Economic impact of artificial intelligence (AI): Conceptualization of business value of AI and future agenda for tourism and hospitality research

Abstract

This study investigates the business value of Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the tourism and hospitality industry. By analyzing existing research, we identify three key strategic roles for AI: automation, information provision, and transformation. AI applications, such as service robots, chatbots, and predictive analytics, can enhance operational efficiency, improve decision-making, and drive innovation across the industry. While research highlights the potential benefits of AI, including increased customer satisfaction, improved employee productivity, and enhanced competitive advantage, empirical evidence linking AI to concrete business outcomes remains limited. Future research should focus on (1) the transform ation of business models and processes within hospitality organizations, (2) the evolving customer experience in an AI-powered environment, and (3) theory, scale, and framework development for AI research in the tourism and hospitality context.