Where should travel teams even start with AI?

Don’t start with tools instead of outcomes. The first question shouldn’t be “Which AI platform should we buy?”, it should be “What are we trying to achieve?”.

From conversations across the TMC community, it’s clear that AI isn’t just a technology question. It’s a question of how AI impacts the business across the board, especially the teams who’ll be using it. 

If AI is introduced without clarity or alignment, teams feel threatened. If it’s introduced with purpose, it supercharges them. The goal isn’t replacing humans. It’s freeing them to deliver better service, better judgement and more meaningful client relationships.

Where do businesses typically go wrong?

Recent Gartner research suggests that at least 30% of generative AI projects will be abandoned after proof of concept due to poor data quality, escalating costs or unclear business value.

AI is powerful technology, however success comes when it’s connected to business strategy, culture and operational reality.

We’ve created Pulse AI Consultancy to close that gap.

What should TMC leaders be thinking about right now?

AI shouldn’t be observed from afar, and in isolation. Adoption should be informed by your commercial strategy and desired business outcomes.

The TMCs who will lead over the next five years will be the ones thinking about what will be better for their teams, how to best serve their customers and assessing exactly where AI can deliver immediate value.

When approached correctly, AI becomes a strategic capability — improving resilience, unlocking efficiency and elevating the customer experience at the heart of travel.

Can you tell us more about Pulse?

Pulse is built out of 20+ years experience deploying AI into live, high-pressure service-led environments. Pulse is an independent consultancy to bring enterprise expertise to help organisations make smarter, more commercially-grounded decisions about AI.

Pulse doesn’t start with a product, we start with your strategy, your culture, your service model and your people. Because AI only works when it aligns with all four.

How does that work in practice?

We use a robust six-stage advisory framework that covers the full journey, from assessment through to sustainable adoption. The best part? You only buy what you need and what works for the stage of your business, from alignment of knowledge through an executive briefing, sharing the possibilities of AI and how it’s being used across industries.

Then we can move you from AI curiosity to confident execution – assessing your readiness, strengthening data, shaping a focused roadmap, supporting implementation, and ensuring your AI delivers measurable impact that lasts.

Is AI always the answer?

No, and that’s a critical part of our approach. Businesses need to stop thinking of it as some shiny new concept, but simply another option within the wider tech offer. Sometimes the biggest gains come from better process design, cleaner data or clearer accountability. Pulse is about gaining clarity over hype.

pulseconsultancy.ai, part of the Lokulus Group

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