Welcome to the forefront of conversational AI as we explore the fascinating world of AI chatbots in our dedicated blog series. Discover the latest advancements, applications, and strategies that propel the evolution of chatbot technology. From enhancing customer interactions to streamlining business processes, these articles delve into the innovative ways artificial intelligence is shaping the landscape of automated conversational agents. Whether you’re a business owner, developer, or simply intrigued by the future of interactive technology, join us on this journey to unravel the transformative power and endless possibilities of AI chatbots.
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The online travel agency’s AI assistant helps with planning, shopping and booking a trip — and steps in when plans go awry.
An alpha version of Romie is currently available on EG Labs, Expedia’s hub for experimental products. 
Romie can assist with group chat trip planning when travelers “invite” the virtual assistant to their SMS group chat to “listen in” on vacation plans. Members of the group chat can tag Romie in a message to get suggestions based on their conversation. The technology can also summarize the conversation into a user’s Expedia shopping experience. 
In a statement, CTO Rathi Murthy said Expedia Group created Romie “with hyper personalization in mind.”
To build travel itineraries, Romie can aggregate travel information from emails to suggest activities and dining options near travelers’ hotels, and update the itinerary in real time with changes. 
And, like a concierge, Romie can troubleshoot — meaning the virtual assistant can monitor weather changes and last-minute disruptions, as well as offer alternative plans when existing ones are impacted. 
Last month, Deloitte predicted that generative AI will become so integrated into travel search and booking platforms that it will spawn something it calls “the GenAI agent.” These virtual concierges will not only book trips for travelers, but optimize for pricing, loyalty memberships, cancellation policies and any additional conditions and perks, according to Deloitte. 

Expedia’s Romie launch came as the company announced a slew of product updates — and revealed a new travel media network for advertisers. The offering gives advertisers access to an in-house creative team, advertising tools that target high-intent travelers, offsite capabilities through YouTube and connected TV and access to Expedia Group’s global network and scale.
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A decline in the foreign-born workforce “will keep the potential pool of workers historically tight,” Wells Fargo economists found.
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A decline in the foreign-born workforce “will keep the potential pool of workers historically tight,” Wells Fargo economists found.
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