AI experts at ATM to explore new frontiers in travel market
The international travel event will gather experts and thought leaders in AI from around the world to explore how AI is changing the landscape of leisure and business travel, streamlining operations and improving the customer journey.
According to recent research by Statista, AI and machine learning have accounted for approximately two-thirds of global technology investment deals by travel and mobility companies since 2020. Across the travel industry, AI is being embraced at every level, from customers using AI-powered tools to plan their journeys to tourism providers leveraging AI to improve resource management and deliver more personalised guest services.
Danielle Curtis, Exhibition Director ME, Arabian Travel Market, said, 'At ATM 2025, we are thrilled to announce an exciting lineup of visionary speakers. Attendees can expect engaging discussions that delve into the latest technological advancements, ethical considerations, and real-world applications. In addition, we will showcase groundbreaking developments across the exhibition, from sophisticated booking solutions to data analysis tools that empower organisations to make informed decisions. This is an unparalleled opportunity for travel industry professionals to be at the forefront of AI and gain actionable insights that can drive business success.' On the opening day of ATM, Cassie Kozyrkov, CEO of Kozyr and a globally renowned speaker in AI, will lead an insightful session on 'AI adoption: From Buzzwords to Business Strategy', where she will outline how companies in the travel industry can identify genuine opportunities to improve their businesses. Kozyrkov will delve into why organisations struggle, uncover the biggest threats in the field and discuss what AI means for the future.
Elsewhere at ATM, Futurist and travel expert John Duffield will share fascinating insights on how AI and smart systems are reshaping the industry by enabling hyper-personalised experiences, seamless connectivity and innovations. During his presentation, Duffield will also discuss how travel providers can act now to prepare for these technologies, while addressing challenges such as data privacy and resistance to change.
As technology continues to evolve, travel companies are identifying innovative ways to use human-centric technologies to connect with their customers. On 30 April, a panel of thought leaders, including Robin Lawther, VP Expedia TAAP, Expedia Group, will examine how the travel industry can use human-centric technology, addressing the ethical considerations surrounding AI, privacy and the importance of maintaining the human touch in an increasingly automated world.
Dorothee Anjos, General Manager, Middle East at Multilem, will also touch on the importance of the human element in a thought-provoking discussion on the relationship between human connection and AI in the event's industry. During this session, she will explore how integrating both is revolutionising the planning, execution, and experience of events, as well as addressing the challenges posed by the rise of AI.
On 30 April, Paul Griffiths, CEO, Dubai Airports, will provide a comprehensive overview of what's next for aviation in the age of transformation and global disruption, touching on how AI, among several other factors, is reshaping the future of flight. The session will discuss the role of artificial intelligence in optimising operations, predictive maintenance and passenger experience.
Finally, Graham Pope, Vice President, Sales Supplier and Venue Solutions at Cvent will host a session titled Future-proofing 2025: Trends, AI and shifts in business and MICE travel, exploring how business event organisers can measure the impact of their events using a blend of strategic planning, effective data collection and robust analysis, of which AI plays a key role.
Held in conjunction with Dubai World Trade Centre, ATM 2025's strategic partners include Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Destination Partner; Emirates, Official Airline Partner; IHG Hotels & Resorts, Official Hotel Partner; and Al Rais Travel, Official DMC Partner. The international travel event will gather experts and thought leaders in AI from around the world to explore how AI is changing the landscape of leisure and business travel, streamlining operations and improving the customer journey.
According to recent research by Statista, AI and machine learning have accounted for approximately two-thirds of global technology investment deals by travel and mobility companies since 2020. Across the travel industry, AI is being embraced at every level, from customers using AI-powered tools to plan their journeys to tourism providers leveraging AI to improve resource management and deliver more personalised guest services.
