"AI Is Agenda Item 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5" for Hotel Leaders - Ryan Mann, McKinsey & Company

In this episode, Ryan Mann, Partner at McKinsey & Company, shares how "AI has become agenda item one, two, three, four, and five" for hotel leaders worldwide. Recorded at ALIS in January 2026, this conversation explores how AI has shifted from experimentation to executive priority in a matter of months.

Ryan outlines three key arenas shaping hospitality today: internal automation, on-property operational efficiency, and the high-stakes disruption of search and booking. He explains why AI is no longer a technology problem but an adoption challenge, why data readiness and trust will determine visibility in AI-driven discovery, and how leaders should think in scenarios as OTAs, suppliers, and agentic systems compete for control of the booking relationship.

This episode offers a clear framework for where to act now and how to prepare for a rapidly shifting distribution landscape.

See our previous conversation: How The World's Best Hotels Deliver Exceptional Service - Ryan Mann, McKinsey & Company

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Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands