Germany has launched a new AI travel guide designed to interact on social media and the German Tourist Board’s website, offering visitors “personalized” recommendations.
The artificial intelligence brand ambassador is characterized as a Berlin resident named “Emma” and is depicted as a smiling young woman with dark blonde hair on the @emmatravelsgermany Instagram account and on the German Tourism Board website. It is. “Emma” wearing an autumnal yellow coat stands in front of landmarks that symbolize Germany, such as Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate and Cologne Cathedral, and depicts a train passing by a lake surrounded by autumn-colored trees. It is. Emma is also depicted interacting with people in what appears to be a visitor center.
“Genuine and reliable”
A spokesperson for the German Tourism Board told Skift that AI’s look was “deliberately designed to make her look authentic and believable as a representative of Germany,” adding that the look was “modern and cosmopolitan. style with subtle references to German culture and architecture.” ”
“Hello, I’m Emma,” the current Instagram Reel’s voiceover says, “and I’m Traveling Germany’s first AI influencer.” Her creators say she’s “online “I’m a marketing freelancer, which gives me the flexibility to pursue something great,” he says, as if he were a real person with time constraints. I even had her introduce herself on the website. My passion is traveling. She continued, “We will introduce you to different aspects of the country, including Germany’s vibrant cities, cultural highlights, and impressive natural landscapes, and provide you with the best travel tips.” I promised.
Created in partnership with German entrepreneurship agency Startup Creator, Emma is described by Petra Hedorfer, CEO of the German Tourism Board, as “a further step in our digital strategy” and “an The aim is to act as an innovative bridge between people and tourists. An unforgettable real experience in Germany. ”
Can AI form real opinions?
However, Emma’s debut was not smooth sailing. In the first few days after its launch on October 17, 2024, her Instagram account slammed this innovation as “very unfortunate” and asked why Germany was trying to promote itself by “making this beautiful country look authentic.” It was filled with negative comments such as, “Did they rely on AI instead of human exploration?” ”
One of the accusations is that the AI is “incapable of forming real opinions” and that her responses to questions submitted to the chatbox in the first few days showed some uninspired responses. It has been reported. Travel Tomorrow asked Emma on Sunday evening about which museums in Cologne were open on Monday, but she was unable to answer. However, when asked about Frankfurt’s tourist attractions, she was able to recommend a visit to the city’s Museum Embankment, which consists of 60 cultural institutions, as well as two beautiful promenades and the Opera House.
20 languages, 24/7
It’s debatable whether these recommendations could have been included in existing tourism materials or sites, but thanks to machine learning, Emma now provides more tailored and “empathetic” responses. That’s expected to evolve, says Emma’s creator. She will also be able to “partner” with other brands. And of course, unlike most “human” travel influencers, Emma speaks 20 languages and is available 24/7 worldwide.
For these reasons, Germany is not alone in turning to AI to boost tourism. The Netherlands and Denmark are trialling AI recommendations to steer tourists away from crowded hotspots. Dublin, Ireland uses OpenAI to develop AI-powered itineraries, and Brand USA appoints new AI head to increase engagement. Data shows that younger travelers are already using AI to plan their itineraries, but a broader group of travel consumers who are increasingly seeking authentic and experiential travel are truly on board with AI-driven travel recommendations. I don’t know yet whether I want to do that or not.