WAM
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
12 hours ago
- The National
AI chip smuggling 'gets more airtime than it should', White House official says
The idea of high-performance AI chips being smuggled into potentially nefarious hands gets more attention than it should, a White House official has said. Michael Kratsios, who serves as director for the Trump administration's Office of Science and Technology Policy, said on Wednesday that there are a lot of misconceptions and misguided fears about the 'physical diffusion' of artificial intelligence technology developed by the US. 'We're not talking about like a bag of diamonds or something,' he said during a discussion at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies think tank about Mr Trump's recently announced AI Action Plan. Some politicians have expressed concerns about the potential for recently announced US AI partnerships overseas to be exploited by countries like China to try to acquire powerful American-made technology. 'These are like massive racks that are tonnes in weight and you're not going to put it on a forklift or back it into a truck, or something," he explained, adding that the idea of chip smuggling "probably gets more airtime than it should." Mr Kratsios also said the hypothetical scenario of the US partnerships with other countries leading to the misuse of data centres by countries like China for 'training runs' to access the centres was overblown. 'What you're most worried about is large-scale runs that are for training sophisticated models and those are actually pretty easy to flag,' he said, adding that the US will make sure to implement what's known in IT circles as Know Your Customer policies to prevent bad actors from gaining access to data centres powered by US technology. Mr Kratsios said that Mr Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden, put too many chip export restrictions on allies, and that the export of US technology to countries with peaceful AI aspirations was critical to an overall AI strategy. During Mr Trump's visit to the Gulf in May, he announced the US-UAE AI Acceleration Partnership framework that will eventually lead to the construction of a 5GW UAE-US AI Campus in Abu Dhabi. 'The [Biden administration] limits made no sense at all,' he said, referring to President Biden's policies aimed at limiting the powerful CPUs and GPUs available to certain countries. Those policies were largely aimed at preventing the diffusion of US technology to China. It proved controversial, with companies like Microsoft and Nvidia claiming the policies hurt US efforts more than helping. Some US AI companies like Anthropic, however, have sought to keep the export controls. 'In some cases, smugglers have employed creative methods to circumvent export controls, including hiding processors in prosthetic baby bumps and packing GPUs [graphics processing units] alongside live lobsters,' read an April policy letter from Anthropic. That letter later came under criticism over what some called the oversimplification of how AI data centres work. Regardless, in keeping with that theme of reversing the Biden export policy, the Trump White House recently announced plans that would allow for Nvidia to resume sales of its H20 graphics processing unit to China. That decision, however, has come under criticism from several technology analysts and politicians. A group of Democratic senators this week sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick urging him to reverse course. At the CSIS event, Mr Kratsios said the concerns from Democratic senators were oversimplified, adding that the H20 was designed to comply with US concerns about giving China too much computing power, among other things. 'It's not a free-for-all sale,' he said, referring to White House's H20 announcement. 'Any sale that Nvidia wants to make to China is one that's going to require an export licence.' Mr Kratsios added that the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security would be evaluating each of those licence applications and 'weight the costs' before giving Nvidia approval.
Zawya
a day ago
- Zawya
Creating smarter South African retail experiences
In recent years, there's been a dramatic shift in the way people shop and the way brands connect with them. And while much of this shift might seem seamless from the outside, more often than not, it's quietly being powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). For retailers, embracing AI isn't just about future-proofing their businesses, it's about unlocking smarter, faster and, believe it or not, more human ways of working that will ultimately benefit the customer, the team and the bottom line. From predicting stock needs and personalising customer journeys to freeing up in-store teams from repetitive admin, AI isn't just making retail more efficient. Surprisingly to some, it's making it more human. 'Retail has always been about people. Meeting their needs, building loyalty and creating a connection,' says Jeané van Greunen, chief client officer at Helm. 'What AI allows us to do is add that personal touch at scale, with more accuracy, efficiency and empathy.' When people think of AI in retail, they often imagine robots, self-checkouts, or talking screens. But some of the most powerful innovations are happening behind the scenes. A key area that's benefiting is inventory management. Thanks to machine learning, retailers are now moving from reactive stock planning to predictive models that factor in everything from the weather to local buying trends. That means less waste, fewer empty shelves, and more happy customers. And it gives staff more time to focus on what they do best, which is helping people and building those relationships. Another major benefit lies in dynamic pricing. AI can analyse real-time data to optimise promotions and protect margins in a fast-moving, highly competitive environment. 'We're seeing AI support retailers in making thousands of micro-decisions each day. Those decisions no human team could possibly keep up with alone,' says Van Greunen. 'But it's not about removing people from the process. It's about making those processes more intelligent and responsive, and ultimately, more human.' AI is also transforming customer-facing experiences often in ways that feel effortless. From virtual fitting rooms and smart search tools to in-app product suggestions that feel helpful (not creepy), machine learning is making shopping more personal and less transactional. It's happening in-store too with heatmaps and traffic analytics to help retailers improve store layouts. Voice assistants and AI-powered chatbots guide customers and allow human staff to focus on relationship-building, not repetitive queries. 'Some retailers worry that AI will make the experience colder,' says Van Greunen. 'But the opposite is true. It's helping brands become more responsive, relevant, and emotionally intelligent. People still buy from people and AI just helps those people shine.' One of AI's most underrated benefits in retail is how it supports teams on the ground. Automating low-value, time-consuming tasks like scheduling, reporting, or basic troubleshooting means staff have more time and more headspace to deliver real value. 'When you give your people the tools to be more effective, they feel more engaged. They perform better, stay longer, and become true ambassadors for your brand. That's where AI and people strategy come together.' Helm believes that AI and automation should be designed around people and not the other way around. That's why they partner with retailers to reimagine customer and employee journeys that are strategic and scalable, but most importantly, human. From intelligent automation to data-led CX strategies, Helm serves to help retail businesses make AI work in the real world – not as a gimmick or a quick fix, but as a genuine driver of value and long-term, sustainable growth. 'We've worked across industries, and the same message keeps coming up: retailers want to evolve, without giving up what makes them unique,' says van Greunen. 'Our role is to help them use AI to elevate that uniqueness, not replace it.' In a sector where margins are thin and expectations are high, AI has become indispensable in gaining and maintaining a competitive edge. When used wisely, it can boost loyalty, cut costs, improve efficiency and above all, empower the people at the heart of the business. Just like customer demands keep changing, retail will keep moving, but with the right technology and a human-centred approach, that move will always be in the right direction.
Tahawul Tech
a day ago
- Tahawul Tech
AI chip race Archives
In the UAE, e& UAE subscribers reached 15.5 million, driven by rising demand for advanced connectivity solutions, AI-powered services, and tailored digital experiences that address the evolving needs of both individuals and businesses.
