Are Augmented Reality (AR) and Machine Learning (ML) the new, new thing?

This summer I have been doing an intellectual travel deep inside Augmented Reality (AR) and Machine Learning (ML). I mean, I listened to videos, read books, talked with experts and in parallel I began to use this knowledge developing native mobile apps and thinking how to apply them to the Tourism sector, What else?!?!?

First, I enjoyed Augmented Reality then, I fell in love (again) with Machine Learning (at the end of the day is a close relative of the Intelligent Systems that I learned doing my doctoral thesis). Soon, I realized that the two concepts are very related and that together can improve plenty of operations and processes of any Tourism enterprise OR Tourism destination!

Augmented reality can bring a customized information to the generic reality that all share. Here you can see a demo…

Machine Learning can create groups (segments!) classifying things, make recommendations (like Netflix or Amazon are doing).

 I love Silicon Valley series, here you can enjoy a (funny) demo of Machine Learning… I hope we can create something more useful in OUR classes/seminars!!!

These possibilities to create groups (classify) people or objects, make customized recommendations, together with the possibility of show this to YOUR Tourists in real-time right here right now, open a lot of possibilities.

Specially, if you are in a trip and you need access to CUSTOMIZED information, products/service, contacts…. Just remember, the winner in tourism will be the ones able to provide support to the Tourist from the beginning to the end of the trip!!! Definitely, AR and ML can help you on this matter!

A very good way to get the customized information in real-time is ML… Now Yes!

AR+ML can be the new, new thing.

But… BE AWARE! Customization without privacy can be a nightmare! The user, at any time can decide if He/She wants to get o send this customized information OR changing the rules of how to customize this information (Versions of Me, remember?).

AR without customization it is NOT the new, new thing! We don’t want generic information about (people, product/services…). We want customized information NOW and HERE! 

AR + ML can allow us to put  web 2.0 business model in action!

Customized: Sure!

Syndicated: Buying/selling anything right here, right now! …wait a moment Jordi… How can you trust the buyer and the seller? How you can create smart contracts between them? How you can send/get payments in a secure way? Ummm does Blockchain ring a bell to you???

Pro-Am: Can we organize a group? Right here, right now???

Let's try to apply these ideas in Marketing OR in Yield/Revenue Management, for instance!

Machine learning can do marketing research in real-time based on your behaviour, in the things that you are saying, in the things that you are watching… right here, right now! Based on this real-time marketing research your organization can customize the 4P’s of Marketing (you know how much I respect this classic of Marketing and how funny I find the people that year after year say that they have find a new P or the 4X’s or the 6 S’s. Classics are classics and they are timeless!).

Let’s see some examples of customization…

You can customize the product/service AND the servuction process.

You can customize the price using some pricing ideas… opacity, up-selling, cross-selling…discounts or customize/new services for a group created by the Tourist!

You can customize the promotion and do it right now, right here using the knowledge that Machine Learning provide and the power of improving the reality that Augmented Reality provide to your apps!

You can change and customize the place using the power that Syndication provides… By the way, do you really thing that the smartphone is the place?

Can you think about one example of how to use Machine Learning and Augmented Reality to improve the processes (Marketing, Yield/Revenue Management, Human Resources… of your enterprise? Do you think that doing that you can earn a competitive advantage?

Come on Touristologists! YOU are the best minds working in the best sector ever! Time to proof it!

We love connecting dots! We are Consilient Thinkers loving to nimbly pass from Web-engineering to Touristology!!!