Key facts
- An AI travel agent named Instinct was tested for its ability to plan trips.
- For a business trip to New York, Instinct created a four-page document with itinerary and budget details in 10 minutes.
- Instinct initially suggested a flight itinerary that was impossible to book.
- The AI agent took six minutes to correct the flight booking error, adding $130 to the cost.
- For a European city break, Instinct took 30 minutes to suggest cities and budgets, and another 23 minutes for specific dates and hotels.
- ChatGPT provided a similar list of cities in three minutes.
An AI travel agent named Instinct was tested for its ability to plan trips, with mixed results. For a hypothetical business trip from London to New York, Instinct created a detailed four-page document in 10 minutes, including budget and itinerary. However, it made a basic error by suggesting a flight itinerary that combined two airlines, Delta and British Airways, which cannot be booked on the same ticket. The agent took an additional six minutes to correct this, increasing the cost by $130. The user noted that their own research on Google Flights and Booking.com took about half an hour and resulted in a similar budget.
When tasked with planning a more open-ended European city break, Instinct proved less successful. The user wanted to visit a European city with a top art gallery in November, potentially via Eurostar. Instinct took 30 minutes to suggest five cities and approximate budgets, and then another 23 minutes to provide specific dates, hotels, and transport options. In comparison, ChatGPT provided a similar list of cities in three minutes. The user found Instinct's suggested Amsterdam hotel unappealing and its Eurostar pricing higher than direct booking. The user concluded that while Instinct might be useful for straightforward business trips requiring precise costings, it diminished the enjoyment and exploration typically associated with planning leisure travel.