MY New Travel Companion
One of the most useful additions to our travels this year has been something we never had to pack: an AI agent.
It has become a sort of travel companion—one that is always available to answer questions, figure things out, explain unfamiliar things and, when necessary, do the research for us.
What used to take considerable time searching Google, reading websites, translating instructions or trying to piece together an answer can often be solved in seconds. And perhaps most importantly, the answer comes back in straightforward language rather than requiring us to figure out what the information actually means.
Here are just a few examples from our trip to Greece.
What are the baggage rules for this airline? Airlines all seem to have slightly different rules. Rather than searching through an airline’s website trying to find the right page, I can simply ask what we’re allowed to take on board and get the answer explained in plain English.
Which terminal does my next flight leave from? After landing at Athens airport, we had a connecting flight on Sky Express. Rather than trying to figure out the airport layout and airline information ourselves, I told it we just landed with Air Canada and need to catch our next flight with Sky Express, how do I get there? Step by step instructions on how to get to the next terminal.
What are the baggage rules for this airline? Airlines all seem to have slightly different rules. Rather than searching through an airline’s website trying to find the right page, I can simply ask what we’re allowed to take on board and get the answer explained in plain English.
Which terminal does my next flight leave from? After landing at Athens airport, we had a connecting flight on Sky Express. Rather than trying to figure out the airport layout and airline information ourselves, I told it we just landed with Air Canada and need to catch our next flight with Sky Express, how do I get there? Step by step instructions on how to get to the next terminal.
How do I change the language in our rental car? Our rental car was set to Italian. I took a picture of the screen and asked how to change it to English. The AI agent walked me through the settings. That seems like a simple thing to do, but not so easy when the menu is all in a language you can’t understand.
How do I reset the tire-pressure warning? After filling the tires to the correct pressure, the warning message was still showing on the dashboard. A quick question to the AI agent told me how to reset it. I took a picture of the screen and message; it figured out the car and how to reset the warning message.
Can I park here overnight? We were sitting in a parking lot in Crete and weren’t sure whether parking was free or whether we could leave our car there overnight. I asked the AI agent. It found the relevant information and explained that we could park there— but there was an important exception. When a ship comes into the port on Tuesday night, the parking rules change. That’s the kind of detail that can be easy to miss when you’re simply looking at a parking sign.
How do I use this washing machine? We were lucky that our Airbnb had a washing machine. The problem? All the buttons and settings were in Greek. In the past, I would have tried translating each button, searched for the model online and hopefully figured out how to get the thing started. Instead, I took a picture of the front of the washing machine and asked the AI agent how to use it. Within seconds, it explained which compartment was for detergent, which was for fabric softener, which setting to use for our clothes and which button started the machine.
Problem solved!
These may sound like little things—and they are. But when you’re travelling in a foreign country, little things can become surprisingly complicated. That’s where I’ve found AI particularly useful. It’s not replacing the experience of travelling; it’s removing some of the frustrations that get in the way of it. And unlike a traditional travel guide, my AI travel companion doesn’t just give me general information. I can show it a picture, tell it exactly where I am, explain what I’m trying to do and ask follow-up questions.
It’s like having someone travelling with you who is willing to answer every single question you come up with.