IHG and Baidu partner to launch first AI-powered guest rooms in China hotels

IHG and Baidu partner to launch first AI-powered guest rooms in China hotels

100 AI powered Club InterContinental suites will be available at InterContinental hotels in gateway cities and key destinations across China within the year. Continue reading

InterContinental Hotels Group has introduced next gen technology-laded Smart Rooms into two Chinese properties as part of a partnership with Baidu.

The rooms are said to be powered by artificial intelligence and are expected to improve and redefine customer hotel experience in China’s hospitality industry.

Guests staying at InterContinental Beijing Sanlitun and InterContinental Guangzhou Exhibition Centre will be among the first in the world to enjoy the AI Smart Rooms.

A total of 100 AI-powered Club InterContinental suites will be available at InterContinental hotels in gateway cities and key destinations across China within the year.

Customised for InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, the AI solution is developed by Baidu’s DuerOS Platform.

It integrates AI technology with hotel operations, and this is supported by hardware upgrade and cloud service.

Unlike traditional guest rooms, the AI Smart Room will fully embrace voice control technology to deliver a more natural human-computer interactive experience.

For instance, guests will be able to freely switch settings between work and leisure modes, and enjoy a more convenient room service experience.

Lin Wang, vice president of marketing at IHG Greater China, said: “IHG has always been at the forefront of innovation.

“We are thrilled to be pioneering in the hospitality industry, and exploring the various possibilities of future experience with our guests. Millennials are particularly sensitive to technology, often seeking new things to try.

“The AI Smart Room will undoubtedly be extremely attractive for them, paving the way for a new level of modernisation and consumer satisfaction.

“We will continue to make use of cutting-edge technology in hotel service and facilities in the future, and we hope this will further strengthen customer awareness and appreciation of smart technology.

“Meanwhile, we will provide more efficient operation and management services to our hotel owners.”

Jing Kun, general manager of Smart Living Group, Baidu, added: “With its well-rounded service functions, DuerOS continues to empower partners of various industries, and contributes to ecological data sharing.

“It is an honour to work with InterContinental Hotels and Resorts, a world-renowned luxury hotel brand with over 70 years of history, and to jointly launch our solution for intelligent hospitality. This presents an exciting and dynamic change to future user experience.”

IHG and Baidu struck a strategic partnership on AI development last November. Since then, the hospitality industry has witnessed a new wave of exploration in this field.

In the future, IHG and Baidu will continue the exploration and innovation in intelligent hospitality solutions, creating more smart options and experiences for guests.