Artificial Inteligence
Table of Contents
Research ethics and compliance. 10
Introduction
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a segment of the computer science sphere, which is about the making of intelligent equipment that reason and functions like the human brain (Gunning, 2017). Some of the many activities that machine with the so-called artificial Intelligence are structured to execute include planning, speech recognition, problem-solving, and learning. On the other hand, there have emerged environmental concerns, which have, in turn, given birth to a new generation of environmentally conscious consumers. Similarly, the tourism and travel industry has recognized these changes in consumer behavior. These concerns resulted in the industry stakeholders to engage in further discussion about sustainability and its impact on the sector (Chui, etal., 2018). The main point of discussion was on the implementation of green initiatives to enable hotels to integrate sustainability fully as part of their operations.
As time passes and technology becomes more available, an increasing number of hotel giants are combining the two elements to create a product that matches the need of eco-friendly consumers as well as building on their brand image and value. The role of Artificial Intelligence has increased dramatically in the hospitality industry because of its capacity to increase productivity and effectiveness, which is achieved by reducing human mistakes and impressing the guest experience through service innovations (Li, etal.,2019). One crucial area to be affected is customer service, a vital element of any successful hotel. Indeed, Artificial Intelligence allows greater personalization of the guest experience using algorithms to collect, sort, and treat data to anticipate guest’s needs promptly.
This report will examine how Artificial Intelligence has helped the hotel’s sustainability practices. It will explore researches previously conducted, as well as relevant literature and case studies on the subject while drawing up recommendations for the future. What is proposed is hotels around the world should take sustainability programs more seriously (Tussyadiah & Miller, 2019). From a technological point of view, AI could well provide a handful of solutions for hotel experts. However, it is imperative to point out some limitations in the use of technology and its implications when it comes to ethics and privacy. As hotels lack the core competencies to develop and manage such technology, they must create a new partnership with other industry players where the technology has been used successfully.
Aims and objectives
The study examines how Artificial Intelligence helps hotel sustainability programs can. Secondary research will be used along with some case studies and interview research conducted on a minority. The following objectives guided the study;
- To identify the direct impacts on sustainability.
- To find out service delivery of Artificial Intelligence.
- To determine what are the ethics or privacy implications.
- To establish what areas are the most impacted by AI within the hotels.
- To find out the possible solutions.
- To establish what hotel staff thinks of Artificial Intelligence.
Literature review
Research has shown that hotels have taken a tremendous commitment to lower the environmental footprints and improve sustainability for the many services they provide. Rock Resorts started this initiative many years ago (Hepner & Lotter, 2019). The ten initiatives have since become the fundamental norm for many hotels that have an interest in running more sustainable properties (Menegaki & Agiomirgianakis, 2019). The efforts made included energy conservation, i.e., a sensor in the room to activate light and water conservation more sophisticated equipment to work with sensors, bath amenities with a motion sensor which will not dispense more than a certain amount of soap for a few minutes, room keys which are now on your smartphone linked directly to the hotel registry and finally, according to the article,‘Spa’s are becoming more high-tech and computerized’ The use of AI-based tech(sensors.) has increased the level of control that hotel has on energy and water consumption thus limiting the negative impacts on the environment.
Food preparation has also benefited from Artificial Intelligence, as stated in the article. It is explained that with smart machines, which in kitchens include high-tech ovens, stoves, etc., food is done to a much better standard, and at the same time, everything is computerized, which led to less wastage. Wastage was also mentioned as an area where the positive impact of AI could be felt. Menus have also become electronic, attached to the POS systems, and as a result, there is no wastage on paper menus, and whenever anything is changed, it is all electronic. Computers do an excellent job of keeping track of orders and revenue along with other statistics, which help the restaurant plan. Customer service is a prime example of Artificial Intelligence in the hotel industry.
The development of robots is becoming visible in many hotels. The Hilton robot (Connie), as an example, deals with customer-facing situations (Qureshi & Sajjad, 2017). Chabot’s and instant Messaging are also some of the most known ways Artificial Intelligence can be used within hotels. Technology is very successful when it comes to online chats and messaging, responding to requests, and simple questions. The Dorchester Collection has exercised the Metis Artificial Intelligence platform (Lukanova & Ilieva, 2019). The organization was able to sort through the enormous amounts of data and analyze them, which later on led to conclusions about both customers and potential customers. Since systems (artificially intelligent ones) have arrived in the hotel industry, the hospitality sector buzzed with the ability to know a lot of information about customers using the platforms of data analytics, which help hotel staff make a better frame of customers. Utilizing all of the potential options of Artificial Intelligence, a lot of information can be captured, such as the purchases the customers make. Similarly, the choices that the customers are looking for, if there are any patterns about the customers traveling and their itineraries, their hotel and location preferences, feedback about the hotel and ratings, and finally, payment methods.
