For artificial intelligence to be useful, it must confront reality. This was the central theme of a panel discussion at the 2026 A World For Travel forum. Ada Xu, Head of Global Government & International Affairs for Fliggy/Alibaba, brought together professionals for whom the reality of travel must match customer expectations.
AI’s “Reality Check” Challenge
The panelists noted that generative AI can build complex, personalized travel products. However, their actual implementation and the logistics involved are just as important. Generating a smooth itinerary in seconds is one thing. Ensuring that itinerary is feasible is another.
The major challenge for the industry is no longer content generation. It is connecting AI to real-time mobility data to avoid logistical errors. Myriam Younes, Managing Director for Partnerships and Advertising at ROME2RIO & OMIO, highlighted the problem. “There is a gap between the wonderful itinerary the AI will give you and what is actually possible,” she said. “The AI will always give you an answer. It won’t necessarily tell you ‘I don’t know’.”
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Connecting AI to Real Inventories
The travel industry has identified a missing piece: the technical “Reality Check” needed. Currently, this creates fragmentation. Users design their itinerary on an AI assistant like ChatGPT. Then, they must manually check the feasibility and compatibility on third-party services by validating real transport schedules and availability.
Myriam Younes continued with practical questions. “Does the ferry you’re considering actually run in November? Is there a train you should book upon arrival? Does the bus run at the frequency you need during the off-season?” she asked. “There is still a gap between the ideal itinerary and the real access conditions you need to complete your trip.”
In many regions, such as Asia and Latin America, bus and ferry networks remain highly fragmented and poorly digitized. This makes the injection of real-time data complex but essential.
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According to Ada Xu, connecting AI to real inventories is the model developed by Alibaba. The company has integrated the Fliggy platform’s AI assistant with real-time hotel and transport databases. When a user describes their ideal stay—for example, three days in Paris with family and a view of the Eiffel Tower—the assistant does more than offer theoretical suggestions. It checks live prices, validates availability for the exact dates, and generates immediate booking links.
For Alastair Crossley, Global Head of Travel Solutions at AXA Partners, the focus remains on the customer journey. “For us, it’s about ensuring we provide relevant information in the way customers want to access it,” he said. “Everything rests on the customer journey and how we use AI to improve our interactions at every step.”
The panelists concluded that AI is not an end goal, but a facilitator. “I would say that AI is not a strategy in itself for us,” Crossley stated. “It’s a lever that allows us to improve the continuous cycle of benefits we provide to the customer.” The companies that will succeed are not those with the most talkative chatbots, but those that combine the ease of a conversational interface with the rigor of real-time transport data and B2B inventories.