As robots become increasingly common in hotels — cooking, delivering meals and cleaning rooms — they are improving efficiency and cutting labor costs. Yet their rise is also sparking concern among hospitality professionals about whether artificial intelligence (AI) could one day take over their jobs.

How to harness AI while addressing the challenges of this rapidly evolving technology was the focus of the 13th Future Hoteliers Summit (FHS), held in Beijing on October 23. Themed "Empowered by AI, Inspired by Love", the 2025 summit was hosted by Beijing Hospitality Institute (BHI) with guidance from the China Tourism Education Association and the Human Resources Branch of the China Tourist Hotel Association.

A fully student-run event, the summit featured keynote speeches, roundtable discussions with industry executives, experts and educators, as well as the final round of a student competition organized by BHI.

Hong Yu, a third-year BHI student and executive of the 2025 summit, said in her opening speech that FHS has long been devoted to providing a platform for young hospitality talents. Since its founding, the event has been entirely planned and organized by students.

"Over the past six months, 43 core members have worked closely to bring this event to life," Hong said. "FHS has gathered over 3,000 participants from more than 300 universities worldwide, making it a bridge connecting future hoteliers and industry leaders."

Participants at the event agreed that AI is transforming China's hotel industry by enhancing operational efficiency. They noted that AI has evolved beyond simple tools and into intelligent management systems powered by large language models.

Exploring AI in action

The summit's signature event — a student competition — invited university teams to present proposals, supported by videos, on how to integrate AI into hotels to improve guest experience and management.

According to the organizers, students from 18 universities around the world took part this year, with 11 teams advancing to the finals. The team from Nanjing Tech University Pujiang Institute in Jiangsu province won the top prize.

The group's supervisor, Huang Jiexin, told China Daily Website that this was the school's third time participating in FHS. "BHI is a significant player in hospitality education, and this annual summit is known for addressing the industry's most pressing issues," Huang said. "Preparing our students for the competition encourages them to apply what they've learned to real-world problems."

"For both teachers and students, it's also a great chance to broaden our horizons by hearing insights from the roundtable speakers, who are industry leaders and experts," Huang added.

Chen Xi, supervisor of the team from Jinzhong College of Information in Shanxi province, which won third prize, said it was her school's first time joining the summit. After receiving the competition notice in early summer, she guided her students on a visit to a five-star hotel in Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi province, to study its use of AI and prepare a report. The students then produced a video showcasing how AI could be applied to enhance hotel services.

"The event is so well designed, with diverse activities, and it's amazing that it's entirely organized by students," Chen said. She added that her school encourages students to use AI in learning, but emphasized that in a customer-centered industry like hospitality, communication, organizational and problem-solving skills remain essential. "These human abilities should always take precedence over technology," she said.

Industry experts weigh in

Experts and executives attending the summit shared their perspectives on the coexistence of AI and human service in the hospitality industry.

Xu Binfei, senior manager at Keenon Robotics, a leading Shanghai-based service robot company whose products are used in over 60 countries and regions, said that robots replacing humans in repetitive tasks is an "irreversible trend".

He cited an example at a hotel near Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, where humanoid robots pick up guests' luggage directly from the baggage conveyor, load it onto delivery robots, which then transport it to rooms, dramatically easing the workload for concierge teams.

Xu predicted that service robots will become more prevalent in budget and business hotels, while luxury and boutique hotels will continue to rely on human staff to maintain personal connections with guests. "Once freed from repetitive work, employees can focus on creating unique guest experiences that give hotels a competitive edge," he said.

Xu's perspective was echoed by Cheng Weay, general manager of MAHA Club & Residences Beijing; Dong Mengdan, human resources manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing; and Wang Dongyuan, human resources director at CHAO Sanlitun Beijing.

The three luxury hotel executives agreed that, while they welcome AI tools to improve efficiency, human touch remains indispensable. Luxury hotels, which strive to create a home-away-from-home experience, must offer personalized and flexible service that technology cannot replicate, they said.

The speakers concluded that aspiring hoteliers should embrace AI as a tool, but remain passionate about people — maintaining empathy and enthusiasm for their profession.

Meng Yinghua, brand marketing manager at Vocust, a Shanghai-based SaaS (Software as a Service) company that helps businesses enhance service efficiency and customer experience, said that AI-enabled systems can generate vast amounts of data, but "it is up to hotel managers to interpret the insights and make sound decisions".

Gu Huimin, professor at Beijing International Studies University and secretary-general of the China Tourism Education Association, echoed that sentiment.

The veteran educator emphasized that hospitality professionals in the AI era must possess both technological literacy and critical thinking skills to analyze AI-generated information effectively.

She said future hoteliers must combine digital fluency with the timeless skills that define the industry — adaptability, attention to detail, communication, and cultural intelligence.