American business travelers are much more optimistic about the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) to enhance their travel experience than their international counterparts.
According to the fourth edition Egencia Business Travel and Technology Survey, 4,521 business travelers from nine different countries found that more than half (55 percent) of U.S. business travelers believe AI advancements can improve their travel experiences.
However, only 62 percent of American road warriors are confident that AI and VR enhancements won't end mankind as we currently know it and eliminate the all-important human interaction element.
Business travelers in other parts of the world are more certain AI and VR pose little to no threat to society but are less confident in the emerging technologies' ability to improve the quality of business travel.
Only 37 percent of survey respondents in Sweden and Norway believe AI advancements will enhance their travel experiences, while 41 percent of British and German business travelers are bullish on the technology.
Road warriors in Australia (42 percent), Canada and France (44 percent) and Singapore (47 percent) also appear skeptical.
Unlike their American counterparts, international business travelers in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific are less worried about technology negatively altering mankind.
A whopping 72 percent of business travelers in Norway say it won't happen while 70 percent of those in Sweden say they aren't worried either.
The confidence rates remain higher than the U.S. in the U.K. (67 percent), Canada and Germany (64 percent). Only France (61 percent), Australia and Singapore (60 percent) are more concerned about AI and VR's impact on the human race.
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"There is a fundamental shift already happening in the traveler mindset that companies need to anticipate travelers' needs and simplify all aspects of business travel, regardless of how a traveler chooses to interact with travel companies," said Michael Gulmann, chief product officer at Egencia, in a statement. "As such, there is a balancing act for travel companies to ensure they offer the latest technology, alongside the ability for travelers to connect with a live person anytime, anywhere."
Egencia's study also found that 76 percent of U.S. business travelers want additional cross-device integration and mobile accessibility moving forward. By comparison, there's slightly less demand for tech improvements among international business travelers.
Egencia is the business travel arm of Expedia and provides service and solutions in more than 65 countries.
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