagery. 

While companies such as Expedia and Trip.com have chosen to work with OpenAI’s technology to integrate generative AI into their platforms, Priceline said it is collaborating with Google for many reasons, including because “The robust data governance and privacy policies provided by Google Cloud ensure Priceline retains control over its data, a crucial consideration for the company. Additionally, Google Cloud's responsible approach to AI empowers Priceline to fine-tune and update its large language models, ensuring appropriateness and accuracy in responses.”

“Generative AI holds tremendous potential for the travel industry, and Priceline is at the forefront of bringing its benefits to both customers and employees,” said Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud.

“Together, we’re focused on being bold in our AI innovation and responsible in how this new technology will be deployed.”