OK Google, Bixby, Echo, Siri: How Do These Platforms Impact Travel?

Summary

It is now commonplace to see people talking to their smartphones. The distinction here was intentional, as talking to the phone rather than on the phone is now a standard behavior. In fact, 40% of millennials use voice-activated assistants for purchase research. Gartner predicts that by 2018, 30% of our interactions with technology will be through “conversations” with smart machines. The movement to voice interaction is not simply a new UI, but a fundamental change in the way people interact with technology. How will voice interfaces impact the travel planning and shopping process? Who is best positioned to benefit from the emerging use of voice search?