The robots are coming. In fact some are already here: ChatGPT, Bard, Elon Musk… But are they going to take our jobs? And should travel agents be worried? Karryon puts ChatGPT to the test.
If you thought your only interaction with artificial intelligence (AI) was with the robot vacuum cleaner you bought on sale at ALDI, you were wrong. AI, like the creepy little kid from the movie of the same name is very much here. And it’s just getting smarter.
We’ll start with ChatGPT. In its own words, the Microsoft-backed AI chatbot “is like a super smart helper who can answer questions and have conversations with you”.
“I was trained on a massive amount of text data from the internet,” ChatGPT tells Karryon. **Please note, this is the first time I’ve quoted AI (that I know of).
“When you ask me a question or make a request, I use advanced algorithms to process the information I have learned and generate an appropriate response in real-time.”
Unlike most people, ChatGPT is pretty honest and admits it doesn’t know everything.
“My information is only up to 2021, so I may not have the most current information on certain topics.
“Additionally, I may not always be 100% accurate, and it’s always a good idea to verify information with multiple sources.”
Google was quick to produce its own version of ChatGPT, called Bard. And it hit a costly (US$1 billion) snag after Bard gave an incorrect answer in its promotional video. Who knew information taken from the internet isn’t always right?
Putting ChatGPT to the test
I ask ChatGPT to build me a seven-day itinerary for a trip to New Zealand that included both the North and South Islands.
This is what it came up with:
Day 1: Arrive in Auckland (North Island)
Explore the city and visit popular attractions such as the Sky Tower, Auckland Museum, and Auckland Harbour Bridge.
Stay overnight in Auckland.
Day 2: Auckland to Rotorua (North Island)
Drive to Rotorua and explore the geothermal wonders of this city. Visit popular attractions such as Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland, Te Puia Maori Village, and the Polynesian Spa.
Stay overnight in Rotorua.
Day 3: Rotorua to Tongariro National Park (North Island)
Drive to Tongariro National Park and take a hike to see the famous volcanic landscapes, including Mount Ngauruhoe, Mount Tongariro, and the emerald lakes.
Stay overnight in Tongariro National Park.
Day 4: Tongariro National Park to Wellington (North Island)
Drive to Wellington and check into your hotel. Explore the city and visit popular attractions such as Te Papa Museum, the Wellington Botanic Garden, and the Parliament Buildings.
Stay overnight in Wellington.
Day 5: Wellington to Nelson (South Island)
Take the ferry from Wellington to Picton and drive to Nelson. Visit the World of Wearable Art & Classic Cars Museum and the Abel Tasman National Park.
Stay overnight in Nelson.
Day 6: Nelson to Franz Josef (South Island)
Drive to Franz Josef and visit the Franz Josef Glacier. Take a scenic flight or a guided hike to see the glacier up close.
Stay overnight in Franz Josef.
Day 7: Franz Josef to Queenstown (South Island)
Drive to Queenstown and explore this adventure capital of the world. Take a scenic flight, go bungy jumping, or try some of the many other adventure activities on offer.
Stay overnight in Queenstown.
Turns out ChatGPT recommends a travel agent
After hitting up ChatGPT for hotel and flight options, I asked how much the trip would all cost. It gave vague approximations and then surprised me with:
“To get a more accurate estimate of the cost of your trip, consider reaching out to a travel agent or tour operator who specialises in travel to New Zealand.”
I ask what happens if something goes wrong.
“There are several organisations and resources that can help you adjust your travel plans and resolve any issues you may encounter,” ChatGPT says.
The first such resource it recommends is a travel agent.
When I ask how to book all of the above, it again recommends a travel agent.
“A travel agent can help you book flights, accommodation, transportation, activities, and any other travel arrangements you need,” it says.
“They can also provide advice and guidance on your itinerary and budget, and can often negotiate better rates and packages.”
What the travel agent says
I sent my conversation with ChatGPT to Andrew Sullivan, Director of The Don’t Forget Travel Group in Adelaide.
“At first glance I thought ‘OMG I’m out of a job’,” he tells Karryon.
“But then I thought ‘OMG this is great!’.”
“Looking on the positive side I think ChatGPT is really going to help with the initial planning stage with clients. It might make life easier when we get clients who don’t really know what they want to do other than ‘I want to go to NZ’ (this will be particularly useful for the multi-destinational European trips).”
“But how can I hate it when it recommends talking to a ‘travel agent’ to book or to help if things go wrong?
“Clearly its intelligence isn’t artificial as it does recognise the benefits of using a travel agent!”
While Sullivan thinks ChatGPT and others like it could be “a useful tool”, he thinks where it fails is that it’s too generic.
“There isn’t any personalisation that a travel advisor would include by knowing their clients’ likes and interests. It doesn’t take the time to know and understand the client like a travel advisor does (well not yet, anyway).”
A ChatGPT limerick
And because ChatGPT has been praised for its poetry, here’s a little something it put together.
A travel agent, wise and well-schooled,
Can make sure your trip is well-ruled.
No need to search or to roam,
They’ll find you a place just like home,
And handle every detail, cool and cooled!
