Who Will Own Travel's AI Future?
Travel startups raised $3.4 billion last year, but the bigger story may be where that money is going next. In this episode of the Skift Travel Podcast, Seth Borko is joined by venture capitalist Gilad Berenstein to explore the state of travel innovation, startup funding, and the future of AI in travel. The conversation begins with a look at why venture investment is returning to travel, what investors are looking for in founders, and why larger funding rounds could signal that a new generation of travel technology companies is reaching maturity. From hotel technology and robotics to personalized travel planning and distribution, Seth and Gilad discuss which sectors are attracting the most attention from investors. The discussion then shifts toward one of the biggest questions facing the industry: who will own the AI relationship with travelers? Will it be Google, OpenAI, Expedia, Marriott, or something entirely new? As AI agents become more capable, travel brands, online travel agencies, and technology companies are all competing to become the trusted layer between travelers and their trips. Along the way, Seth and Gilad debate the future of hotel operations, why robots may arrive in hospitality sooner than many expect, and whether the next wave of travel startups will look very different from those that came before. Connect with Skift LinkedIn: / ... WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL... Facebook: / skiftnews... Instagram: / ... Threads: https://www.threads.net/@skiftnews... Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/skiftnews.bs... X: / skift... Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the travel industry. 00:00 Travel VC Snapshot 03:23 Deal Sizes Rising 05:49 What Makes VC Backable 07:59 Travel as Luxury 09:25 Founder Problem Fit 12:51 Hotels Get Smart 18:20 Robots in Hotels 23:00 Travel Tech and Distribution 24:24 OTAs vs Direct Debate 26:10 Points Change Expectations 27:22 Brands Versus OTAs 28:48 Personal Travel Assistant 29:31 Who Owns The Agent 30:32 Trust Layer Moat 31:35 AI Swarms And Ecosystems 33:19 Work And Company Brain 34:13 AI Backlash Politics 36:36 AI As Tool Or Agent 38:56 Venture Valuations Reality 41:19 Travel Investment Categories 45:44 Pitch Killers And Moats 46:42 Best Bets By Sector 48:30 Travel IPO Watchlist 50:24 Wrap Up And Plugs
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