SINGAPORE, 23 September 2026: Digital travel platform Agoda has begun the beta rollout of its new AI Assistant, designed to help travellers turn their travel ideas into personalised, bookable trips. 

Available initially to a select group of Agoda mobile app users, the AI Assistant marks a new chapter in how travellers can plan, book, and manage an entire trip in one place.

Organising a single trip today can mean jumping between AI chats, search engines, review sites, maps, and booking apps. Even after finding a recommendation they like, travellers can be left hanging: “Is this price real? Is it available for my dates? Nice hotel, but how do I actually book it?”

Agoda’s AI Assistant answers those questions. As an alternative to traditional search, it connects conversational trip planning with Agoda’s live inventory of more than 6 million accommodations, plus flights and activities. Travellers can explore ideas, compare options, check prices and availability, all within the same app experience. The assistant retains preferences and trip context as plans develop, helping personalise the experience and allowing travellers to pick up where they left off.

OpenAI’s latest GPT-5.6 model currently powers the AI Assistant’s core conversational intelligence. For more complex trip planning, such as designing a family getaway with teenagers, the AI Assistant uses Google Gemini’s ‘Grounding with Google Maps’ feature to recommend ideal spots based on real-time Google Maps data, such as ratings, photos, and opening hours. 

The beta test lets Agoda gather customer feedback and keep refining the AI Assistant. Over the coming months, Agoda’s AI Assistant will gradually be made available to all users of Agoda’s mobile app. 

(Source: Agoda)