Brendan or your AI boyfriend?
As travellers bring AI companions on the road, place-based guides like Brendan must fight to stay relevant and local
Alex Bainbridge
Travel video just changed and so did who gets to star in it
In the span of two weeks, video has undergone its most radical shift in decades. (Google's Veo 3 & Odyssey)
The face that fits the role: Paris Aquarium robot aligns with new AI research
As AI tour guides and robotic hosts become part of everyday visitor experiences—from museums to airports to live streams—a critical design question emerges: Should they look like people?
WeGoTrip rewrites the business model playbook: subscriptions up front, AI and attraction commission as dual loss leaders
WeGoTrip shifts from selling tours to selling savings, bundling AI content into a subscription model. It’s a bold move OTAs may struggle to match
Will guests prefer parasocial AI tour guides to historical or fictional characters?
As AI-guided tours evolve, guests may prefer walking through cities with AI versions of their favourite influencers rather than historical or fictional characters. Parasocial bonds could transform travel, making exploration feel more personal, dynamic, and emotionally engaging
Is AI ready to create, choose, and tell stories better than a human tour guide?
Storytelling isn’t just about content—it’s about connection. A human guide reads the room, skips the meat story for the vegetarians, senses when attention is drifting, and shifts tone accordingly. Can AI do the same?
Is 2025 the year we start talking about humanoid robots in tours and attractions?
While AI tour guides are still mostly app-based, the tech world is evolving fast. Could 2025 be the year we start seriously considering humanoid robots as part of the visitor experience?