InterContinental Hotels launch AI smart rooms in China

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®) announced that InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts has collaborated with Baidu to introduce the next generation of intelligent hospitality - smart rooms, which are powered by artificial intelligence. From now on, guests staying at InterContinental® Beijing Sanlitun and InterContinental® Guangzhou Exhibition Centre will be among the first 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.The AI solution is developed by Baidu’s DuerOS Platform and customised for InterContinental Hotels & Resorts. Supported by hardware upgrade and cloud service, it integrates AI technology into hotel operations. Unlike traditional guest rooms, the newly launched AI smart rooms 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 and seamless room service experience. Smart rooms are expected to improve and redefine customer hotel experience in China's hospitality industry.Lin Wang, vice president of marketing, 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.”The AI solution will also further fine-tune the hotels’ current backstage management system, including customising information and resetting devices, making hotel management a simpler task. “We will continue to make use of cutting-edge technology in hotel services 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." said Wang.IHG and Baidu has developed a strategic partnership on AI development last November. Jing Kun, general manager of Smart Living Group, Baidu, commented: "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 & 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."