Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks

In hotels, most front-desk work is still done by people. Staff greet guests, register them, assign rooms, check payment, record stays, and answer calls ^[1]. Right now, only about a quarter of those tasks use machines ^[1].

Hotels do use computers for some jobs – for example, many guests can check in with a phone app or kiosk instead of waiting in line. Some places even have chatbots to answer simple questions ^{[2] [3]}. A few high-tech hotels have tested robot concierges: for example, Hilton’s “Connie” robot gives guests local information ^[2].

But most travelers still prefer talking with a person ^{[4] [2]}. Tasks like handling safe-deposit boxes or cleaning lobbies aren’t done by AI – those remain jobs for real people.

Whether hotels add more AI depends on many things. Big hotel chains might use AI if it saves money or helps during busy times. In fact, travel companies have put a lot of investment into AI and machine learning ^[2], but in practice only about 11% of hotels in Europe were using AI by late 2023 ^[2].

Often AI is used “behind the scenes” – for example, software sets room prices or predicts busy seasons ^[2]. Changes at the front desk happen more slowly. New AI systems can cost a lot to buy or build, and many guests expect a friendly person at check-in.

Younger customers are more open to AI (about 60% of travelers under 45 use it for trip planning) ^[2], while older guests often prefer talking to humans. Social factors also play a role: for example, hotel unions in Las Vegas negotiated job protections (like bonuses or retraining funds) if AI replaces work ^[5]. In general, experts say AI will change how desk clerks work rather than fully replace them ^{[5] [2]}.

That means friendly human skills – like solving problems and welcoming guests – stay important for the job.