Do androids dream of electric suites?
Why AI struggles to convey luxury
Generative AI is amazing, isn’t it? Within seconds, you can have a passable chunk of content, with little to no effort. Prompt. Cut. Paste. Insert name. And there you have it: website copy, done. For hotel and hospitality brands this is extra tempting. After all, it’s only words – the pictures really convey the experience, right?
Out in the wild, this is actually happening. Some brands are turning to AI to capture the ‘luxury’ experience and that’s creating a big problem: true luxury is human, empathetic, intuitive and individual, whereas, AI (unless deployed with huge skill) is often very literal.
AI and luxury sector copywriting
Ask an AI engine to “Write me the intro to a website for a luxury [location] hotel. I want it to capture the indulgent nature of the hotel and sound extra special.” The result sounds like this:
“Step into a world where elegance meets unparalleled luxury. Nestled in the heart of [location’s] most prestigious district, [Hotel Name] invites you to indulge in an experience like no other. With its rich history, sophisticated charm, and refined service, our hotel promises an oasis of calm and grandeur amid the vibrant pulse of [location].”
OK. That’s Ronseal luxury. It says the word ‘luxury’, ‘sophisticated’, ‘refined’ – so it must be pretty luxurious?
And this literal approach is clearly being used by many brands, leading to a cookie cutter approach to writing. For example, check out this recent Google search:
We can ask the AI to become more human and individual. And we can feed it prompts that evoke the actual experience.
“Here, luxury isn’t just a promise—it’s a feeling. A quiet confidence in every touch, a gentle embrace in every corner. From the moment you step through our doors, time slows, the world outside fades, and you're invited to live in a space that’s as exceptional as you are.”
The problem is that most large AI models exist in a virtual world where luxury has become a cliché. They draw on the well-trodden, the expected, the predictable. Yet, in reality, ‘luxury’ should be far more than that. It’s about moments, experiences, details and the unique stories that set each hotel apart.
Of course, with careful prompting, curating and editing, AI can learn. But it will never really know what it’s like to wake up in a suite with the sun glinting through the shutters; warm patisserie and Sunday paper waiting at the door.
Without the human experience, you just have pretty words. Pretty standard.