Webjet Group has announced partnerships with AWS and Microsoft to develop new artificial intelligence travel solutions.

The company is pursuing technology-led growth as part of its five-year plan, aiming to address challenges across the travel industry by applying AI to both customer experience and operational efficiency initiatives.

AI in customer service

Webjet has worked with AWS to develop a prototype AI agent for its customer service centres. This technology will be deployed within its operations, integrated with Amazon Connect, AWS’ cloud contact centre solution. With the new AI agent, Webjet seeks to simplify flight change and cancellation queries and support agents in navigating airline fare rules, a process often regarded as complex and time-consuming.

The planned internal rollout of the AI agent is expected to help Webjet deliver faster customer responses, make associated travel costs more transparent, improve service efficiency and reduce operating costs for the group.

Webjet originally migrated its contact centre functions to Amazon Connect in 2023, leading to improvements in operational processes and customer experience metrics. The integration of the AI agent is regarded by Webjet as a significant extension of its collaboration with AWS.

Nam Je Cho, Director of Solutions Architecture, AWS, Australia and New Zealand, said, “As we enter a new era of agentic AI capabilities, we’re thrilled to partner with Webjet to identify opportunities to leverage AI’s transformative power to solve highly complex industry challenges and pave the way for innovation. Together, we’ve created a cutting-edge solution that not only helps to enhance operational efficiency but fundamentally reimagines how travel companies can better serve their customers and transform their industry. This new AI agent is a great example of how organisations can embrace AI to drive meaningful transformation across their operations.”

Travel planning with Microsoft

In partnership with Microsoft, Webjet has developed a proof-of-concept for an AI-powered travel planning agent. This follows a joint innovation hackathon, and the resulting agentic travel planner uses multi-modal AI to provide personalised, context-aware recommendations and itinerary updates.

The travel planner offers interactive, conversational support, adapting to user preferences in real time. The first prototype will be introduced to Webjet’s travel experts, who will use it with customers and provide feedback for further development. Webjet’s future plan for this product includes making the tool available through AI marketplaces to reach a wider, digitally oriented audience.

Jo Dooley, Vice President Enterprise Commercial at Microsoft ANZ, said, “Microsoft is proud to deepen our partnership with Webjet Group, a leader in travel innovation. Together, we are harnessing the power of AI to reimagine the travel experience, making it more personalised, seamless and secure for travellers everywhere. This collaboration marks an exciting step forward in our shared commitment to technology leadership, empowering Webjet Group to deliver smarter, trusted travel solutions for the future.”

Wider AI strategy

Webjet’s CEO and Managing Director Katrina Barry commented on the broader importance of these partnerships to the company’s strategy and its work with other travel technology platforms.

Katrina Barry said, “Through our partnerships with AWS and Microsoft, we’re excited to work with some of the most innovative AI teams to solve challenges that matter to our customers and the travel industry. Technology and innovation have always been at Webjet’s core, and we’re inspired by the opportunity AI brings to further strengthen our capabilities. In addition to exploring AI solutions across our broader ecosystem and leveraging our fully integrated AI pricing engine at Trip Ninja, these new initiatives mark an important step in advancing AI-driven travel innovation. Just as importantly, we’re empowering our people with the skills and tools to thrive in an AI-enabled future, ensuring we continue to be a trusted and technology-focused partner for travellers.”

Webjet is continuing efforts to use AI and advanced technology across its operations, including integration with the Trip Ninja pricing engine to support complex travel itineraries, as part of its strategic goals through to the end of the decade.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of travel and hospitality, Airbnb has emerged as a trailblazer, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to redefine how users discover, book, and experience accommodations. As the company transitions to an AI-first platform, it is not merely optimizing operations but fundamentally reshaping the economics of short-term rentals. For investors, this shift represents a compelling opportunity to capitalize on a business model that is not only resilient but also strategically positioned to dominate the AI-native app revolution.

