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Artificial IntelligencePublished July 8, 20261 min read

Agentic AI will transform travel, but trust is the real ticket

JSBy Joan SanzCurated by Joan Sanz. · July 8, 2026 · Follow on LinkedIn
Voice reading · ~1 min

At the TravelTech Show 2026 in London, agentic AIAgentic AIAgentic AI is a system that does not just answer, it acts on its own to reach a goal. It searches, compares, books and pays without a person steering every step. In travel it threatens to sit between the guest and the... moved from promise to operational reality. Mike Hyde (Trainline) and Harry Herbert (Anthropic) agreed that over 60% of travel companies already embed AI agents into their workflows. But Hyde cut to the chase: the real bottleneck isn't tech, it's governance. Without clear rules, these agents may erode trust faster than they boost efficiency.

From where I stand, the industry is rushing to integrate AI without first designing proper governance. OTAsOTAAn online travel agency is a channel that sells accommodation and travel online in exchange for a commission. Booking.com and Expedia are the biggest. They bring volume and visibility, but charge commissions that eat... and airlines that don't put trust at the core of their AI strategy will crash hard. The tech works, but travelers don't forgive failure.

Full story at SmartTravel.News.

Quick questions

What is agentic AI in travel?
It's artificial intelligence that acts autonomously to perform tasks like searching flights, booking hotels, or managing itinerary changes without direct human intervention.
Why is trust key for agentic AI?
Because one autonomous mistake, a wrong booking or double charge, can ruin traveler trust and damage the company's reputation for years.
Which companies are already using agentic AI?
Trainline applies it internally, while eDreams ODIGEO works with Visa to enable automated bookings carried out by AI agents.
What did Trainline's Mike Hyde say about governance?
He said the main challenge isn't technical but about governance: without clear rules and controls, AI agents can cause more harm than good.
Where was this topic discussed?
At the TravelTech Show 2026 in London, where Trainline and Anthropic debated the future of agentic AI in the travel sector.

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