Free white paper | AI and the human touch: Where is the line?
Free white paper | AI and the human touch: Where is the line?
The hospitality industry just met its newest disruptor: the ChatGPT Atlas browser launched by OpenAI on 21 October 2025 (available initially for macOS, with Windows, iOS and Android versions to follow).
Atlas is likely to have a significant impact on how travellers search, compare, and book hotels online. Unlike Chrome or Safari, Atlas doesn’t just show web pages; it understands user intent and can act on their behalf.
Because this technology is so new, the actual impact on hotel booking behaviour has not yet been measured. In this article, based on our initial exploration, we’ll map out what the Atlas AI browser means for hotels and guests alike. Specifically, you’ll learn:
We’re entering uncharted territory as agentic AI becomes widely accessible. But for hoteliers who stay informed and act early, this moment could be less a disruption and more a strategic advantage. Let’s dive in.
Developed by OpenAI, the Atlas browser, also referred to as “OpenAI browser” or “ChatGPT browser”, does more than present websites; it actively interprets user needs, navigates pages, and can even complete tasks on behalf of the user – your future guest.
Atlas AI agent handles everything from research and comparison to booking in a single, conversational flow. For hoteliers, this is more than a new channel; it’s the likely start of an AI-driven booking ecosystem. Understanding how Atlas AI browser works is key to staying visible and competitive.
The same advanced AI that powers ChatGPT 5 is used in Atlas. This is combined with browsing, plugins, and real-time data. It mixes the conversational aspect of ChatGPT with the functionality of a web agent that can actually do things online.
Atlas doesn’t just show search results. It interprets the request, checks multiple sources, and gives summarised, useful options. This often includes direct links or even begin automatic booking. It acts as an agentic browser, meaning it can perform tasks and make decisions for the user within set limits.
How the digital guest journey for hotels may change in the near future? Guests can soon ask Atlas AI to do things for them. For example:
“Find me a pet-friendly hotel in Barcelona with a rooftop pool and free breakfast.”
“Show me family hotels in Rome with connecting rooms,”
“Book a weekend stay in Lisbon under €150 per night,”
“Compare reviews of boutique hotels near the Eiffel Tower.”
For travel, this means guests can now find, check out, and book hotels without manually browsing websites. It’s a big shift: from web pages to AI-led journeys, where the browser becomes a travel assistant.
Booking a hotel through the ChatGPT Atlas feels less like filling out forms and more like having a conversation with a knowledgeable travel assistant.
A typical scenario might look like this:
This Atlas hotel booking process is streamlined and highly personalised. Instead of comparing dozens of tabs or filtering results manually, the guest receives curated options in a single thread of dialogue – text, voice, or even multimodal (image-based) if supported.
It’s also context-aware. If a guest has previously shown interest in boutique hotels or sustainable stays, Atlas AI can remember and tailor future suggestions accordingly.
For hotels, this means the traditional website funnel – homepage, search, booking engine – may soon become less visible to the guest. What matters most is how well a hotel’s digital presence can be read and understood by Atlas itself.
One of the biggest questions for hoteliers is whether Atlas AI will ultimately drive more traffic to online travel agencies (OTAs) or to direct hotel websites. The answer depends on how Atlas is trained, how it accesses data, and how hotels prepare their online presence.
OTAs like Booking.com and Expedia already provide structured, machine-readable data – including rates, availability, and rich content that agentic browsers like Atlas can easily interpret. They also offer well-connected APIs, meaning Atlas can quickly retrieve relevant results and present them to users in a clean, trusted format.
Because of this, early interactions with Atlas AI are likely to favour OTAs simply because they are technically easier for the AI to “understand.”
However, the situation isn’t fixed. Hotels can compete – and even win – if they take proactive steps to make their direct booking channels AI-friendly:
In the short term, Atlas AI may act as an aggregator – showing both OTA listings and direct hotel offers, letting guests choose. Over time, as hotels adopt AI-compatible technologies, Atlas could increasingly prioritise direct bookings where the guest experience is smoother and pricing more transparent.
