Rather than rushing to launch flashy user interfaces, BCD is investing in the less visible – but still critical – layers of AI: the systems, processes and data flows that power smarter travel programs from the ground up. AI is only as good as the data it works with. That’s why BCD is focused on “data ingestion, improving data quality, enriching data through reconciliation, and finally, delivering insights back to clients,” according to Ajay Singh, BCD’s Vice President of Payment and Data Science.
With data flowing in from fragmented sources like GDSs, booking tools, card providers, and suppliers, BCD’s AI efforts are focused on untangling the complexity. The payoff is real-world applications include automating the tedious task of matching credit card transactions with booking records and extracting insights from unstructured data sources like PDFs, voice notes, and comments.
And, our AI efforts extend well beyond data management. From smart itinerary-based policy reminders to personalized booking flows and automated chat responses, AI is driving tangible improvements in traveler experience, cost control and operational efficiency.
The vision is a unified approach – where infrastructure and interfaces work hand-in-hand to deliver intelligent, scalable outcomes across the entire travel ecosystem. “The goal is to democratize data, to let every user, not just analysts, become a data user,” Singh explained. “It’s about making the data work for each client, in a way that’s relevant to their specific needs,”
Singh likens AI to oil: it needs refining. “If your data isn’t clean, AI can’t do much with it,” he said. In BCD’s view, we’re still in the early innings of AI’s impact on business travel – but the groundwork being laid today will unlock smarter travel programs tomorrow.
Read the full article on Skift: AI in Corporate Travel: BCD Focuses on the Plumbing, Not the Flash.
Want to see how we’re putting AI to work across the travel program? Click the link below for three real-world examples.
