Trip.com has launched TripGen, a chatbot designed to provide potential travellers with live search assistance powered by artificial intelligence (AI).
The chatbot allows users to enter any travel-related question and receive instant suggestions for pre-trip recommendations, as well as in-trip arrangements. TripGen is integrated with the OpenAI API, which developed ChatGPT based on GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) architecture.
Amy Wei, senior product director at Trip.com Group, told TTG Asia: “Users can make more complex requests, such as suggestions for a romantic holiday. Business travellers (with packed schedules) can easily enquire about one- or two-day tours. This is an efficient way of finding out and narrowing down information for time-starved travellers.”
Most of TripGen’s users will likely be Gen Z-types of travellers, who are well “immersed in the digital world”.
So far, response to TripGen has been good, according to Wei. User numbers have been doubling every day since it launched, with users asking four to five questions during their searches.
TripGen supports English, Japanese, Korean and traditional Chinese, with more languages to be added in the future. Work is also being done to allow users to book directly with Trip.com after TripGen searches, and to integrate with the new WhisperAPI for speech-to-text transcription and translation.
However, concerns around information validity still exists, as ChatGPT’s knowledge is limited to 2021 data.
“This is why we are working on embedding booking links. This way, we will be able to verify if the product, such as a hotel or tour, still exists,” Wei said.
