At WiT Japan & North Asia 2025, Amy Wei walked onto stage jet-lagged but charged – with fresh insights from Google I/O in California, her own AI panel at Trip’s Envision Summit in Shanghai, and now, Tokyo. Her global sprint mirrors the speed at which generative AI is transforming travel and how Trip.com is racing to lead the charge.
“We are living in the golden age of travel,” declared Trip.com Group’s senior director of product management. “Not just because people are travelling again but because AI is finally mature enough to solve real travel problems at scale.”
From blogs to bots: A personal arc
Amy’s travel journey began, fittingly, with a mobile phone. “Back in 2006, I travelled to France. Navigation apps didn’t exist. I had a feature phone and followed blog posts.” Today, as head of AI product at Trip.com, she’s shaping the future for the next generation of travellers where blogs are replaced by bots and discovery becomes ambient.
“Back then, the problem was lack of information. Now, it’s too much information. AI filters the noise and makes it personal,” she said.
TripGenie grows up: From tool to travel companion
TripGenie, Trip.com’s AI-powered assistant, has undergone a metamorphosis. Once a simple chatbot, it is now a multimodal, multilingual travel concierge that leverages voice, images, live translation and contextual cues to guide users across borders, and moments.
“We’re building an AI continuum,” Amy explained. “It’s not just a travel tool – it’s a persistent, invisible helper. Whether you’re in Shanghai or Tokyo, it knows what you need, when you need it.”
Features include:
- Image recognition to identify dishes and recommend food based on user preferences.
- Live translation that lets users speak directly to taxi drivers or restaurant staff.
- Contextual widgets that suggest activities around train stations based on time, location, and past searches.
“It’s like giving our users a Swiss Army knife,” said Amy. “But one that knows which tool to offer at exactly the right moment.”
China as a testbed for innovation
Being in China gives Trip.com a unique edge, Amy admitted – access to cutting-edge open-source models like DeepSeek, exposure to multimodal platforms, and a consumer base that is tech-hungry and quick to adopt.
“Our users respond fast. They’re not afraid to experiment. It lets us prototype faster, iterate faster, and learn faster.”
Still, she challenges the assumption that what works in China won’t work elsewhere. “Human desires are more similar than we think. When we launched our train booking product in Europe, people said mobile wouldn’t work. It became our second-largest market the next year.”
AI, trust, and the OTA’s evolving role
Trip.com is preparing for a future where AI agents might handle bookings end-to-end. But Amy is clear-eyed about the real barrier – not tech, but trust.
“Travel bookings are high stakes. Flights, hotels – there are refund rules, policies. Users need to feel confident. That’s the final frontier for AI.”
Will AI make OTAs obsolete? “No,” she said. “Aggregation, data cleaning, personalization – those roles still matter. The OTA’s job is evolving, not disappearing.”
Speaking to Yeoh Siew Hoon (Left), Trip.com Group’s Amy Wei said, “Human desires are more similar than we think. When we launched our train booking product in Europe, people said mobile wouldn’t work. It became our second-largest market the next year.”
Designing for tomorrow: Multimodal, proactive, hyperpersonal
When asked what the next-gen travel app must have, Amy didn’t hesitate.
“Multimodal input. Proactivity. And deep personalization. The app shouldn’t wait for users – it should know what they need and act on it.”
In the future, she sees Trip.com adapting to smart glasses, wearables, and even beyond.
“Google’s working with Gentle Monster on smart eyewear. Meta’s doing it with Ray-Bans. The interface is moving off the phone, and AI will be ambient – everywhere and nowhere.”
On innovation, human touch, and the soul of travel
Despite the rapid advances, Amy is grounded.
“We’re not innovating for innovation’s sake. We evaluate: Does this solve a real pain point? If not, we don’t do it.”
And what about the irreplaceable value of human connection?
“AI should amplify our ability to explore and connect, not replace it. The joy of hitting the road and genuine human interactions, those should never disappear.”
Final rapid fire
- Human or Virtual Influencer?
“Human, of course. Virtual influencers still reflect human creators.” - Self-Service or Human Touch?
“A blend. Let AI handle repetitive tasks; let humans add value.” - If Smartphones Disappear?
“We’ll move to glasses and earbuds. AI will be everywhere.” - What We Must Never Lose in Travel?
“Joy. And human connection. That should live forever in our hearts.”
