Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
For decades, hospitality has relied on personas or archetypes to “understand” guests — often static, assumption-driven and quickly outdated while customer choices change and shift at a fast pace. Bringing AI into the equation is about to change that radically. This session challenges the way the industry thinks about demand, development and decision-making. Embrace synthetic personas: AI-generated, data-driven models that don’t just describe guests, but simulate behaviour, predict outcomes and pressure-test ideas before they hit the market. Following a short keynote, an expert panel will unpack how synthetic personas are reshaping product development, operations, marketing and sales. What happens when innovation is no longer guided by classic research alone, but continuously validated through predictive models? Where does this unlock new speed, bolder moves and sharper demand-fit — and where does it introduce new risks? The panel will cut through the hype. Building credible synthetic personas requires far more than spinning up a Custom GPT or AI agent. We will discuss what it truly takes: from data quality and modelling logic to governance, skills and infrastructure. Grounded in real hospitality use cases, the session will explore how leading organisations are already using synthetic personas to rethink go-to-market strategies, improve marketing efficiency and make smarter decisions faster. If technology allows, the audience will even witness a live interaction with a synthetic persona. For hospitality leaders ready to move beyond guesswork — and open to rethink how innovation really happens. #artificialintelligence #marketing #personalization
Moderator:
Kirsten Feld-Türkis
Speaker:
Sven Dörrenbächer
Panel guests:
Ali Beklen
Dr. Joerg Meurer
Julie White
For decades, hospitality has relied on personas or archetypes to “understand” guests — often static, assumption-driven and quickly outdated while customer choices change and shift at a fast pace. Bringing AI into the equation is about to change that radically. This session challenges the way the industry thinks about demand, development and decision-making. Embrace synthetic personas: AI-generated, data-driven models that don’t just describe guests, but simulate behaviour, predict outcomes and pressure-test ideas before they hit the market. Following a short keynote, an expert panel will unpack how synthetic personas are reshaping product development, operations, marketing and sales. What happens when innovation is no longer guided by classic research alone, but continuously validated through predictive models? Where does this unlock new speed, bolder moves and sharper demand-fit — and where does it introduce new risks? The panel will cut through the hype. Building credible synthetic personas requires far more than spinning up a Custom GPT or AI agent. We will discuss what it truly takes: from data quality and modelling logic to governance, skills and infrastructure. Grounded in real hospitality use cases, the session will explore how leading organisations are already using synthetic personas to rethink go-to-market strategies, improve marketing efficiency and make smarter decisions faster. If technology allows, the audience will even witness a live interaction with a synthetic persona. For hospitality leaders ready to move beyond guesswork — and open to rethink how innovation really happens. #artificialintelligence #marketing #personalization
Moderator:
Kirsten Feld-Türkis
Speaker:
Sven Dörrenbächer
Panel guests:
Ali Beklen
Dr. Joerg Meurer
Julie White
