Business travel buyers look to AI for help managing disruption

Geopolitical instability has emerged as the biggest challenge facing travel buyers, according to research from Business Travel Show Europe. Some are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) tools to navigate the uncertainty.

Nearly half of buyers (47%) identified geopolitical instability as their top concern in 2026, with rising costs and traveler safety also ranking as top challenges. While the share of buyers reporting value from AI remains relatively low, the research suggests early users are already seeing benefits in related areas.

Ten percent of respondents said they are using AI-driven real-time geopolitical risk analysis to monitor disruptions, assess safety concerns and respond more quickly to global events. Roughly 11% reported cost-saving benefits from AI, while 9% said the technology is improving duty-of-care efforts through traveler tracking, alerts and risk mitigation.

The findings highlight how corporate travel programs are increasingly exploring AI applications beyond productivity and customer service as travel managers contend with a more volatile operating environment.

Balancing opportunity and risk

Travel buyers expressed optimism about AI's potential to improve several aspects of travel management.

Nearly 65% of respondents said AI could enable more personalized travel experiences, while 62% cited cost optimization and deal-finding opportunities. Roughly 61% pointed to improvements in duty of care, while 60% are interested in scenario modeling to plan for future disruption and nearly half (49%) are optimistic about the potential for geopolitical risk analysis. 

At the same time, respondents voiced concerns about deploying AI in a sector where safety, compliance and accuracy are critical.

Three quarters (76%) cited misinformation, disinformation and bias as key concerns, while 66% pointed to data privacy and security risks. Nearly half (47%) worried about legal and compliance exposure.

The findings suggest the industry remains interested in AI's potential but is approaching adoption cautiously.

"We are using AI to improve traveler information search to support booking and help users find travel policy details, starting with chatbots and moving into more advanced use cases," said Elisabetta Gibertoni, global travel and events senior manager at LivaNova.

Gibertoni said concerns around data quality, transparency and human oversight remain important considerations.

"AI should be used as a decision-support tool—not a decision-maker—and organizations should focus first on controlled, low-risk applications," she said.

According to Louis Magliaro, executive vice president of The BTN Group, the findings illustrate the sector’s progressive attitude about AI.

"We recognize its potential to transform travel management—especially in areas like geopolitical risk and cost control—and there is clear demand for practical solutions that deliver measurable value," Magliaro said.

The research was based on a survey of 192 respondents conducted in April 2026, including corporate travel buyers, procurement professionals and meetings and events managers.

AI investment on the rise

The findings come amid broader investment in AI across the travel sector. Separate research from TravelTech Show found that 64% of travel operators plan to increase AI investment during the next 12 months, up from 52% in 2025, as companies seek to improve customer experience, increase loyalty, boost booking conversion and reduce costs.

The research also found that 43% of operators are already using AI as a booking assistant, while 18% hope AI’s biggest business impact in the next one to two years is on booking conversion rates.

TravelTech Show's survey was conducted in April 2026 and included 103 travel company representatives.