Asartificial intelligence continues to reshape the hospitality industry, one industry veteran believes hotels still have work to do in moving from being "AI-ready" to "AI-enabled."

Jeff Bzdawka,who was appointed CEO of hospitality technology company Hapi earlier this year, says hotels should not view technology as the solution itself, but rather start with the most fundamental aspect: data.

Bzdawka says an average hotel typically operates with as many as 30 different operational systems, which can complicate data integration and hinder its ability to work with AI. But he believes hotels can solve this by harmonizing data and enabling these systems to communicate with each other.

At the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference in New York last week, Bzdawka spoke with Hotel Dive about why AI only works when built on the right data sets, and the importance of aligning technology with business needs.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

How can the hospitality industry avoid falling behind in the AI wave?

HOTEL DIVE:What does the hospitality industry need to do to not fall behind in AI?

JEFF BZDAWKA:The hospitality industry tends to lag in adopting technology, and I think that's part of the challenge with being "AI-ready" and even "AI-enabled." Everyone is talking about AI, but unfortunately, I think the problem starts with viewing technology as the solution, starting with technology rather than starting with the business challenge.

AI is truly a "force multiplier," but it must be built on a solid data foundation. Part of the challenge is that we're starting to see the impact of slow technology adoption. The industry is still somewhat behind in getting its data in order. Take an average hotel, for example—it might have up to 30 different operational systems that need to work together to take care of guests. So, the first step is connectivity, ensuring that systems can talk to each other and that data can flow freely between them.

When you look at existing operating systems and want to layer AI on top, you need to ensure you have access to the data and that data ingestion is very easy. When data comes in, you can't just take it as is. The data layer itself needs some kind of homogenization or standardization to ensure that any AI you layer on top of the operating systems can understand the data. AI, as an intelligent "force multiplier," cannot provide true insights if it can't access data. If it accesses wrong or siloed data, it might operate on a completely different dimension.

The "holy grail" in hospitality is creating personalized connections with guests. For hoteliers to take care of guests, they need to know who you are and understand you. Data ingestion, data standardization, storing data in an accessible place—once hotels have that data set, you can start activating the data, taking action, and getting actionable insights. That's the journey from being "AI-ready" to truly "AI-enabled."

For AI to truly be enabled, its food or fuel is data, and having access to the right data at the right time.


Jeff Bzdawka
CEO of Hapi

It's not just hospitality—many businesses want to jump straight to the solution without understanding what it takes to get there.

Are guardrails needed to prevent AI from diminishing personal connections?

HOTEL DIVE:Should there be guardrails or measures in place to prevent AI from diminishing those personalized connections?

JEFF BZDAWKA:Hospitality is about people taking care of people, but as hoteliers, we also need to recognize that we must give guests choice. Some guests may not want that personalized introduction, but you still need to ensure you're selling the right products and experiences to guests. The key is getting information to the point of action or the point of experience. A guest might choose to bypass the front desk and go straight to a kiosk—AI can support both. Essentially, what AI does is enable choice, and it's built on the right data.

For human-to-human connections, it's about getting timely data and actionable insights to the property that is taking care of the guest at that moment. Whether or not we bring in AI with facial recognition, it's a layer on top of the data set—so when you walk up to the front desk, you're greeted by name, and your reservation information is pre-populated for the staff member serving you.

The combination of AI and data can enable conversations and personal interactions, not just transactions. Every brand here wants to differentiate, but it's hard to do. The key to differentiation is creating those personalized moments and experiences. That's what AI combined with data can achieve—whether you're interacting with a device like this or making a personal connection.

What is the one mindset you would most like to change among hospitality technology leaders?

HOTEL DIVE:If you could change one mindset that hospitality technology leaders currently hold, what would it be and why?

JEFF BZDAWKA:Start with the business focus. Start with what experience you want to deliver, then start small—start with a single experience. Technology is like that old saying: it's not the hand you're looking for. You need to start with the business conversation. You don't start with technology; you start with understanding the business experience, the guest experience, the owner experience, the associate experience. Find out where the pain points are, then think about how to use technology to achieve the end goal. You shouldn't do technology for technology's sake.

The combination of AI and data can enable conversations and personal interactions, not just transactions.


Jeff Bzdawka
CEO of Hapi

Many of my peers start by pitching technology vendors, which is the wrong approach. You need to align with the business, start with a single use case, and then grow and scale from there.