The information that is gathered can be examined and later translated into data that can be used for research purposes and can assist the hotel with there guests as they travel and during their stay. Travel companions have become intelligent, especially when they are combined with more personalized service features. To optimize all those sensitive data and make the most out of it, hotels use AI-based algorithms with a component of machine learning. That is machines that are specifically programmed to perform a specific task. In this case, intelligent travel communication becomes very handy (Arora, etal., 2020). Travelers have evolved lately and desire a great mixture of high-grade personalization and exceptional serviced standards on the go.
On the other hand, hotel operations often miscalculate guest’s needs due to massive amounts of data about visitors and hotel staff. In this instance, it is where intelligent travel phones can come to assist. When guests enter their room, they immediately have access to AI-enabled phones that offer fantastic features such as a built-in hotel app. The guest can also access a travel guide to certain attractions, booking services, access to hotel services, GPS capabilities and promotional offers. A dramatic increase in Artificial Intelligence robots has been seen, flooding many hotels around the world (Ivanov & Webster, 2017). The most recent robots are the butlers with there capabilities improving day by day. I will now shift to illustrate some examples, which I found in secondary research.
I have compiled several hotels that have been successful in implementing Artificial Intelligence. One of the hotels is Wynn Las Vegas: This posh world-class hotel is known to be one of the most luxurious hotels in the world. It offers exceptional customer experience along with outstanding luxury. Not long ago, an announcement was made saying that the Amazon Echo will be used in there 5000 rooms for their customers to have a relaxing stay overall these
Facilities (Raz, 2016). It also allows guests to control the lighting of the room, room temperature, TV channels, and settings, and finally, Echo’s assistant with all of its services will be leveraged.
Another hotel that has significantly benefited from AI is Clarion Hotel in Stockholm: This is one of the hotels, which use a Chabot butler with the help of the Amazon Echo. Technically this in-room assistant is equipped with many features, which include an advanced power feature that is designed to help guests with a number of requirements such as ordering room service, ordering taxis, and many other hotels related operation services. Room service orders have increased while ordering with the telephone has also decreased saving labor. Lobby staff can engage themselves in other jobs rather than waste their time looking for cabs. The device has taken off some pressure over the workers in guest services. Guests can request services through Echo, and as a result, hotel staff can engage themselves with helping other guests, which led to more personalized experience with less cost.
I will give one last example with Henna Hotel in Japan: This hotel has started replacing humans with robots. The robots do the staff jobs, and they are successful (Osawa, etal.,2017). This hotel is the most outstanding hotel, which only has robots. This robot helps guests in everything, which includes check-in. The porters are even robots, and they are the ones who help you with your luggage. The robot then goes to your room and makes sure that you are comfortable with the light, and the temperature is as you like it to be. Fewer customers contact the front desk. Pressure on switchboard is less due to the Amazon Echo’s outstanding results. Guests have a more convenient stay due to self-service, which guides you to the best entertainment spots. The concierge, as a result, does other things, which, in the long run, make the guest happier.
From the secondary research, we can draw out some conclusion that this is not just a theoretical perspective but a convenient, ideal situation that is already in the market. Though I am leaning towards the hotel industry, it is not the only perfect field that can implement AI in an exemplary manner. Similarly, we have witnessed AI in the transport sector, security, entertainment even to the extend of us using AI as the weatherman. It is through devices such as chabots, text-based personal assistants we have ignited AI with some of us completely unaware. Through such devices, it is evident we have come to rely on appliances for our convenience in our daily routine. The latter is because these AI-based appliances supplement the human brain; for instance, one would prefer to calculate using a calculator than manually. Therefore the hotel industry has been able to implement AI inventions that have several advantages successfully.
Key Terms
- AI: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an area of computer science that emphasizes the creation
of intelligent machines that work and react like humans.
- Sustainability: Sustainability focuses on meeting the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
Methodology
The chapter explores various and systematic methods that will be employed in the study of the research problem. Based on this, the section endeavored to provide means of research and techniques applicable to the study (Kumar, 2019). The chapter discusses Research Design, Target population for a few selected respondents, sampling techniques, data collection methods alongside instruments to be used, and data analysis and research ethics. The research design applied will be mainly descriptive statistics using more qualitative data. It is preferred because of the ability to describe the existing problem and observe the real situation as it is on the ground. The design will also be appropriate because it will enrich the researcher with an opportunity to interact with respondents widely and for them to be able to access the right information of the study.
