Hotel guests embrace the convenience of AI, but still want the human touch, USF study finds

Important points:

• While smart voice AI is popular for mundane 24/7 tasks, guests overwhelmingly prefer a human concierge for emotionally meaningful or complex requests.
• The study found a significant gap between hotel managers’ optimism about AI and guests’ comfort levels, demonstrating the need for cautious adoption.
• Privacy concerns and the lack of emotional reliability make AI best suited to serve as a first point of contact, handing over to humans when empathy and judgment are needed.

TAMPA, FL (February 9, 2026) – Smart AI voice concierges are increasingly being implemented in daily tasks once reserved for hotel front desk staff. Many common guest inquiries, from requests for extra towels to requests for late checkouts, are now handled through in-room voice AI devices, kiosks, or the hotel’s mobile app or website.

But how far are guests willing to accept the convenience of a conversational AI assistant before preferring one-on-one interaction with a human concierge?

A new study from the University of South Florida shows that Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology reveals that while smart AI concierges are great for prompt 24/7 response and reducing the burden on hospitality staff, most guests still prefer in-person customer service, especially when requests involve emotional requests.

The article, “Investigating customer service and engagement levels in the lodging industry: From high-touch to high-tech conversational AI,” explores how two major groups, hotel guests and hotel managers, are thinking about integrating advanced conversational AI systems into the hotel guest journey, from pre-booking to post-stay interactions.

This study specifically focuses on preferences for intelligent virtual assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Apple Siri, which are more sophisticated than basic chatbots.

“One of the most surprising findings is that there is a huge enthusiasm gap,” said co-author Luana Nanu, assistant professor in the Department of Hospitality and Sports Management in the USF Muma College of Business.

The study surveyed 145 participants, including 44 hospitality industry practitioners and 101 consumers who had recently stayed at a hotel, making us one of the first researchers to examine advanced conversational AI systems in lodging from both perspectives.

“Overall, hotel employees are more excited about the service than guests, indicating that a shift toward high-tech services is occurring, but one that needs to be carefully balanced with the personal hospitality for which it is known,” Nanu said.

Through focus groups with industry leaders and a survey of hotel managers and guests in the Southeastern United States, the findings of this study showed:

• Hotel managers and staff are very open to implementing smart AI technology, believing it will significantly reduce workload and staffing issues.
• Guests preferred a human concierge for emotional requests, like finding restaurant recommendations for an anniversary dinner or booking tickets for local attractions and experiences.

However, the integration of high-tech services also had its drawbacks.

Lack of emotional authenticity, such as empathy and human cues, and privacy risks from misuse of voice data and data policies were the biggest barriers to adoption.

In fact, 81% of respondents said emotional authenticity was a key issue, and 76% expressed concerns about privacy and trust, especially when it comes to voice-based interactions in public spaces.

For example, survey respondents made comments such as “My voice can be hacked” and “AI cannot understand my feelings.”

The results highlight the need for hotels to take a hybrid approach. This approach not only integrates smart voice AI into multichannel platforms such as mobile apps, kiosks, and websites, but also has a high-touch, face-to-face component to handle complex requests.

“In the hybrid option, the AI ​​initiates the conversation and continues the conversation until it is no longer possible or it is appropriate for a human to intervene,” Nanu said.

“These results are important because they signal a paradigm shift in hospitality service delivery, where conversational AI is no longer an option but a strategic necessity for competitive advantage,” the study said.

Co-authors of the study include Ajay Alluri and Amelia Szczesny of West Virginia University.

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About the University of South Florida

The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university with approximately 50,000 students from around the world on campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota-Manatee, and USF Health. In 2025, U.S. News & World Report recognized USF with the highest overall ranking in university history, ranking it among the top 50 public universities for the seventh consecutive year and recognizing it as one of the top 15 best value universities among all public universities in the nation. U.S. News also ranks USF Health Morsani School of Medicine as the No. 1 medical school in Florida and among the best in the nation. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the United States. With a record $750 million in research funding in 2025 and a top 20 patent-producing public university in the United States, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university has an annual economic impact of nearly $10 billion for the state of Florida. USF’s Division I track and field team competes in the American Conference. Learn more here www.usf.edu.