Lufthansa Introduces Swifty, An AI-Powered Assistant for Business Travelers 

Lufthansa Innovation Hub , the innovation team at Lufthansa, has made public the launch of  Swifty . The company claims that Swifty serves as a generative AI assistant to simplify business travel by streamlining the planning and booking stages.

Utilizing OpenAI’s GPT-4 model, the AI is built to completely transform and enhance the booking journey, from the initial planning to the final payment, all through a seamless chat interface.

Lufthansa Innovation Hub has stated that this initiative represents a significant step in their mission to create a comprehensive AI-driven assistant for business travelers, capable of addressing a wide range of inquiries that might arise during corporate trips. 

Following in the footsteps of  NAVIT (formerly RYDES) and SQUAKE , Swifty aims to establish itself as the latest in a lineup of Lufthansa Innovation Hub projects set for future growth.

Stanislav Bondarenko, the founder of Swifty, shared with Metaverse Post, “Swifty takes the booking time for a business trip down from 1-2 hours to about 10 minutes by allowing users to pose their questions directly to the AI assistant, which then provides three relevant options for them to consider. Our goal is to help users avoid the hassle of visiting multiple booking platforms by consolidating the whole experience into one uncomplicated chat interface.”

Simplifying trip planning through generative AI 

According to Bondarenko, Swifty's AI framework comprises a network of travel support and booking agents that work in tandem. A central system coordinates these agents, guiding them through user interactions and collaborating with various APIs. 

The generative AI model operates by interpreting user intents, verifying their accuracy, and instigating searches and bookings via travel reservation systems.

Bondarenko elaborated, “Users can simply request what they need, and our AI will present the best choices tailored to their preferences – think of it as filters applied through natural language. Our assistant can also guide users in identifying the best options through insightful questions.” He added that in the future, the AI will remember user preferences to offer even more tailored recommendations.

This innovation eliminates the cumbersome invoicing procedures and the need to navigate through intricate systems. The company has also secured a partnership with the Expedia Group for its initial launch, providing clients with access to a wide range of accommodations worldwide. 

Moreover, a collaboration with another travel partner will grant the generative AI agent access to 90% of available flight options from airlines across the US and Europe.

To guarantee an efficient booking experience, Swifty will utilize the online booking platform of Expedia, carefully selecting the best options from an extensive array.

Bondarenko mentioned to Metaverse Post, “Our partnership with the Expedia Group will enable Swifty users to tap into a vast array of accommodation choices from all over the globe. This aligns perfectly with our strategy to offer customers the finest selection of travel solutions.” 

What’s next for Swifty? 

The company is expecting to expand its services in the future to include train bookings, local transport solutions, CO2 offset initiatives, and beyond. 

Beyond just travel and accommodation, Swifty seeks to incorporate various additional services, such as dining reservations, coworking space bookings, gift purchases, printing services, and even assist with scheduling complex meetings directly on your calendar.

Bondarenko stated, “We believe in democratizing the entire business travel assistance experience for all users, which necessitates introducing new services. This can only be achieved through collaborations with tech partners and seamlessly integrating these capabilities into our existing AI assistant framework.”