In short: The 2026 AI Hospitality Alliance (AIHA) Member Survey reveals that industry stakeholders are eager for practical, operations-focused guidance on artificial intelligence and would like AIHA to serve as a standards-setting body rather than a source of general commentary.
-
AI Hospitality Alliance study finds demand for practical AI guidance and standards – Image Credit HNR News
Respondents cited fragmented systems and the gap between the promise of AI and real-world value as major challenges, and called for more collaboration, education, and measurable outcomes in AI adoption across the hospitality industry.
Survey overview and respondent profile
The AI Hospitality Alliance (AIHA) conducted a member survey from April to May 2026 to understand stakeholder needs and priorities regarding artificial intelligence in the hospitality sector. The survey received 100 responses from a diverse group including technology vendors (27%), hoteliers (26%), consultants (23%), academics (14%), and a smaller number from investment firms, media, and other roles.
The objective was to identify stakeholder expectations for AIHA, how they would like to be involved, their main complaints about AI in the hospitality sector, and their aspirations for the future. Email addresses are excluded from analysis to maintain anonymity and results are reported in the aggregate.
Key findings: Stakeholder needs and aspirations
The survey results demonstrate a strong need for AIHA to provide leadership on AI trends and provide practical, actionable guidance. The majority of respondents (78%) want AIHA to help them stay ahead of the AI trends shaping the hospitality industry. Other top priorities include contributing to the future of the industry (66%), learning about practical AI use cases (65%), accessing quality research (60%), and connecting with colleagues and leaders (59%).
Respondents are less interested in abstract discussions about AI and more focused on how the technology can be applied to actual hotel operations. There is a clear need for AIHA to become a trusted knowledge hub that provides standards, case studies, education, benchmarking, and community engagement opportunities.
Engagement settings
This research shows that stakeholders prefer active engagement over passive information consumption. The most popular modes of engagement are attending an event or workshop (71%), participating in research or surveys (66%), and providing content or insights (61%). While 58 respondents are interested in staying informed, a significant number (39%) are also interested in partnerships and sponsorships.
This pattern suggests that viewers don’t just want to receive the latest information, they want to be part of a collaborative alliance shaping the direction of AI in hospitality.
Key Challenge: Dissatisfaction with the current AI environment
Stakeholders have reported several frustrations with the current state of AI in the hospitality sector. The most common concerns are the gap between AI hype and actual operational value, keeping up with technological change, fragmented systems, and inconsistent standards. Other issues include preparation for implementation, impact on guests and staff, trust and governance, and employee training.
Each stakeholder group has its own focus. – Technology vendors emphasize the need for standards and trusted use cases. – Hoteliers are concerned about the practical application of AI and its usefulness to guests and employees. – Consultants focus on value clarity, readiness, and effective implementation. – Scholars emphasize the need for education, guidelines, and responsible use.
Aspirations for the future: What stakeholders want AIHA to achieve
When asked about the ideal future for AI in hospitality, respondents consistently envision AIHA as a platform for setting industry standards, providing hands-on education, and fostering collaboration. The most frequently mentioned aspirations are for AIHA to become a trusted knowledge hub (41), to improve guest experience and operations (31), and to foster collaboration and community (29).
Other key themes include improved data and analytics, common standards and interoperability, practical use cases with measurable return on investment, responsible AI practices, workforce training, and sustainable AI infrastructure. The overall sentiment is positive, with stakeholders exploring ways to make AI more practical and less abstract.
AIHA and industry impact
The findings demonstrate a clear mission for AIHA. Stakeholders expect organizations to:
– Act as a translator and standard setter for AI in the hospitality sector
– Convene the ecosystem and identify credible use cases
– Publish practical guidance and case studies – Align AI adoption and measurable business outcomes
Specific recommendations by stakeholder type include:
– For technology vendors: Develop interoperability working groups and vendor-neutral guidance
– For hoteliers: Focus on operational case studies and implementation checklists
– For consultants: Build benchmarking tools, maturity models, and practitioner forums
– For academics: create educational cases and research collaboration pathways
methodology
The survey was conducted among 100 founding members of AIHA from April 24 to May 6, 2026. Respondents answered both multiple-choice and open-ended questions. The analysis used keyword-based thematic coding and a simple emotional vocabulary to assess the tone of responses. Four key stakeholder groups accounted for 90% of the responses, with the remainder included in the aggregate analysis.
Learn more at the AI Hospitality Alliance.
