This episode of the Skift Travel Podcast features a discussion with Breno Helfstein Moura, the head of hospitality at Palantir. Moura addressed a wide variety of topics with Editor-in-Chief Sarah Kopit and Head of Research Seth Borko, including how the company leverages data to solve complex problems in travel.
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Five Key Points
Off-the-Shelf AI Solutions Are a Myth: Buying a plug-and-play AI solution is often a fantasy, and true transformation requires custom integration and an understanding of the unique challenges each business faces. Even standardized systems like PMS or ERP transitions often end up as costly, multi-year projects.
Operational AI Trends Are Driving ROI: Key AI trends Palantir sees across industries — especially in travel and hospitality — include procurement and supply chain optimization, revenue and rate management, and targeted marketing.
AI is a Mirror — and a Force Multiplier: AI doesn’t replace humans — it enhances them. Like chess grandmasters paired with AI outperforming AI alone, people with AI tools perform at their best. But AI can also reflect the flaws in a company’s culture or data. If the organization is confused or misaligned, the AI will be too.
Travel Tech Can Skip the Legacy Journey: The travel industry often assumes it must progress through slow technology such as clunky interfaces and fragmented tech before adopting advanced solutions like AI. Palantir argues that travel companies can leapfrog outdated steps and go straight to modern, integrated platforms.
AI Use Cases Are Already Transforming Travel: Revenue management and loyalty optimization are among the viable AI use cases already active in travel.
Episode Summary
Palanatir’s Breno Helfstein Moura discussed the company’s growing role in the travel industry with Kopit and Borko. Known primarily as a defense contractor, Palantir is expanding into commercial sectors, including travel, where it has leveraged its expertise in data integration and AI.
While some may view Palantir as a consulting firm, Moura emphasizes that it’s fundamentally a software company delivering tailored tech solutions. He also warned of AI’s potential risks, stressing the need for safeguards around data access, especially in sensitive industries like hospitality, to ensure responsible and ethical use.
Moura added he sees strong return on investment opportunities in both revenue generation and cost reduction. Finally, he said he views the industry’s vast amount of underused, unstructured data as a goldmine for improvement.
Staying ahead of the next wave of change.
June 4, 2025 – NEW YORK CITY
