At the Skift Global Forum, travel leaders debated whether today’s AI surge resembles the dot-com bubble. Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel said valuations and hype feel similar, recalling how Priceline’s worth plummeted after the dot-com crash before rebounding. Others, like Brand USA’s Janette Roush and Mosaic Hospitality’s Gaurav Sharma, agreed that inflated valuations and unproven startups signal a bubble. Still, they stressed AI differs from the internet boom because it is already embedded in daily services and shaping consumer behavior. Roush pointed to natural language search as proof adoption is real, while Sharma warned that misallocated capital and fragmented adoption remain risks. Both argued that leaders must focus on data integration, protecting brand voice, and maintaining ROI discipline to survive. The consensus was that while parts of AI may collapse, the reset would be healthy, strengthening the sector. Fogel emphasized that great companies will endure, and Roush said AI will underpin the next era of business. Sharma added that for hospitality, the real risk is not collapse but irrelevance if adaptation lags.
In academic partnership with Virscend University, a WASC-accredited institution in Irvine, California.