AI has the potential to greatly enhance the tourism sector’s operations, says Weeva CTO.

Taking to the stage at ITB Berlin, James Lever, CTO of tech company Weeva, outlined the differences between concepts such as ‘deep learning’ and ‘machine learning’, both of which he said were often lumped together under the ‘AI’ banner.

Machine learning, said Lever, was more apparent until a few years ago. Weeva was launching the second version of its software, which helps tourism properties track, measure, and report on their sustainable operations in one central platform.

Lever used the example of a hotel chain that tracked the leftovers from its self-service breakfast buffet. The hotels in its case study, he said, had been able to reduce leftovers by around 1,800 kilograms per year per kitchen. The net annual environmental impact was the equivalent of 6.8 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

The economic savings, he added, came to €8,137 per kitchen.

He said: “It was all about detecting patterns and achieving goals. Now that computing has become cheaper, we are seeing that deep learning is becoming more apparent.”

There is a lot of potential for AI, he said. Lever said it can automate eco-friendly practices, predict the environmental impact of actions a business could have, enhance efficiency, and underscore a firm’s commitment to the planet.

Lever concluded: “The future of AI centres around education, and I think AI has a big part to play. I believe that green claims and greenwashing will play a big part in how a business operates on the back of the EU’s directives that are coming out.”

He added: “AI and sustainability form dynamic partnerships that will optimise businesses, making them more rounded and resilient.”

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