Östersund Introduces AI-Driven City Guides: Enhancing Visitor Experience
Destination Östersund, in collaboration with communication agency Adeprimo, has launched an innovative pilot project called Ostersund.ai. This cutting-edge initiative introduces AI-powered city guides aimed at improving the digital and accessible visitor experience in Östersund, Sweden.
AI-Locals: Personalized Digital Guides
The project features five digital guides, known as AI-Locals, utilizing the latest artificial intelligence technology to provide tips and information about Östersund’s offerings to visitors and residents. Each AI guide has a unique personality, communicating with emojis, slang, or emphasizing words, allowing users to choose the guide that best suits their preferences.
“It’s super exciting to introduce our AI guides. They represent the future of visitor experiences with their ability to quickly and efficiently answer a wide range of questions,” says Elisabeth Richardsson, Head of Marketing and Communication at Destination Östersund.
Interactive and User-Contributed Content
Users can freely access AI-Locals’ expertise by visiting ostersund.ai. The platform also allows visitors and locals to contribute their own tips, helping the guides become even more knowledgeable about hidden gems known only to locals. This feature serves as a valuable tool for the tourism industry, complementing personal interactions.
Real-Time Updates and Multilingual Support
AI-Locals is built on OpenAI’s GPT-4 and enhanced with information from the visitostersund website and local business websites. Adeprimo has developed a system of bots that continuously scans selected pages to ensure the AI-Locals work with up-to-date information on opening hours, events, activities, menus, and more.
Thanks to AI technology, the guides can communicate in multiple languages, making the service accessible to international visitors who don’t speak Swedish.
“AI as a technology is of course exciting to work with, and it becomes clear that there are great opportunities for the tourism industry. It will be fun to see during the summer how it answers questions, and how we can develop it and make it even better,” says Erik Isberg, Digital Strategist at Adeprimo.
Continuous Improvement and Future Plans
While AI-Locals offer numerous advantages, the team acknowledges that the system is not infallible. They are continuously working to improve and fine-tune the system to minimize errors and welcome feedback during this development process.
The project will be evaluated both continuously and after the summer. The hope is to scale up the service to include additional information beyond tourism and potentially offer it to other destinations.
For more information about Östersund’s AI-Locals, visit ostersund.ai.
