Marriott CEO Says AI Will Hit Hotel Distribution First

Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano said that “the biggest impact” of AI adoption on the hotel industry will be in how travelers find and book hotels. He said the company is prioritizing appearing in the AI-powered platforms where travelers increasingly shop.

Speaking at a Bank of America investor conference Wednesday, Capuano was asked where AI is showing up in practice so far. 

“The biggest impact you’ll see on our industry is the distribution landscape,” he said.

Marriott is feeding Google and OpenAI as much content about its portfolio as it can so its hotels “show up in a really both authentic but prominent way,” Capuano said. 

Skift reported in June on Lighthouse’s findings about how hotels are appearing in AI search tools.

“I read reports recently from both Skift and from Lighthouse saying the Marriott portfolio is showing up in those platforms more readily available than any of our peers,” Capuano said.

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