Expedia’s chief executive Ariane Gorin says AI is a growth opportunity that will give teams superpowers and help travellers make better decisions, but she insists people are happiest when they’re planning a trip. In its February annual report, Expedia warned that generative AI and autonomous bots could become a risk as rivals may deploy AI‑driven travel search more effectively, potentially cutting commissions on hotel, flight and car bookings. Yet the company’s first‑quarter 2026 gross bookings jumped 13 per cent to $35.5 bn, with revenue up 15 per cent to $3.4 bn.

Gorin, who took the helm in May 2024, has already rebooted the consumer‑facing brands Vrbo and Hotels.com, restoring growth and driving the firm’s B2C revenues to $9.5 bn last year. She stresses that brand recognition, trust and support services will keep travellers choosing Expedia over cheaper direct bookings, and that loyalty discounts will help fend off AI‑powered start‑ups.

Despite cutting costs and experimenting with AI tools in her own notes, Gorin believes the holiday‑planning process remains a human joy. "Some people will want end‑to‑end agentic solutions, but a lot of people actually enjoy the process of planning a trip," she says.