From what we see across hotels using in-room technology, the process our AI solution is most likely to disrupt is during-stay guest communication and service coordination. Even though the AI adoption in pre-stay is booming and highly planned, during stay is still one of the most manual and fragmented parts of hotel operations. Guests ask the same everyday questions, teams juggle phones, PMS, task tools, and messaging systems, and a lot of time is lost simply managing requests rather than delivering service.
When AI is embedded directly into the in-room experience and connected to operations, guest communication can shift from being reactive and staff-heavy to more structured and supportive for both guests and teams. That said, the impact doesn’t come from technology alone. From what we see, success depends on three things: how well systems are integrated, whether guests actually use the solution, and whether AI is applied to solve a real problem rather than being introduced for its own sake.
When these three elements come together, the value becomes tangible. Guests benefit from quicker answers and less waiting, teams deal with fewer routine interruptions, and leadership gains better visibility into what is really happening during the stay. Of course, I think it is important to know that, even if one of these pillars does not deliver, the whole system can fail.
All in all, to me, the real disruption is not just that AI answers questions faster. It’s that it gradually changes how service is delivered, from phone-driven and staff-dependent workflows to more connected, guest-led experiences. By 2026, I don’t think hotels will define success by how many people they need to handle demand, but by how well they orchestrate that demand through intelligent, in-room digital touch points and AI-supported service flows.
This is the direction we are working toward with our own AI solution, SuitePad AI, built around three simple foundations: it connects into existing systems, it is designed to be used by guests where they already are, and it focuses on solving real operational problems. Not as a replacement for people, but as a tool that supports both the guest experience and the team behind it.