Artificial intelligence is one of the dominant topics about the future in travel, and we're all over it at Skift. In November, OpenAI publicly released breakthrough generative AI technology, and a number of big-name travel companies have already responded. Expedia, Kayak, and more -- including multiple startups -- have started releasing experimental technologies that could lead to transformations in the way users plan and book travel. But the potential does not stop there. Advancements in AI could change the way hotels manage revenue and customer service, the way travel tech companies operate internally, and even the way airplanes and airports get designed.

The Covid-19 pandemic had a ubiquitous effect upon every nation and every industry, and it seems no sector is free from its impact, although one we can all recognise as being impacted more than most is the travel sector. With the pandemic this year forcing most businesses to suddenly adapt to some kind of remote working, the need for digital transformation has grown significantly. In the travel sector, we've seen flights grounded around the world, shipping halted, and road transport disrupted permanently, which has brought tourism to a standstill. This has had a direct impact on all other parts of the travel sector, affecting consumers, sector workers, business, and the global economy. Airlines alone are expected to lose $84.3 billion in 2020 for a net profit margin of -20.1%.

Technology is playing an increasingly important role in the travel sector. It not only impacts the products and services companies provide, but how they're offered as well. Travelers benefit from improved customer service throughout their journey. Customer-facing roles are as important as ever. The best companies invest in technology to help their employees provide top-notch service.

The technology of machine learning is benefiting almost every industry but the most significant modification can be seen in the travel sector. People traveling to different cultures face linguistics issues which machine learning advancements of translation have curbed down. Interestingly, tech-giant Google is making a major shift into the travel industry while enabling customers to book air tickets, hotels, and packages. It is also aiding customers in accessing stuff which they might have never come across on their own. It is psychologically authentic that if a person doesn't understand the language he/she is likely to avoid the opportunity.

Everyone's heard how machine learning has huge potential, how it could upend existing systems and change the world. But that only tells us so much -- to really understand the potential of machine learning, you've got to focus on applications and outcomes. Travel isn't the first industry that comes to mind when you think about machine learning. However, there are impressive innovations coming out of the travel sector with a foundation in machine learning and AI technologies, which should be an inspiration to other sectors in the future. The travel industry has changed a lot thanks to the internet.

There are several drivers for the growth of artificial intelligence in the travel sector; these range from cost saving for travel agents to a preference by millennials to work with artificial intelligence and chatbots. As to what artificial intelligence can deliver, this ranges from answering questions about amenities, services and local attractions through to managing the booking process. To gain a clear insight into how artificial intelligence is being applied and what future disruption has in store, Digital Journal caught up with Anil Kaul, CEO of Absolutdata (a consulting-oriented Analytics & Research firm based out of San Francisco, California). Digital Journal: What are the major trends in the travel sector? Anil Kaul: There are many.

Jones was the founder of Travelocity.com This has helped to place Jones as a powerful voice in the world of entrepreneurship and matters relating to travel and transport. As CEO of Travelocity for seven years, Jones helped transform it into a public company with three billion dollars in travel sales. He left Travelocity to help found Kayak.com, a company that altered the way travel was purchased. Today Jones is the chairman of Wayblazer and managing principal of ON Inc, a consultancy he founded to help companies in their transition to the digital economy.

Google is increasingly relying on machine learning to order search results, increasing concerns among travel brands about how they'll continue to be ranked. Sure, Google's use of machine learning might not be anything new, but understanding how it's using this technology is vital for the sector which can sometimes struggle to satisfy its notoriously fickle and savvy customer base. NB: This is an analysis by Daniel Bensley, travel industry lead at Qubit. To me, this report highlights a wider challenge for the industry around our approach to AI and machine learning techniques. Whether it's Google changing its search ranking metrics or technology's impact on jobs in the sector, headlines around AI are often more likely to spark fear rather than excitement.