Back when I lived in London, I was friends with the Head Butler at the Savoy. He was incredible – the level of hospitality he delivered was mindblowing. He could book impossible dinner reservations, ensure a room was set up just how the guest preferred, and so much more.

Reflecting on this, I can’t help but think that the hospitality industry stands at an inflection point: what happens when AI doesn’t just support this kind of service, but radically reimagines it?

Gold standard hospitality used to be defined by human intuition, cultural fluency, and that intangible ability to anticipate guests’ needs before they’re voiced. And establishments built reputations on the premise that true hospitality is personal, crafted by individuals who understand what a guest really wants.

Now, AI threatens to disrupt this. Not necessarily by replacing the human touch, but by amplifying it in ways we’re only beginning to comprehend.

Here are 5 ways AI will rewrite the hospitality playbook in the years to come:

1. Augmented Emotional Intelligence

In the future, AI will analyze thousands of guest interactions to understand patterns of emotional rhythms, stress indicators, and unspoken needs, then arming human staff with data-driven insights to better anticipate guests’ deeper needs.

We’re seeing early versions of this in practice. Hilton’s AI concierge Connie, doesn’t just provide information about hotel amenities and local attractions, it learns from every interaction to better understand what guests are really looking for.

Currently, we are only scratching the surface. We’ll see hotels implementing seamless technology to detect stress levels through voice patterns, identify preferences through micro-expressions, and anticipate needs via real-time behavioral analysis. Staff will be augmented with a turbo-charged version of human intuition, equipped with real-time AI insights that help them adjust to even the smallest of guest cues.

2. Responsive Environments

Imagine arriving at your room to find the lighting adjusted to your circadian rhythms, the temperature calibrated to your sleep patterns, and some tailored background noise throughout, to put you at ease.

AI insight will blend with smart devices to transform standardized and static hospitality spaces into dynamic, responsive environments. When connected AI recognizes you’re jet-lagged, the system will adjust lighting and suggest relaxation techniques. When it recognizes you’re celebrating, it will enhance the ambiance.

This connected, intelligent system will empower spaces to feel like they truly understand your ingoing context, and tailor the environment to optimally craft your desired outcomes.

3. Leaps in Smart Sustainability

Imagine a world where an intelligent AI layer perceives patterns in hospitality to enable radical improvements in sustainability. This isn’t just imagination – it’s happening now.

Accor Hotels have integrated AI-powered energy management across its properties, with systems that monitor real-time occupancy data to optimize lighting, heating, and cooling room-by-room.Their AI tools also forecast restaurant demand to significantly curb food waste.

Looking ahead, we’ll see even more sophisticated applications:

• Predictive systems that analyze behavior, weather patterns, local events, and historical data to optimize energy consumption in hospitality spaces, room by room or hour by hour.
• Well beyond turning lights off when guests leave, AI will anticipate occupancy, pre-cool spaces, and coordinate smart systems to minimize waste while maintaining guest comfort.
• AI will enable real-time resource optimization, sharing insights about optimal laundry cycles through to food waste reduction that adapts to local supply chains.

4. Near-Term Novelty Experiences

While some of these ideas may take a few years to come to fruition, we will likely see this tech used for novelty experiences in the near term. In fact, innovative hotels are already experimenting with creative AI applications that hint at what’s possible.

Radisson Hotel Group is experimenting with an immersive “infinity room” that uses AI-enhanced sound and light to help event planners visualize their spaces in real time, transforming how venues sell experiences. Other near-term applications we’ll see more of include:

• AI Concierge via an app or in-lobby kiosk to help you book restaurants, find experiences, or tailor travel plans.
• AI Chefs who will take local, seasonal ingredients and tailor meals to guests’ exact preferences, restrictions, or cravings.
• AI Spa where guests experience smart-treatments, crafted via AI to meet their exact beauty or wellness goals.

5. The AI Detox

For every trend there’s a counter trend. When digital addiction was on the rise, we saw the return of interest in ‘dumb’ phones. As tech workers found themselves increasingly burnt out, we saw ‘digital detox’ camps explode.

Similarly, in an AI future where everything is pushing to be smart, predictive, and adaptive – there will likely be a desire for chronically non-AI experiences.

Picture AI-detox retreats. Dumb hotels. Destinations that tout ‘non-augmented’ staff. As AI booms, we will likely also see the rise of high-end, artisanal, imperfect, and slow hospitality make a comeback.