Ultimately, the Atlas browser’s goal is to serve the user’s best interest, not any single platform. If a hotel provides a better price, clearer data, and faster response through its own website, Atlas AI has every reason to recommend booking direct.
As Atlas AI begins handling more complex booking interactions, a natural question arises: how will it interact with the hotel’s own AI chatbot?
Many hotels already rely on conversational assistants – such as HiJiffy’s AI chatbot – to provide instant answers about availability, rates, and guest services. Now, with the Atlas browser acting as an intelligent intermediary, the booking journey could soon involve AI-to-AI communication.
Imagine a traveller using Atlas to plan a trip. When Atlas identifies a potential property, it could automatically open the hotel’s website and begin interacting with its chatbot to confirm real-time availability, get special offers, or ask about policies like late check-out or pet-friendliness.
In this case, Atlas essentially becomes a meta-assistant, speaking to the hotel’s chatbot on the guest’s behalf – gathering accurate information directly from the source, rather than relying on outdated listings or static web pages.
However, this interaction isn’t without challenges. Atlas may misinterpret the information leading to confusion or missed opportunities.
There’s also the question of brand control: when an AI intermediary like Atlas filters conversations, the hotel may lose some direct contact with the guest, along with valuable behavioural data.
The reality is that Atlas AI isn’t a competitor to hotel chatbots; it’s a new layer in the digital ecosystem. Chatbots that are fast, well-structured, and integrated with hotel tech services like booking engines and property management systems will become preferred data sources for AI browsers like Atlas. Those that aren’t may get bypassed altogether.
Hotels that have already invested in AI-driven communication platforms like HiJiffy are well-positioned – they’re effectively future-proofing their customer experience for an AI-to-AI era of hospitality.
Absolutely – and sooner rather than later. The emergence of agentic browsers like Atlas AI means hotel websites must evolve from being designed for human eyes to being equally readable and usable by machines.
In this new paradigm, Atlas doesn’t just “see” a web page – it interprets the underlying structure and meaning of the content. That means hotels that optimise their digital presence for AI interpretation will have a competitive advantage in visibility and conversions.
When a traveller uses Atlas AI to search for “luxury hotels near the Amalfi Coast with a spa and sea view,” the browser doesn’t look for keyword matches like a search engine would. Instead, it analyses structured data, API responses, and verified information across multiple sources to present the most relevant and trustworthy options.
If your hotel’s website doesn’t provide this kind of machine-readable data, Atlas may simply skip or misinterpret your content – showing OTAs or competitors instead.
Here are practical steps every hotel should consider:
Traditional Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is evolving into AI Optimisation (AIO) – where clarity, structure, and data accessibility matter more than backlinks or keyword density. But if you already follow AEO and GEO strategies for hotels, you’re on the right track already. Preparing your site for Atlas AI isn’t just a technical exercise; it’s a strategic investment in maintaining visibility in the next generation of travel discovery.
The arrival of Atlas AI brings both exciting opportunities and new challenges for hotels. Like most technological shifts, its impact will depend on how prepared and adaptable the industry is.
Below is a balanced view of the potential advantages and risks hotels should consider as the Atlas browser becomes part of travellers’ booking habits.
1. Frictionless discovery and booking
Atlas AI eliminates many of the traditional steps between inspiration and reservation. Guests can go from “I want a hotel in Paris this weekend” to a confirmed booking in a few conversational exchanges. This simplification could lead to higher conversion rates – especially for hotels with clear, structured data.
2. Better visibility for smaller or independent hotels
Because Atlas focuses on relevance and user intent, smaller properties with strong data quality and competitive offers can appear alongside major brands. In other words, the Atlas ecosystem may democratise discovery, giving boutique hotels a fairer shot at being found.
