The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the travel industry, with companies like Travelier at the forefront. According to VP of AI Ante Dagelić, AI is a key part of the company’s culture and process, with a focus on creating an AI-first mindset throughout the organization.
Travelier has implemented various AI initiatives, including hackathons and AI-focused meetups, as well as designating “AI Champions” and “AI Builders” within the company. The company also prioritizes AI fluency in its performance reviews, ensuring that employees are equipped to work effectively with AI tools.
AI in Action
One example of AI in action at Travelier is Jarvis, the company’s internal AI data brain. Jarvis allows employees to ask questions and receive detailed analyses, providing valuable insights into the business. Additionally, Travelier has developed automations related to supply, which have resulted in significant time savings and increased efficiency.
These automations, which resolve approximately 95% of previously manual tasks, have saved tens of thousands of working hours per year. By freeing up staff from manual tasks, Travelier is able to focus on more creative and critical thinking work, driving business impact and growth.
However, Dagelić notes that the most critical investment is in onboarding and training people to work effectively with AI, rather than just increasing token spend. The company has established a dedicated AI department to support this effort.
The results of this investment are already evident, with Travelier seeing efficiency multiples of up to 50x in its R&D efforts. One team was able to refactor its entire tech stack in just a month and a half, while another delivered a project estimated at 7,000 man hours in just two weeks.
Evolution of AI
Dagelić believes that AI will continue to evolve rapidly, with models becoming faster and more efficient. He expects that more models will shift to running locally, and that a new architecture will emerge to replace current large language models (LLMs). Every organization will need to change to adapt to the impact of AI.
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AI is moving from being a tool used by people to being more like a team member, requiring organizations to rethink their structures and processes. Companies that are messy or disorganized will find it harder to adapt to AI, as it exposes inconsistencies and undocumented processes. Travelier is already seeing the impact of AI on its customer side, with revenue from direct LLM redirects growing over 2x year-over-year.
The company is using AI to change its recruitment process, with AI fluency now a key evaluation criterion for candidates. Travelier looks for hands-on management and a focus on raising the bar for entire teams, rather than just individual performance. By identifying and hiring people with strong AI skills, they are able to drive greater output and impact.
As Travelier continues to invest in AI, it is also exploring other technological innovations, particularly in infrastructure, data, and organizational structure. They believe that these investments are essential to creating a better environment for AI agents to operate in, and to driving long-term growth and success.
Travelier’s AI department is working to ensure that the company’s data is correct and available, its systems are properly documented and connected, and ownership is clear. This work is essential to creating a solid foundation for AI adoption and driving business growth.
Travelier’s VP of AI, Ante Dagelić, notes that the company’s biggest investments are in infrastructure, data, quality, access, and organizational structure.
The company’s approach to AI is focused on driving business impact, rather than just investing in the latest technologies. By prioritizing efficiency, creativity, and critical thinking, Travelier is able to drive greater output and impact, and is well-positioned to thrive in the rapidly evolving travel industry, with its token spend growing on a similar trajectory to Trivago’s, which increased its investment in internal AI tools more than fivefold in the first seven months of 2026.