Expedia Group has appointed Xavier Amatriain as its first chief artificial intelligence (AI) and data officer, underscoring the company’s push to position itself at the forefront of next-generation travel technology. Amatriain previously served as Google’s VP of AI and compute enablement, bringing deep expertise in machine learning, data infrastructure and agentic systems.
In his new role, Amatriain will oversee Expedia’s long-term AI and machine-learning strategy while coordinating with product, B2B, marketing, finance and strategic-partnership divisions across the organisation.
Amatriain said the travel sector is entering a pivotal phase shaped by “generative, agentic and truly adaptive technologies” capable of transforming how people plan, book and experience travel. “We’re creating seamless end-to-end travel experiences, and no company is better positioned than Expedia Group to lead this next wave,” he said, adding that the aim is a future in which travel becomes more intelligent, intuitive and deeply personalised. The move comes at a time when AI adoption in the travel industry is accelerating, driven by rising consumer expectations, operational efficiencies and new opportunities in predictive analytics and dynamic content generation.
Expedia Group’s appointment reflects a broader trend as travel companies elevate AI expertise into senior leadership roles. In September, Skyscanner promoted chief product officer Piero Sierra to chief AI officer, a move he described as a commitment to “curiosity, learning and making travel more personal, intuitive and inspiring.” As competition intensifies, these leadership changes signal a wider shift: AI is no longer an add-on but a core driver of strategy, product design and traveller engagement.
