Perhaps the most interesting thing I heard when I was in Toronto a few weeks ago for HITEC — or at least the thing that has stuck in my mind the most since then — was the discussion by resort owner Tata Crocombe about how his employees use generative artificial intelligence.
To be honest, I'd been somewhat skeptical for awhile about all of the talk about ChatGPT and other generative AI platforms. Obviously, it's going to be hugely impactful on our culture going forward, but the idea that it was going to immediately change everything about our day-to-day lives seemed a bit overblown.
But Crocombe talking about the various ways he employs it in his business, and specifically diving into how he uses it as both a brainstorming and productivity tool, was pretty eye-opening for me. And indeed, in my little bits of playing with ChatGPT here and there, it's immediately apparent how useful it could be for individual productivity.
Here's a very on-the-nose example of one way a journalist like me, or really anyone tasked with doing something creative or making any kind of content, can use it for productivity: Just before I started writing this, I decided to ask ChatGPT to give me some suggestions on what to write about.
The most clichéd productivity roadblock for any writer is writer's block, and the best way around writer's block is considering some outside opinions on what to do next.
So I asked it to give me five topics I could blog about, and here were the suggestions:
- The rise of sustainable practices in hotels.
- The influence of technology on guest experience.
- The effects of pandemic recovery on hotel businesses.
- The growth of boutique and niche hotels.
- Trends in hotel design and architecture.
My biggest surprise is it didn't suggest to write about AI in hotels, but here we are nonetheless.
Coincidentally, Google is pitching news outlets on AI tools to help journalists write, which is both promising and terrifying.
Anyway, this is just one way to look at how to deploy these tools on a personal/professional level. Every employee at a hotel or a hotel company whose job requires some level of brainstorming — which I'd assume would be most — could deploy similar strategies.
I'm kind of struggling to think of how to end this blog. I wonder what ChatGPT thinks I should do.
"In this exciting era of technological advancements, successful hotels will be those that effectively leverage AI to enhance guest experiences while preserving the core values of hospitality — exceptional service and unforgettable memories," my robot friend said. "So, as we move forward into this AI-driven future, let's remember that technology is a powerful tool, but it's our commitment to guest satisfaction and genuine connections that will continue to define the heart of the hotel industry."
Let me know what you think on Twitter, LinkedIn or via email.
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