Expedia Group has appointed Xavier Amatriain, a former Google VP, as its inaugural Chief AI Officer, signaling a significant commitment to artificial intelligence as a core driver of future growth. This move underscores the travel industry’s increasing reliance on AI to personalize experiences, optimize pricing, and streamline operations.
The New Role’s Scope
Amatriain, previously responsible for core AI infrastructure at Google (including systems powering Gemini, Search, and Ads), will now lead Expedia’s long-term AI strategy across both its consumer-facing brands and its enterprise technology division. This broad mandate demonstrates that AI is not being siloed as a side project, but rather integrated into the very fabric of the company’s operations.
Why This Matters
The appointment is particularly noteworthy given the rapid evolution of AI-powered tools in travel. Competitors like Booking Holdings (which owns Booking.com and Priceline) and Airbnb are already heavily investing in machine learning for tasks like fraud detection, dynamic pricing, and customer service automation. Expedia’s move suggests it’s aiming to catch up and potentially leapfrog the competition.
First-Party Data as the Engine
Expedia emphasized that Amatriain’s role will focus on “transforming travel through first-party data and cutting-edge AI technology.” This means leveraging the vast amounts of traveler behavior data Expedia already collects to create more personalized and effective AI applications. The company’s success in this area will depend on its ability to extract actionable insights from this data while respecting user privacy.
“The future of travel hinges on the effective use of AI,” Amatriain stated in a company press release. “Expedia is uniquely positioned to capitalize on this trend given its scale and wealth of data.”
This appointment is a clear signal that Expedia views AI not as a future experiment, but as an essential component of its competitive strategy moving forward. The company’s ability to execute on this vision will likely determine its standing in the rapidly evolving travel tech landscape.
