Dive Brief:
- Hilton is investing in its tech stack as it prepares for agentic AI to drive better customer experiences and reduce costs, President and CEO Christopher Nassetta said on a Q3 2026 earnings call.
- The hotel chain is testing solutions that will connect the physical and digital sides of the experience, Nassetta said. He expects this technology to “revolutionize” how Hilton goes to market, how customers experience properties and how the company handles customer service.
- “In the years to come, we believe technology will become an even greater strategic advantage for Hilton, empowering our team members, strengthening performance for our owners, and making it easier for guests to experience the very best of Hilton,” Nassetta said during the call.
Dive Insight:
Hilton executives don’t see AI taking over the customer experience just yet, but the company wants to get ahead of the curve with its tech stack as consumer expectations evolve.
“I’m not going to get into a lot of specifics for lots of important competitive reasons, but we’re very excited,” Nassetta said. “Hopefully you’re a customer, you can see some of it already, and view that as a small down payment on what’s to come.”
AI agents like Muse Instinct are in their very early days, but “you should assume we’re working with each and every one of them,” even the smaller players, Nassetta said. Though the financial impact of these tools is currently insignificant, he expects that to change in the future.
AI agents will be as impactful as the internet was, according to Nassetta.
“They’re going to be fast, they’re going to be easy, they’re going to be very effective, and humans like that, and they’re going to trend to that,” Nassetta said.
Hilton began preparing for this AI future in March, when it launched a generative AI-powered digital concierge in beta. The tool can help customers plan trips at its properties using conversational language.
Hilton also invested in its tech-focused future with the appointment of Jeff Moore to the role of CTO, effective Monday. At the time of the announcement, Nassetta noted that the appointment would help Hilton more quickly harness AI and next-generation technology.
The hotel company reported a strong third quarter, with comparable revenue per available room increasing 5.8% year over year in the third quarter of 2026, according to an earnings report. Net income was $536 million for the quarter.
