Dessert without the judgement? How generative AI and robot waiters are changing travel

A multi-year study by CUHK academics highlights how generative AI is shaping the hospitality landscape, underscoring evolving industry challenges as Macao is set to host a major travel summit this week. Because algorithms lean towards popular answers, rising use of large language models (LLM) in trip planning will result in more homogenous and identical itineraries, the study argues, aggravating overtourism in cities already struggling to cope.

To mitigate this effect, a greater consideration on bundling unique offerings and encouraging broader explorations should be made available in the pre-trip planning stages, commented Sungwoo Choi, assistant professor at The Chinese University of Hong Kong at his presentation at G2E Asia back in May. 

[See more: Panellists stress the importance of data management at Macao’s G2E and Asia IR Expo]

Excessive visitor traffic can harm both the tourist experience and undermine local community support. In remarks sent to The Bay, Choi suggests that online travel agencies and generative AI should encourage users to provide specific and personalised prompts, incorporating unique preferences and interests rather than submitting broad or generic inquiries.

Growing familiarity with LLMs reflects the technology’s trajectory, particularly among a younger demographic, he says, adding that AI has not only proliferated from the trip pre-planning stages but is becoming evident closer to the journey’s conclusion. 

In what Choi describes as the “service encounter stage,” the “spillover stage,” and the “post-service stage,” traveller interaction with non-humanoid robots has led to an increase in the upselling of hedonic items like sweet desserts, but also in cross-selling complimentary items and add-on services. The academic recommends policymakers pay closer attention to shifts in indulgent consumption patterns, which could have repercussions for consumers’ healthy eating behaviours and overall well-being.

The CUHK study additionally found that users were far more comfortable providing what was perceived as candid feedback to AI, even when it was negative. Without a human reviewer, these platforms allowed travellers to share opinions without any emotional components, carrying interesting implications from an Asian cultural perspective given the importance of saving ‘face,’ Choi says.

Skål International Asia Congress kicks off 

The study coincides with Macao set to open the 55th Skål International Asia Congress on Friday at Macao’s Grand Lisboa Palace where nearly 200 participants are expected to attend. Amid the backdrop, tourism numbers are breaching new highs where over 40 million visitors entered the city in 2025, and the year-to-date number is 13 per cent higher for the first four months of 2026. 

[See more: Macao prepares to host the 55th Skål International Asia Congress]

“With AI becoming steadily visible in the hospitality industry, understanding its impact on customer behaviour is increasingly essential,” comments Vinzenz Rosa de Pauli, president of SKAL International Macau and general manager of Sofitel Macau. “By examining these shifts, we can better leverage the technology for strategic planning, aligning business and sustainability goals alongside an evolving and AI-driven traveller,” he adds.

When thinking about the future, de Pauli says that AI will modify skills the hospitality landscape requires. “The International Skal meeting is about adapting a forward-thinking approach that not only reflects evolving expectations of today’s travellers but also underscores the commitment to ensuring the longevity of the tourism industry in a way that benefits outsiders as well as local communities,” he disclosed with The Bay.