HNtv INSIDERS: From Legacy to AI: Michael Cohen & Matt Welle on Transforming Hospitality’s Outdated Tech Stacks

In this second 'long-format' HNtv INSIDERS conversation, Michael Cohen of GAIN welcomes Matt Welle of Mews to explore the central challenge facing today's outdated, fragmented technology stacks that hamper both operational efficiency and guest satisfaction. They discuss how "hotels are hard" due to the complexity of workflows and the reluctance to abandon legacy systems, yet highlight how cloud adoption and AI-driven tools can help hotels leapfrog old barriers. Drawing on personal examples and industry anecdotes, they emphasize the need to focus on business outcomes over feature checklists, encourage innovation councils that unite staff across departments, and champion an "embrace, don"t fear" approach to cutting-edge solutions such as facial recognition and large language models. Above all, they urge hoteliers to lean into the momentum of modern platforms-shifting mindsets, adopting a more agile SaaS mentality, and empowering their teams to deliver richer guest experiences.