Much has been said about the future of AI — the good, the bad and, of course, the dramatic.
In my humble opinion, we are right in the messy middle of the adoption curve, making (trying) wild predictions about outcomes we cannot yet simply foresee. While history shows we are actually pretty good at adapting in the long run, reality shows that we are chronically short-term risk-averse.
Personally, when in doubt, I am a huge fan of looking back — because our own past will likely bring us the answer. Historically adoption took centuries, like the printing press, but every generation has dramatically accelerated. In our own lifetime, the internet comes to mind as the biggest disruptor, at least until recently. However, it still took about 30 years to hit mass adoption in the early 2000s. To me, that was real change, but let’s imagine for a minute my grandmother’s reaction when she first got running water at home — now that was disruption.
What I am saying is: Change can strike at any time, but we don’t know how fast we will adapt and the derivatives that the change will bring with it. In today’s world, it might only take a few years or even a few months. Naturally, different generations perceive change very differently, something we often conveniently forget as we view change solely through our lens. I bet you know what I am talking about specially if you have kids or young people around you.
The reality is, there is emotional resistance to AI. There are fears about losing our so-called human touch, losing jobs and suffering Orwellian surveillance, which is ironic, considering we were all (myself included) happily and willingly posting our dinner food menu not too long ago. My personal fear-vorite? The fear that AI will harm our critical thinking skills. I wonder, where was all that concern when we were being taught to memorize everything like our grandparents did? How is it possible we haven’t evolved much our education system? I have also taught at several universities, and having every answer at our fingertips hasn’t exactly sharpened our critical minds either.
But let’s go back to AI and hospitality. What’s beyond the hype? What does 45% AI adoption actually mean for hotels today? The short answer is nobody knows. But I guarantee you the future will catch us if we don’t prepare for it. Let’s face something obvious: We’re aging, and we’re not preparing for the generations coming up behind us. Here’s a quick look at how different generations are adapting to AI:
- Gen Alpha, our true digital natives, kids and teens growing up expecting less human interaction and more AI, VR and instant speed. Meanwhile, our slow-moving hospitality brands are at serious risk of not catching up at their speed.
- Gen Z, the college grads using AI tools weekly, often without clear guidance. They are tech-savvy, highly stressed, ethical and struggling for financial stability. They’re stepping into the travel playground but feel lost in the never-ending hunt for cooler personalization and uniqueness, a complicated mission in our hyper-global world.
- Millennials, full-grown adults now and about 50% of them are using AI regularly. These are our internet pioneers, social network pros who prefer digital boarding passes and real-time text updates over standing in line or waiting for announcements.
- Gen X, the stable, independent crew. Experienced but adaptable (after all, they surfed the internet wave just fine). However, Deloitte tells us they’re not exactly running to use generative AI at work just yet.
- Baby Boomers are surfing retirement, and while traveling, they strongly prefer face-to-face interaction, never-ever digital only.
- Silent Generation, that name alone says a lot.
A Pew Research Center report found that only 25% of the U.S. believes AI will benefit them and improve job quality, so what can we expect for job disruption in hospitality and travel? There's a lot, actually. The question is by when. In the short term, all repetitive jobs, such as check-in, basic clerical work, ID processes, troubleshooting maintenance issues, assistance, forecasting and budgeting, will likely be automated. Creative roles will evolve and entirely new roles will emerge.
AI is neither just innovation nor pure intimidation — and it’s certainly not just hype. It’s a tool, a catalyst for change that is already reshaping how we work, connect and travel. The hospitality industry stands at a crossroads. Resist and risk irrelevance, or adapt and lead the next wave of personalized, efficient and unforgettable guest experiences. The choice is not whether AI will impact us — it is whether we will own that future or let it own us.
Mercedes Blanco is chief partnerships officer at The Hotels Network and a founding member of Women in Travel Thrive.
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