Booking’s 5 AI Initiatives and the Upcoming Agoda Tool
Booking Holdings outlines its five AI initiatives, including Priceline's Penny and an upcoming trip-planning tool from Agoda.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Booking Holdings is spreading its AI strategy across five major initiatives, including internal startups.
- Priceline's revamped agentic assistant Penny is delivering strong early CSAT and conversion metrics.
- Agoda is preparing to launch a similar trip-planning tool in the near future.
Booking Holdings is pursuing artificial intelligence through five primary initiatives, encompassing trip-planning tools, internal startups, and an upcoming feature rollout from Agoda, according to statements made by executives at investor conferences last week.
The company's approach involves tackling consumer-facing AI from multiple angles, utilizing chatbots, specialized agents, and independent startups. Key brands under the umbrella—specifically Priceline, Agoda, and Booking.com—are actively developing their own trip-planning capabilities.
The standout performer so far is Priceline's Penny, an assistant that was recently overhauled into an underlying agentic system. Executives have highlighted its early performance during earnings calls and financial presentations.
Glenn Fogel, President and CEO of Booking Holdings, spoke about Penny during the Citi 2026 Global TMT Conference, stating, "We're definitely getting good CSAT numbers. We're in good engagement and higher conversion," while noting that it is based on a very small sample.
"We're definitely getting good CSAT numbers. We're in good engagement and higher conversion."
Glenn Fogel, CEO of Booking Holdings
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Regarding other brands within the group, Chief Financial Officer Ewout Steenbergen announced at a Goldman Sachs conference that Agoda will launch something similar in the near future, following initial feature rollouts.
Booking Holdings' portfolio approach to AI allows the company to test various consumer experiences across distinct brands without disrupting its highly optimized core booking funnels. By incubating internal startups and specialized agents separately, the parent company can innovate rapidly and maintain a competitive edge against other major online travel agencies.
Further details regarding these travel technology developments and industry analyses can be found in the original report.
Source: Skift
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