AI Supercharges Creativity & Customer Engagement

AI's Impact on Creativity and Customer Experience

At SXSW, discussions highlighted AI as a guide for customer-focused industries like travel and marketing, offering new avenues for personalization and engagement.

Tom Edwards, Managing Director, Consulting, Ernst & Young LLP, Nuno Leal, Principal, Marketing, Product and Data/AI, Consulting, Ernst & Young LLP, and Tashina Charagi, GAI Solutions and Operations Lead, Tripadvisor, discussed AI's ability to boost creativity and improve customer experiences. Edwards noted AI's role as a catalyst for creativity, particularly for organizations integrating human and creative elements.

AI technologies, including generative AI (GenAI) and agentic AI, streamline operations across departments like R&D, marketing, sales, and supply chain. They also revolutionize creative campaign development by providing insights for unique customer experiences. Leal emphasized AI's transformative potential in travel, highlighting its ability to find, summarize, and utilize text to improve trip planning.

AI in Travel Planning

Tripadvisor is using AI to create travel solutions that enhance the entire planning process. Their AI-powered tool enables users to arrange itineraries, even without a specific destination in mind. Charagi explained that users can specify preferences to generate tailored itineraries, such as ‘Three days. I want it to be warm. I want it to be kid-friendly.’

Another Tripadvisor AI tool enhances user reviews by summarizing feedback on businesses or destinations, helping users avoid sifting through countless reviews. Data and AI integration also increases the likelihood that feedback comes from real users, not spam or fake reviews, according to Charagi. This personalization is transforming the travel industry.

AI in Marketing

In marketing, AI transforms how businesses analyze customer data, even from different sources. The focus is on integrating first-party transaction data with third-party information to drive media efficiency and maximize AI model impact, resulting in effective strategies and improved customer engagement.

Edwards noted that AI drives an end-to-end transformation in marketing, shifting from isolated tasks to a unified approach. AI integrates various streams, enabling a flow from insights to creative concept development and delivery. This enhances personalization, content tailoring, and attribution, previously a manual process. Algorithms optimize media strategies in real time, driving efficiencies.

Enhancing Customer Engagement

AI is crucial for strengthening customer engagement. Edwards stated that AI and chat integration in purchasing creates deeper consumer connections by understanding and supporting their journey. As AI evolves, its potential to transform industries and enhance customer experiences grows, prioritizing personalization and engagement. Leal added that there is opportunity to discover more areas where creative talent can contribute, and AI should be approached creatively.

AI is revolutionizing travel and marketing by improving customer experience. Travel companies use AI tools to streamline trip planning and enhance engagement through personalized itineraries and review summarization. Integrating AI into business strategies drives innovation, optimizes marketing, and fosters consumer connections.