Hilton's CEO on Why the Fundamentals Still Win in the AI Era
In an interview ahead of Skift Global Forum 2026, Hilton President and CEO Christopher Nassetta argues that AI changes the gatekeeper but not the fundamentals of winning guests. His thesis: delivering reliable, friendly stays generates positive reviews that feed into AI models, while Hilton builds its own AI capabilities (Hilton AI Planner) and a proprietary tech stack to control the recommendation layer. He frames Hilton's 28-brand portfolio and Hilton Honors as the right architecture for a fragmenting market, and points to renewed midweek business travel from SMBs broadening demand beyond luxury, signaling healthier, more durable growth. He also emphasizes culture as a competitive input a…