BA fears a future where AI agents pick flights and brands get ghosted (www.theregister.com)

British Airways CEO Sean Doyle recently expressed concerns that the airline industry is approaching a future where AI agents, rather than human customers, will drive flight selection and brand visibility. Speaking at Globant's Converge 2025 event, he emphasized that airlines failing to adapt to this shift risk becoming obscure as automated systems begin mediating travel decisions. As the industry grapples with uneven post-pandemic recovery, with leisure travel surging but business travel lagging, Doyle highlighted the importance of airlines restructuring their digital platforms to remain relevant in a landscape dominated by AI decision-making. Doyle noted that British Airways is undergoing a significant digital overhaul, which includes harnessing hyper-personalization by effectively utilizing customer data across its systems. This transformation is seen as an opportunity to modernize legacy processes through automation, enabling the airline to redeploy employees towards more valuable customer interactions rather than merely updating technology. By focusing on how to effectively engage with AI systems and integrate better digital practices, British Airways aims to ensure its visibility and trustworthiness in a future where machine-driven choices will redefine customer engagement.