Marriott shifts to enterprise AI deployment as 2026 becomes 'year for scale'
Marriott International is moving from AI experimentation to enterprise-wide deployment in 2026, according to Global Chief Information Officer Naveen Manga. Speaking at a virtual event earlier this month, Manga outlined how the hotel company will apply artificial intelligence across three customer groups: guests, associates, and property owners.
The company spent 2025 piloting and learning. This year marks the transition to scaling those efforts across its operations.
Guest experience: Natural language search
Marriott is replacing traditional destination-based search with conversational AI that understands complex queries. A guest could ask for a Venice Beach hotel near the ocean with walking trails and connecting rooms for a family, then refine results through continued conversation.
CEO Anthony Capuano announced the rollout begins this quarter on Marriott's website and app. The system retains conversation context to personalize future searches.
Marriott keeps personal data within its enterprise systems rather than exposing it to external models, Manga said. The approach addresses security concerns while enabling personalization.
Associate operations: Automation and tools
Front desk staff currently navigate multiple systems and databases to complete daily tasks. Marriott is deploying automation to reduce this friction and free associates to focus on guest service.
The company is also applying AI to its software development life cycle for engineering teams and evaluating tools to improve how front desk associates serve guests.
Owner insights: Operational dashboards
Marriott is building platforms that give property owners streamlined operational insights, allowing them to manage hotels more efficiently.
The approach: Disciplined and connected
Rather than scattering AI efforts across departments, Marriott is building what Manga called a "horizontal protocol and model-agnostic AI chassis" - a foundation that connects use cases across all three customer groups.
Manga described the strategy as "a very disciplined approach" that focuses on moments that matter most to the business.
Marriott competes with Hilton and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, both of which launched conversational search tools recently. Choice Hotels International partnered with AWS last month on its own enterprise AI deployment.
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