A mixture of both secondary and primary data, two case studies, three scholarly articles, and interviews will be used depending on the scenario and the hotel that will be questioned. The first aim is to investigate the direct impact of AI on water and energy conservation in hotels. The second area to be studied via secondary research was to present the immediate effects that AI had on services innovations and information sorting for consumer’s preference. As no contact is
available with the Wynn in Las Vegas as an example, as discussed above, secondary research
was used on how they use Artificial Intelligence. The same will apply to Henana a hotel in
Japan and the Clarion in Sweden. Previous observations during work within a well-known
sustainable hotel brand (Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts.) has provided some guidelines on how
AI could help sustainability via Marine conservation and coral reef restoration in the Maldives (Lin-heng, etal.,2017). AI is a relatively new concept in regard to hotels sustainability it was imperative to incorporate an expert opinion via in-depth interview to argue the possible uses of the technology within the sector especially when it comes to innovative ideas on how to reduce
food waste not only within restaurant but also at the supplier level. The final method to be
used as the evaluation of the academic journal to pinpoint the perspective of the overall AI
technology under the view of sustainability. The aim was to establish a clear connection between sustainability and Artificial Intelligence.
Research ethics and compliance
It also allowed me to evaluate the shortcomings as well as the limitations regarding Artificial Intelligence. Some respondents were reluctant to share the information required from them and were concerned about ethics and confidentiality (Langevoort, 2018). Thus it was quite a task to convince them to participate in the study. Last but not the least of the areas to be investigated was to compile the opinions of different guests on how they feel about less human interactions in hotels as well as the future job loss for the industry as a whole. For the latter, it was decided to use secondary research to find out the impact of AI on other industries such as manufacturing, where the use of technology has been integrated.
It took me time to clear the respondent’s doubts by clarifying the study, thus providing reassurance that the research was purely conducted for academic reasons to establish the gaps for possible intervention by policymakers. The required reassurance for confidentiality as well, and it was granted. Through clarifying their fears several occasions and eventually building trust, I was able to acquire all the information and documentation needed to carry out the study.
Findings
The findings will be analyzed according to the objectives stated earlier so we can determine whether or not the purpose of the study has been met. The most critical impact of AI on hotel sustainability is its capacity to reduce energy, water consumption, as well as wastage within hotel operations (Qureshi & Sajjad, 2017). The first objective is to identify the direct impacts on sustainability. According to the sampled population, it is estimated that energy consumption amounts to 60 percent of a property carbon footprints. Using AI-based Machinery such as sensors enables hotels to stabilize temperature regulation, which amounts to 69 percent of total energy consumption. Sustainable tourism represents the fastest-growing segment of the industry. It is, therefore, imperative for the hotel to invest in more technology to match the demand for environmentally savvy consumers. It is, however, essential to point out that high costs and difficulties in implementation might hinder the willingness to improve the technology. Indeed, sensors and other high tech devices are not suited for smaller, older properties unable to cope with the significant investments required.
The positive impact of AI-based technology in hotels could not only be felt on sustainability. Therefore this brings us to the second objective, to find out service delivery of Artificial Intelligence. Customer service interactions, information sorting, and service personalization. For instance, chatbots for self-check-in as well as voice recognition in rooms and other amenities, have been well received by consumers and adopted by many hotel companies. The sampled data proved that 90% of AI equipment’s service delivery is efficient and accurate apart from the 10%, which mainly consists of faulty AI equipment with could be as a result of aging or poor servicing (Osawa, 2017).
Another objective that was highlighted was to determine what are the ethics or privacy implications. I have been able to ascertain that data considered the raw material of AI, the issues of ethics and privacy on how the data is collected, stored, and protected must be raised (Lukanova & Ilieva, 2019). It is essential to know that for AI to be more productive, and the machines must have access to as much information as possible. Thus, it is more beneficial for any company to generate more data making an AI system that is better than the competition. However, AI treats and sort data independently of human interference due to its machine learning capacities and might prioritize data collection over consumer’s privacy (Qureshi & Sajjad, 2017). For instance, sensitive information regarding guest’s healthcare status, sexual orientations, and other sensitive data might be collected without the consent of the individual. Because hotels lack the core competencies to monitor and manage such sophisticated technology, accountability is minimal. The findings showed that 95% of privacy and ethics compliance was positive apart from the 5%, which is as a result of human manipulation of AI equipment.
