Expedia Group has appointed Xavier Amatriain as its inaugural chief artificial intelligence (AI) and data officer, highlighting the company’s ambition to lead in next-gen travel technology. Previously, Amatriain was the VP of AI and compute enablement at Google, specializing in machine learning, data infrastructure, and agentic systems.

In his new role, Amatriain will strategize Expedia’s long-term AI and machine-learning initiatives while collaborating with multiple key divisions across the organization, including product, B2B, marketing, finance, and partnerships.

Amatriain stated that the travel industry is entering a crucial phase shaped by “generative, agentic, and truly adaptive technologies” that will revolutionize how people plan, book, and experience their travels. “We’re engineering seamless end-to-end travel experiences, and no company is better positioned than Expedia Group to spearhead this next wave,” he said, emphasizing that the future aims to make travel more intelligent, intuitive, and personalized.

This strategic move comes at a time when AI usage within the travel industry is on the rise, propelled by increasing consumer anticipations, operational efficiencies, and fresh prospects in predictive analytics and dynamic content generation.

Expedia Group’s recent decision reflects a broader trend of travel firms elevating AI expertise into senior leadership positions. For instance, in September, Skyscanner promoted its chief product officer, Piero Sierra, to chief AI officer, indicating a strong commitment to “curiosity, learning, and making travel more personal, intuitive, and inspiring.” As competition heats up, these leadership transitions underscore that AI has become a fundamental aspect of strategy, product development, and traveler engagement.