As we look forward to The Phocuswright Conference, PhocusWire is highlighting a number of conference speakers in a series of Q&As.
Adam Harris, CEO of Cloudbeds, is scheduled to appear on center stage for an executive panel on “The Future of Hospitality – Competing for the Modern Guest.”
Below, Harris shares about the impact he thinks artificial intelligence (AI) will have, challenges the travel industry faces and his priorities.
When we look back in five years’ time, what will be the biggest impact of AI?
AI will become the organizational asset that is mission critical to running a hotel. Just like Wi-Fi became a utility, AI will be the utility that powers decision-making across revenue, marketing and operations. Hotels that once relied on siloed systems now run on AI as the brain that connects it all. With Cloudbeds, we’re actively working to make that a reality. Signals, our AI, is powering forecasts, marketing, operations and guest experience as the indispensable intelligence helping hoteliers compete, deliver and grow.
What do you think are the greatest challenges the industry faces?
Our industry is at an inflection point, and data is the crux. Booking windows are shrinking, demand patterns are less predictable and legacy forecasting methods don’t work anymore. At the same time, labor shortages and rising costs are squeezing hoteliers. The challenge is twofold: Hotels need tools that can predict demand with real accuracy, but they also need automation that frees staff to focus on guests. Those who solve both will define the next decade.
What are your priorities this year?
Our top priority is to free hotelier ambition, which means cutting through the noise of manual work, fragmented systems and unreliable data so hoteliers can focus on growth. At the center of that is Signals AI, a foundation model built with and for hoteliers, trained on billions of real booking, guest and market signals. It predicts demand and it explains it—turning data into intelligence and intelligence into an organization-wide asset that drives faster, better decisions with accuracy hoteliers can finally trust. From forecasting and pricing to guest marketing, operations and finance, we’re scaling this intelligence across the platform, strengthening the backbone of hospitality.
How are you personally using AI in your day-to-day work and how do you wish you could use AI in the future?
I already use AI as a thought partner—helping me synthesize information quickly, prepare for conversations and pressure-test decisions. But what excites me most is where this goes next for leaders in hoteliers: agent-based systems trained on hospitality knowledge. Imagine an internal “hotel sage” that can answer any question about your property, from staff onboarding to marketing content, all in your brand’s voice. That’s the future we’re building, and it will change how every hotelier works.
Who are you most looking forward to hearing speak at the conference and why?
I look forward to hearing from leaders who are navigating the industry’s most pressing challenges: forecasting demand in uncertain markets, balancing direct and OTA business and adopting new technology without the advantage of unlimited budgets. Their perspective is invaluable because it reflects the realities faced by the vast majority of hoteliers. At Cloudbeds, we’re bringing an AI-powered, unified platform that gives hoteliers the power to anticipate demand, run smarter operations and craft more personal, profitable guest journeys at scale.
The Phocuswright Conference
Join us in San Diego, November 18-20, where Cloudbeds’ Adam Harris will take part in an executive panel focused on the future of hospitality.