Glenn Fogel

Fogel described AI as a "big positive" for Booking in a CNBC interview, signaling management's optimism about the technology.

In a CNBC interview Wednesday, CEO Glenn Fogel described AI as a "big positive" for Booking, reinforcing management's optimism about the technology.

Fogel said Booking Holdings is testing AI across the whole traveler journey and scaling the capabilities that deliver the most value.

We are actively testing AI across the traveler journey, learning from real-world usage and scaling the capabilities that create the most value for travelers and partners.

Fogel argued that combining AI assistants with Booking's live inventory and booking capabilities turns trip recommendations into seamless bookings.

These experiences show the difference between recommending a trip and actually enabling someone to book it seamlessly. Whether it's comparing locations, photos, room choices and prices, we can combine the ease of an AI assistant with the information, live inventory, booking capabilities and service of our platforms.

Fogel described Lola and Vayo as testing grounds for new AI capabilities that will be applied across Booking Holdings.

These platforms are testing grounds where we can explore new AI capabilities, iterate quickly and apply what we learn across Booking Holdings.

Fogel warned that geopolitical and macro uncertainty could affect near-term travel trends, while Booking stays focused on long-term investment and making travel easier.

While geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty may affect near-term travel trends, we remain focused on making travel easier, helping our partners succeed, and investing in our business for the long term,

Fogel says AI makes this the most transformational period for industries since the Industrial Revolution, especially for travel distribution.

We believe this is the most transformational time for industries since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. Particularly in travel distribution, AI is opening up new ways for people to discover, plan, book and manage travel.

Fogel sees fragmentation of travel discovery across AI agents as positive, potentially lowering customer acquisition costs.

I believe this is actually a wonderful thing that there could be much more of a fragmentation of the way people are beginning their discovery that enables us to actually be able to obtain customers at a lower cost.

Fogel warns that complex regulation, especially in Europe, may slow adoption of horizontal personal AI agents.

I think there's parts of the world where the adoption of these horizontal personal agents may be much slower than is anticipated.

Fogel says the EU DMA changes to Google search have not yet produced a visible advantage for Booking.

We -- right now, we don't see any great advantage from this change. Obviously, it's early, et cetera. We haven't seen anything in terms of numbers change.

Fogel argues that delivering more value to travelers and AI agents will yield a long-term competitive advantage for OTAs.

you got to provide more value, whether it be to a human traveler or to the agent, such that the agent, we want that agent or that person to be using us, looking at our stuff, going through us, transacting with us. If we are able to do that, in the long run, we will have a competitive advantage.

Fogel says Booking would be better positioned if horizontal agents adopt monetization similar to its own model.

if these horizontal agents do go down the route of some type of monetization that is not dissimilar to what we have been doing over the last 2 decades, we will be even in a better position.

Fogel commits to improving the Genius loyalty program to deliver more value to travelers and partners.

We are going to improve Genius. It's going to be an even better program down the road. I absolutely believe, and as I said earlier, I said it several times now, the issue, the importance of providing value, providing value to that traveler and it's also value to the partner.

Fogel said resilient travel demand and disciplined execution drove double-digit bookings growth, and that Booking keeps investing in AI to reshape how travellers discover, plan and book trips.

Chief Executive Glenn Fogel said resilient travel demand and disciplined execution supported double-digit gross bookings growth and 17% growth in adjusted earnings per share during the quarter. He added that the company continued to invest in artificial intelligence as it develops new ways for travellers to discover, plan and book trips.

Glenn Fogel said that despite geopolitical and economic uncertainty, underlying travel demand remained resilient.

the underlying desire to travel remained resilient.

Glenn Fogel says travel remains a highly complex consumer experience that burdens travelers, justifying Booking's $100M bet on the AI trip-management startup Vayo.

Travel is one of the most complex consumer experiences, and too much of the work still falls on the traveler to manage.

Fogel says travel remains overly burdensome for consumers and Booking's new Vayo unit is exploring how AI can anticipate needs to make trip planning seamless.

Travel is one of the most complex consumer experiences, and too much of the work still falls on the traveler to manage. Vayo is exploring how AI can anticipate needs to make planning and managing a trip more seamless.