Launching a Gen AI powered travel companion: A case for tiger teams

The talk discusses Booking.com’s launch of a Generative AI powered travel companion in 2023, outlining the journey from conception to successful launch within a tight three-month timeframe.

This achievement was delivered by the formation of a dedicated tiger team. The presentation offers insights into the intricate process of delivering a complex product within a short duration through a focused team effort. It covers best practices for forming a tiger team, efficient delivery mechanisms, and transitioning the product into a permanent setup, post-launch. The travel companion is live on Booking.com apps in the US & UK, offering users a novel way to search and explore by providing relevant travel recommendations.

Key takeaways:

• Providing an alternate way to deliver complex business critical projects.
• Rapid innovation and implementation: Accelerate the development process by breaking organizational barriers.
• Insights into the Gen AI-powered trip planner in one of the largest travel companies in the world.
• Mixing up the regular development process with a tiger team approach to get the best of both worlds.