The AI-Driven Flywheel: Demand Growth and Occupancy Optimization

At the heart of Airbnb’s transformation lies its AI-powered personalized recommendation system, which analyzes user behavior, preferences, and contextual data to deliver hyper-targeted listings. By constructing dynamic user profiles and refining them through continuous feedback loops, Airbnb has achieved a 30% increase in user satisfaction and a 25% higher booking conversion rate. This system not only streamlines the search process but also creates a self-reinforcing cycle: satisfied users return more frequently, generating more data to further refine the algorithms.

Complementing this is the dynamic pricing model, which uses real-time data on competitor pricing, seasonal trends, and local events to optimize revenue for hosts. In Q2 2025, this AI-driven approach contributed to a 13% year-over-year revenue growth, with Adjusted EBITDA margins expanding to 34%. Hosts benefit from reduced administrative burdens and data-driven pricing strategies, while Airbnb captures a larger share of the market by enabling hosts to maximize occupancy and revenue.

Competitive Differentiation: From Platform to Ecosystem

Airbnb’s AI innovations extend beyond pricing and recommendations. Image recognition technology automates the tagging and quality control of listing photos, ensuring that properties are presented with clarity and consistency. This not only enhances the guest experience but also improves booking rates for hosts, particularly in competitive markets. Meanwhile, AI-driven fraud detection systems monitor user behavior to flag suspicious activities, reducing the risk of fraudulent transactions and bolstering trust—a critical factor in retaining users in an increasingly skeptical digital age.

The company’s predictive analytics further solidify its competitive edge. By forecasting demand fluctuations and tailoring marketing campaigns to emerging trends, Airbnb has outperformed peers in expanding markets like Brazil and Japan. For instance, a targeted campaign in Japan drove a 15% year-over-year increase in first-time bookers, demonstrating the power of AI to unlock growth in untapped regions.

Financial Resilience and Strategic Expansion

Despite regulatory headwinds in cities like New York and London, Airbnb’s geographic diversification and product innovation have insulated it from short-term volatility. In Q2 2025, the company reported $3.1 billion in revenue, $642 million in net income, and $1.0 billion in free cash flow, with a trailing twelve-month free cash flow of $4.3 billion. These metrics underscore Airbnb’s ability to convert AI-driven efficiencies into robust financial performance.

The company’s P/E ratio of 31.01, while higher than the industry median of 19.19, reflects investor confidence in its long-term growth trajectory. With a cash reserve of $11.4 billion and a strategic focus on expanding its “Experiences” and “Services” offerings, Airbnb is poised to capture a larger share of the $1.2 trillion global travel market.

Risks and Mitigations

Regulatory challenges remain a wildcard, particularly in urban centers where short-term rental restrictions are tightening. However, Airbnb’s proactive compliance strategies—such as automating tax collection in 400+ jurisdictions and shifting focus to rural and suburban markets—have mitigated these risks. The company’s “Office for Healthy Tourism” initiative, which aligns with local economic goals, further eases political resistance and fosters long-term partnerships.

Investment Thesis: A Must-Owning Play in the AI-Native Era

For investors, Airbnb’s AI-first strategy offers a unique confluence of technological innovation, financial resilience, and market adaptability. The company’s ability to leverage AI for demand forecasting, pricing optimization, and user personalization positions it as a leader in the next phase of the travel industry. While short-term volatility is inevitable, the long-term outlook is clear: Airbnb is not just surviving in the AI-native app revolution—it is leading it.

In a world where data is the new currency, Airbnb’s mastery of AI-driven discovery and search innovation ensures it will remain a must-own asset for forward-thinking investors. The question is no longer whether Airbnb can adapt to the AI era—it is how quickly competitors can catch up.

If you’re anything like me, you really like spontaneous, unplanned road trips but don’t like organizing things ahead. If you’re planning to hit the road for the Labor Day long weekend though, you’re sure to be one of many drivers on the road. It’s definitely a good idea to start thinking now about your route so you can avoid the worst of the traffic and figure out what to see along the way.

A friend sent me a list of different artificial intelligence tools they used to make trip planning easier. This list included Curiosio, an AI trip planning tool that provides a map, budget and calculated trip length for you within seconds. My ears perked up imagining its potential output speed.

What is Curiosio and how does it use AI?

