Intelligent Travel Assistants: When Will True Intelligence Arrive?

Summary

The concept of a computer-generated intelligent assistant has been around for decades. Early efforts have included Apple's Knowledge Navigator, Siri and Google Now, among others. The dream of a mobile software tool that has true artificial intelligence (AI) continues to be a recurring theme in pop culture, as evidenced by last year’s science fiction drama, "Her," in which the OS (i.e., operating system) was a sentient being with emotions and self-awareness.

Today's intelligent assistants fall considerably short of this vision, but true AI capabilities for intelligent assistants are being developed. This article explores the latest advances in intelligent assistants, and considers how the development of a dedicated, Intelligent Travel Assistant (ITA) could impact our industry.