Science & Technology (Commonwealth Union) – A new paper suggests that concierge services powered by artificial intelligence could revolutionize how hotels and other service businesses interact with customers.
Researchers have introduced the concept of an AI concierge, detailing its potential role across various service sectors and the different forms it might take. This innovative assistant, envisioned as a virtual caretaker, would combine natural language processing, behavioral data, and predictive analytics to anticipate customer needs, offer suggestions, and automate routine tasks without explicitly being ordered to carry it out.
Although such an advanced assistant is still years from reality, lead author Stephanie Liu, an associate professor of hospitality management at The Ohio State University, and her colleagues have taken up inspiration from service management, psychology, human-computer interaction, and ethics research. Their paper explores the opportunities and challenges an AI concierge could present in managing human interactions.
Prior research into different fields of AI has indicated that with the continuous learning over time while improving could speed up its availability.
“The traditional service industry uses concierges for high-end clients, meaning that only a few people have access to them,” explained Liu. “Now with the assistance of AI technology, everybody can have access to a concierge providing superior experiences.”
Based on that premise, incorporating AI into customer service offers two significant benefits, she said: It allows companies to provide 24/7 availability and operational consistency, and it enhances customer interactions with professional service organizations.
Furthermore, Liu noted that as the younger workforce increasingly seeks tech-oriented jobs and global travel becomes more prevalent, generative AI could effectively address the rising demands of evolving hospitality patterns that are may emerge.
“The development of AI technology for hotels, restaurants, health care, retail and tourism has a lot of potential,” she added.
The findings appeared recently in the Journal of Service Management.
Researchers of the study indicated that despite the social and economic benefits of implementing such machines, the effectiveness of AI concierges in completing tasks will rely on both the specific situation and the type of interface consumers use, according to Liu.
Liu identifies four primary forms a smart aide might take, each with unique attributes that offer different levels of convenience to consumers.
They indicated that the first type is a dialogue interface that communicates through text or speech, like ChatGPT, a conversational agent commonly used for inquiries and real-time assistance. These interactive devices are frequently employed in hotels and medical buildings for contactless booking or to link up consumers with various services and resources.
The second type is a virtual avatar with a vivid digital appearance and a fully developed persona to foster a deeper emotional connection with consumers. This approach is often used in telehealth consultations together with online learning programs.
The third type was said to be a holographic projection, which brings a simulated 3D image into the physical world. According to Liu, this is ideal for scenarios where visual impact is desired, but physical assistance is not a requirement.
The paper concludes by proposing an AI concierge in the form of a tangible, touchable robot. This design would provide highly human-like sensory experiences and be capable of performing various physical tasks, such as transporting heavy luggage.
Several international companies have already developed these advanced tools for limited use. One robotic concierge, named Sam, was created to assist residents in senior living communities by facilitating check-ins, conducting fall risk assessments, and supporting staff with non-medical tasks. Another, deployed at South Korea’s Incheon International Airport, giving assistance to travelers for navigating to their destinations and provides premier shopping and dining recommendations.
However, as advanced computing algorithms become more integrated into daily life, industry experts must consider consumer privacy concerns when deciding how and where to enforce these AI systems. According to Liu, one approach to addressing these issues would be to equip the AI concierge with limited memory or other safeguards to protect stored personal data, such as identity and financial information.
“Different companies are at different stages with this technology,” added Liu. “Some have robots that can detect customers’ emotions or take biometric inputs and others have really basic ones. It opens up a totally different level of service that we have to think critically about.”
Moreover, the paper highlights that offering a range of concierge options to consumers can also be beneficial for mental well-being. Since AI is considered to have less autonomy than humans, it could potentially alleviate awkward service situations that might occur due to how customers believe they may be perceived by a human concierge. This decreased anxiety about the opinion of a machine could lead to increased comfort levels and more positive feedback on the success of the AI concierge, according to Liu.
