Image by Anete Lūsiņa, from Unsplash
AI Agents Threaten Booking, Expedia, And Airbnb’s Business Models
- Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
Travel planning giants are embracing AI tools as AI agents are entering this field and threatening to bypass online platforms.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- Booking.com, Expedia, and Airbnb partner with OpenAI to integrate AI tools.
- AI “agents” could bypass platforms, letting users book directly with hotels and airlines.
- The $1.6 trillion travel market faces disruption from AI-powered automation.
The three major online travel platforms — Booking.com, Expedia, and Airbnb — are working to adapt to AI agents, which could bypass their role in the travel booking process, as reported in an analysis by the Financial Times (FT).
The $1.6 trillion global travel market faces transformation as OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic develop bots that operate as AI agents, designed to create personalized travel arrangements for users.
FT notes that Booking and Expedia have partnered with OpenAI to launch tools such as AI trip planners, while Airbnb has already introduced an AI-enabled customer service agent. Next year, Airbnb plans to add more “agentic” functions.
Glenn Fogel, CEO of Booking Holdings, said to FT: “We don’t have to do what OpenAI, Google, Grok or Meta are doing . . .[all of whom] are having to invest incredible amounts of money to build these models. Our belief is that as long as we . . . work closely with them that we will be able to participate in a way that provides a great return for our customers and our partners.”
Hotels see AI agents as beneficial because they reduce the 15–20% commission fees typically paid to online travel agencies. HOTREC, a European group, believes AI agents show strong potential to decrease OTA dependence but may create another dependency cycle.
Investors remain cautious. “There was a natural inclination and still is among investors that travel loses in an AI first world,” said Eric Sheridan, analyst at Goldman Sachs, as reported by the FT.
Airbnb chief Brian Chesky said its platform will become “more personalised and more agentic” in 2025: “It will not only tell you how to cancel your reservation, it will know which reservation you want to cancel,” as reported by the FT.
According to WIRED , new AI agents from OpenAI and Anthropic, including Operator and Computer Use, now generate customized itineraries based on user preferences
WIRED put the technology to the test by letting AI plan an entire vacation, from transport and accommodation to meals and activities. The experiment showed that while the tools are not flawless, the overall outcome was summed up with: “It wasn’t terrible.”
Still, AI travel agents have limitations. Researchers found OpenAI’s GPT-4 successfully handled complex travel planning just 0.6% of the time. “I am not foolish enough to say that I’m not worried about it,” admitted Fogel, as reported by the FT.
Indeed, AI systems fail to duplicate human emotional intelligence, and nuanced travel understanding which results in incorrect and absurd recommendations. In line with this Euro News gives the bizarre example of Microsoft AI guide’s suggestion of the Ottawa Food Bank as a top attraction.
Euro News points out that AI agents fail to handle complex itineraries, special dietary or mobility needs, and cannot negotiate or provide reassurance during travel disruptions.
Experts stress that AI should augment, not replace, human agents, as travellers still value personal connection, local knowledge, and tailored guidance over automated planning.
Photo by Dimitri Karastelev on Unsplash
Former Meta Security Head Files Lawsuit Over WhatsApp Security Flaws
- Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
- Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager
Meta’s former head of security for WhatsApp filed a lawsuit on Monday, alleging that the tech giant has been ignoring major security vulnerabilities on the platform. The whistleblower said the flaws put millions of users at risk.
In a rush? Here are the quick facts:
- The former head of security for WhatsApp filed a lawsuit on Monday against Meta.
- Ex-employee Attaullah Baig claims Meta has been ignoring major security vulnerabilities affecting millions of users.
- The whistleblower also warned U.S. authorities, including the FTC and the SEC.
According to the New York Times , the ex-employee Attaullah Baig filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, claiming that Meta has actively avoided addressing critical security issues.
Baig says Meta employees can access users’ sensitive data, including location, contact list, and profile pictures. He added that during his time at Meta, he warned company leaders, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg, but was dismissed and later fired in February. Baig had joined the company in 2021.
“There are just so many harms that the users face,” said Baig in an interview with the New York Times last week. “This is about holding Meta accountable and putting the interests of users first.”
The whistleblower also warned the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) about the critical vulnerabilities. Baig is being represented in court by the organization Psst.org, along with a team of lawyers.
A spokesperson from WhatsApp, Carl Woog, told the New York Times that the claims are not true. “Sadly, this is a familiar playbook in which a former employee is dismissed for poor performance and then goes public with distorted claims that misrepresent the ongoing hard work of our team,” said Woog. “Security is an adversarial space, and we pride ourselves in building on our strong record of protecting people’s privacy.”
Another organization, Whistleblower Aid, also filed a complaint against Meta, along with six employees, claiming that the social media platform violates child safety regulations. A few days ago, the tech giant was also accused of allowing chatbots to engage in sensual and inappropriate conversations with children .
Baig is not the only former Meta employee who openly and publicly accuses the company of wrongdoing. A few months ago, a former Facebook director, Sarah Wynn-Williams, accused Zuckerberg of power abuse and shared details in her memoir Careless People.