‘To find out the possible solutions,” objective has also been captured through the legal framework on how to deal with AI accountability lacks clarity as it is a fairly new technology. The main question to be asked is who to blame for machine misbehavior. As of 2017, the British parliament enacted the possibility of creating electronic personhood, a legal entity that will police AI and how they collect and treat information (Qureshi & Sajjad, 2017).Other possible solutions for hotel companies to tackle the issues associated with the use of AI, is to create a partnership with other companies that have a better understanding and knowledge of AI . An example of such entity is Mindbridge, An AI specialist that preconized as a solution to curate data that is made available to AI so it can select the best and ignore the rest. By doing so, hotels could make sure that they safeguard their guest information while enjoying the competitive advantage that comes with using AI. For AI to present such benefits for hotel staff and guests alike in terms of productivity, the accuracy of services, opinions regarding its future application, and the impact that it will have on the future of the industry are mitigated. On one side, The AI trend appeals with excellent strength to the new generation of travelers born under the internet age, technology-savvy, in their quest for innovation and new exciting experiences.
There was also the objective to establish what areas are the most impacted by AI within the hotels. I have identified that the Henna hotel in Japan is a prime example of the attractiveness of a fully automated hotel and how it attracts guest’s from all over the world. From an entirely free check-in to the delicacies made to order via a vending machine, people visiting the hotel have exalted at the experience for its uniqueness and for the property to serve as a prototype for other projects worldwide. As exciting that it might have been other guests did experience a feeling of loneliness and the lack of human interactions. Out of the three sampled hotels, Henna hotel stood out as the most outstanding, whereby most of the hotel activities are carried out by AI robots.
Finally, there is the objective to establish what hotel staff thinks of Artificial Intelligence. From the interview, responses have been able to verify that the older generation is not capable cope with AI. The older generation guests did emphasize the lack of assistance for using the technology and the limited support to people with disabilities such as hearing problems and the use of wheelchairs. Those challenges are to be addressed even though it is predicted that technology will drastically improve in the future. Finally, hotel and service industries personnel have emitted some reserves in Regards to the increasing role that AI occupies within the industry. One area that is employing a lot of workforce within hotel is housekeeping.
Today, however, AI-based Robots named Relay has the capacity not only to
clean rooms but also to deal with room service with high accuracy. As of today full automation has not yet been reach therefore more than 80 percent of staff stated that the robots make them
more productive and satisfied.In the foreseeable future for hotels it is estimated that areas such
as housekeeping and maintenance will be strongly affected by automation thus job loss. In
regards, to other roles such as Front Desk and Concierge some cooperation between man and
machines seem to be foreseeable at least when it comes to 5star hotels and the personalized
services they offer. However, the real challenge will come at the horizon 2055 where it is
estimated that 50 percent of all current work activities will be automated.
Conclusion
People often think that the robot is a replacement for human power; however, the
concept of Artificial Intelligence as a helpful tool for the hotel, and at the same time, it is much
more persuasive, more comprehensive, and finally larger than what people think about this project. It has recently created more trust, but what it does best is that for the hospitality industry, it shows the excellent work of transforming its services, promises, and facilities work through these powered robots (Yi, 2019). In today’s business world, the hotel industry has changed a lot, especially when it comes to comfort-defining advancements, which are the fastest incorporated, along with sophisticating its entire operation with the adoption of several innovative ideas and methods used for outstanding customer service.
The hospitality industry has experienced several benefits and a massive impact on the overall business momentum. Some benefits we discussed, were enhanced hotel guest experience, meeting client’s expectations, among others listed above. Although AI is seen as the new technology trend, it has proven to save a lot of money for organizations that use it. Whether it’s the front desk where the AI robot is located or whether the concierge service is in the hotel rooms, the voice-activated assistants do a fantastic job of improving customer experience. Artificial Intelligence is considered a significant drive in successfully running the hotel industry today into a different level. The technology allows personalized concierge services and approves perfect real-time recommendations along with easy service requests organization and management. When it comes to sustainability, AI has helped reduce waste, energy consumption, and even in some cases, helped to track and monitoring water safety level and corals restoration efforts. For all, AI has proven to be a strong ally of hotels in their quest to become more sustainable over time (Ghoreishi & Happonen,2020). However, serious concerns remain over the issues of ethics, privacy, and data protection. That is because AI being such a relatively new technology, still lacks the judicial framework that is so much needed.
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