During Google’s fourth-quarter earnings call on Wednesday, it became abundantly clear that the tech giant is transitioning from building artificial intelligence infrastructure to actively deploying it.
CEO Sundar Pichai highlighted that 2026 is set to be “the year where consumers will actually have access to all of this.”
However, in the travel sector, this pivotal shift has not yet fully materialized.
The new transactional tools introduced by Google—a protocol for agentic checkout and a pilot program allowing retailers to showcase offers within AI search results—are primarily tailored for retail rather than travel inventory. The ever-changing pricing and rapidly depleting inventory typical of the travel industry do not align with the product-feed systems required by these tools.
Nevertheless, a behavioral transformation in how individuals search is already in progress.
The Changing Shape of Search
Queries processed through Google’s AI mode tend to be three times longer than traditional searches, indicating an evolving landscape.
As we move into a new era of technology, it’s clear that AI is poised to reshape how consumers interact with information, especially in sectors like travel. While the tools may not yet be fully adapted for this particular industry, the shift in user behavior signals a promising future.
In summary, while travel hasn’t yet benefited from Google’s advanced AI tools, the groundwork is being laid for significant changes in how people search and engage with travel content. As we approach 2026, we can anticipate a more integrated experience in the travel sector.