3. Improved alignment with guest expectations
Travellers increasingly expect fast, conversational, and AI-powered experiences. By adapting early to Atlas and similar agentic systems, hotels can meet guests where they already are – inside intelligent platforms that plan and book trips end-to-end.
4. Potential growth in direct bookings
If hotels make their content and booking engines AI-friendly, Atlas can bypass OTAs and retrieve information directly from the hotel’s website. This could lead to a reduction in OTA dependency and improved profitability per booking.
1. Reduced control over the customer journey
When Atlas handles discovery, conversation, and even booking, hotels may lose direct contact with guests until after the reservation is confirmed. This limits opportunities for upselling, brand storytelling, and emotional connection.
2. Increased technical demands
Becoming “AI-ready” requires structured data, open APIs, and chatbot integration. Many smaller hotels or legacy websites may need significant updates to stay visible in this new environment.
3. Platform dependency and data opacity
If Atlas becomes a dominant intermediary, hotels risk becoming dependent on its algorithms – similar to how they once relied heavily on OTAs. Transparency about how Atlas ranks or recommends hotels will be crucial.
4. Uncertain competitive dynamics
Atlas AI’s partnerships and data sources may evolve quickly. If it integrates more deeply with OTAs, hotels could face renewed pressure on margins and fewer direct booking opportunities.
The hospitality industry is at a crossroads: ChatGPT Atlas can either become a bridge between hotels and guests or another layer of intermediation.
The difference will depend on how hotels respond today – by embracing AI optimisation, maintaining strong direct channels, and ensuring their data is accessible, accurate, and guest-centric.
The rise of the Atlas AI browser marks a defining moment in how travellers will be able to discover and book hotels. Powered by OpenAI’s conversational and agentic technologies, Atlas transforms the Internet from a static space of links into a dynamic environment of intelligent actions and personalised interactions.
For hoteliers, this shift is both a challenge and an opportunity. On one hand, Atlas AI changes the traditional booking funnel – moving decision-making away from search results and towards AI-led recommendations. On the other, it opens up powerful new pathways for direct engagement, provided hotels are ready to meet the AI halfway.
The winning hotels in this new landscape will be those that:
Atlas AI won’t replace hotel websites or chatbots; it will simply change how guests reach them. The key is to see this as an evolution – from digital marketing to intelligent hospitality, where discovery, conversation, and booking all happen through natural, human-like exchanges.
For those who adapt early, the ChatGPT Atlas hotel booking era could mean more efficiency, stronger guest relationships, and a new wave of direct bookings powered by AI.
The ChatGPT Atlas browser (also known as the OpenAI browser or ChatGPT browser) is a new AI-powered tool launched by OpenAI in October 2025. It allows users to browse, search, and even complete actions – such as booking hotel rooms – using natural language. Instead of typing queries into a search engine, travellers can ask Atlas to find and book hotels directly within the browser.
Guests can book hotels through Atlas AI by simply describing what they want – for example, “Find me a boutique hotel in Edinburgh under £200 with a view of the Arthur’s Seat.” Atlas searches multiple sites, compares offers, and can even finalise the booking on behalf of the guest. This process, often referred to as Atlas hotel booking, makes the experience conversational, fast, and highly personalised.
Yes. The Atlas browser can interact with a hotel’s AI chatbot – such as HiJiffy’s booking assistant – to confirm live availability, special offers, or booking details. This “AI-to-AI” interaction can streamline the guest experience, though it also requires hotels to ensure their chatbot and website are technically compatible with AI agents.
Definitely. Hotels should adapt their websites for agentic AI browsers like Atlas by using structured data, real-time booking APIs, and AI-friendly content. This helps Atlas understand room types, pricing, and availability, increasing the chances that it recommends your hotel directly rather than via an OTA.
Initially, Atlas AI may rely more on OTAs because they already have structured, machine-readable data. However, hotels that invest in AI optimisation (AIO) – making their websites more accessible and transparent to AI systems – can shift that balance in favour of direct bookings over time.
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Funding:
This project received funding from the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Contract No. 782509.