My nonnegotiables for an AI trip planner list include a bright and accessible interface, little to no fees and inspiration for my upcoming trip. Curiosio delivered. 

The tool was created by Vas Mylko and Roman Bilusiak to support solo, budget-conscious and multistop travelers seeking personalized road trip experiences that feature cost breakdowns and flexible itineraries.

The free, AI-powered platform offers features like route optimization, detailed itineraries with maps, cost and time breakdowns and detailed guides to destinations. 

Between its Geek, Travel and Beta modes, Curiosio compiles quite a few tools to help navigate and embellish your getaway, regardless of what kind of adventure you’re going on.

What I particularly enjoyed about Curiosio was the focus on road trips instead of trying to be an all-in-one travel planner. I also enjoyed its country-specific branding, which includes a hot air balloon adorned with each nation’s flag, and its typeface that is reminiscent of an Indiana Jones PC game. With many sleek, yet sterile, tech brands on the market, I thought this gave the website a sweet touch.

How to plan your road trip with AI   

Let’s first break down the three modes within Curiosio: Travel, Geek and Beta. 

Travel Mode is for travelers or busybodies who want a simplified, real-time guide. Needless to say, I fall into this category. Here, you can follow your itinerary with directions and context-aware tips. This is perfect if you want hands-off-the-wheel support. 

There’s also Geek Mode, for the detail-driven, perfectionist folks who want control over every detail of their trip. Direct that friend or partner over to this mode so they can put all that energy in Curiosio, and not on you. Here you can customize routing, add filters and use logic to the best of your planning ability. 

And Beta Mode is for the innovative, experimental type who not only thrives off novelty, but loves diving into a new thing before anyone else. Here you can get access to AI enhancements (and bugs) but also try out new features. At the time of writing, Curiosio was developing its membership to focus on the travel experience. 

This is how to use Curiosio’s travel tool:

1. Head to the website and enter your country. 
2. Once selected, navigate to the top and select Travel to enter your starting point and desired destination(s) for your road trip. Specify dates, duration and your budget preferences.  
3. Let the AI do its thing and create a personalized road trip plan. Curiosio promises that this will not take longer than 100 seconds. For reference, my plans were generated in about 35 seconds. 
4. Review the suggested routes. My output generated four itineraries, ranging in budget and trip length. You can toggle to see the full itinerary breakdown, including a day-by-day itinerary, hotels and budget allocation. 
5. Modify by adding or removing the destination to start over, or adjust the travel dates or budget to better fit your needs. 
6. Once you’re satisfied, finalize your itinerary. This is where you can export the plan to your preferred format or integrate with other mapping tools. Head to the upper right corner of your trip itinerary and select Google Maps from the dropdown menu, or copy the link over to your preferred GPS system. 
7. Then use Google Maps or your GPS system to monitor real-time traffic, plus check out any interesting spots between your starting point and your trip’s destination. (Though an integrated traffic monitoring system would be a beneficial addition to Curiosio.)

Should you use AI to help plan a road trip?

Curiosio is a simple yet ideal tool for independent travelers who crave flexibility, customization and a touch of adventure — especially those planning multistop road trips. 

I see it as a great fit for digital nomads, couples, small groups or anyone taking a chaotic road trip with family who wants a streamlined way to create detailed itineraries without relying on prepackaged tours. 

If you’re someone who enjoys the planning process but wants help optimizing routes while also discovering hidden gems, Curiosio can be a time-saving, dopamine-boosting tool. It’s also particularly useful for travelers who are budget-conscious but still want well-rounded travel experiences with context tailored to the places they’re going. I found the tool easy to navigate, and it definitely helped me save time.

Now, Curiosio might not be the best choice for travelers seeking all-inclusive vacations, group tours or very spontaneous getaways. If you prefer to book flights and resorts, or if your travel is centered around staying in one city the entire time, the platform’s road trip-focused approach may feel unnecessary and somewhat rudimentary. 

It’s safe to say that if you’re seeking an easy, functional and road trip-focused AI tool to support and speed up your planning process, Curiosio is a simple yet functional option.

Planning in seconds is an ideal compromise. Now, if only it could pack for me, too.