French-Waiter Engineers? Inside Palantir’s Opinionated Approach to Travel Tech

May 15, 2025

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Rather than just sell travel brands what they think they want, Palantir's employees have opinions about what they really need.

Skift Travel Podcast hosts Sarah Kopit and Seth Borko sat down with Breno Helfstein Moura, the Head of Hospitality at Palantir. Moura discusses how Palantir leverages data and AI to solve complex problems in travel, including partnerships with major companies like Airbus and luxury hotels. The conversation explores the challenges of data integration, the unique approach Palantir takes in software development, and the realities of implementing off-the-shelf software solutions in the travel sector.

Moura addresses concerns about AI's impact on jobs, the unintended consequences of AI, and the need for travel companies to adopt technology more aggressively. Moura also highlights the significance of maximizing ROI through revenue management and procurement strategies, while envisioning a future where AI enhances operational efficiency in the travel sector.

Takeaways

Palantir focuses on solving problems through data integration and AI.

Partnerships with companies like Airbus showcase Palantir's capabilities in the travel sector.

Data integration is crucial for enhancing customer experiences in luxury travel.

Predicting customer preferences is challenging but essential for luxury service providers.

Palantir's approach combines software development with a consultancy-like engagement model.

Palantir aims to streamline processes and reduce project timelines significantly. AI trends vary across different sectors of the travel industry.

AI should enhance human performance rather than replace jobs.

Travel companies can skip technological journeys by adopting advanced solutions directly.

AI can help automate customer service while keeping humans in the loop.

The ultimate goal is to achieve end-to-end operational visibility in travel.

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