Rick Steves' Protege Shares When You Should And Shouldn't Use AI For Trip Planning

Imagine that you had spent ample time organizing a romantic vacation and were enjoying a hike to the top of a mountain for beautiful sunset views. Now, imagine your reaction when you find out that you're stuck on said mountain because the tool you used to plan this trip gave you false information. That's exactly what happened to a couple traveling in Japan when they relied upon ChatGPT, the most widely used generative AI chatbot. They were informed that the last descending cable car would be at 5:30 p.m., but upon arrival, they saw that the station had already closed and they had no way to get down (via BBC News). Stories like this abound among travelers utilizing AI tools, which are becoming increasingly more advanced but still pose challenges for users.

This very issue was discussed on an episode of Rick Steves Travel Talks, a series of informative video lectures hosted by the American travel guru himself and various guests. An episode titled "State of European Travel 2026 — Tips, Trends & Updates with Cameron Hewitt" aired on the third night of the 2026 Travel Festival, a five-day virtual series that ran from January 12 to 16, 2026 (all recordings are available here). The event covered a wide range of topics, including foods to try, seasonal travel, and itinerary planning. In this particular episode, Rick Steves' Europe's content director, Cameron Hewitt, covered some of the concerns that travelers have — overtourism, high prices, and extreme weather events — along with touching on the recent trend of using AI for trip-planning.

Of course, this is a complex topic, and just like with any other piece of technology, AI platforms have their pros and cons. So let's break down when you should and shouldn't use AI, according to Hewitt.

Unsurprisingly, there are many downsides to relying on AI for trip-planning, and Hewitt notes that he "has greater reservations for critical bookings, things that could really ruin your trip." As he and his team were researching this topic, they discovered "lots of examples of people who've used AI, and it's really steered them quite wrong ... There's reason to have some caution and some concern," he advises, since it's "an evolving technology." Some of the issues they've identified that potential travelers should be aware of include just generally bad advice and — much more worrisome — "hallucinations." The latter is a phenomenon whereby the tool actually creates information out of thin air. "It really wants to give you an answer. If it can't find the answer, it'll create [one]," Hewitt explains.

Rayid Ghani, a machine-learning professor at Carnegie Melon University, told BBC News the reason for these alarming hallucinations: An AI chatbot "doesn't know the difference between travel advice, directions or recipes. It just knows words. So, it keeps spitting out words that make whatever it's telling you sound realistic."

In many cases, the inaccurate information that it provides is fairly innocuous — the wrong name of a bus stop or metro station, for example. When Hewitt tested one tool by asking it for recommendations of Budapest restaurants, many on the list were completely made up. While certainly annoying and time-wasting, these types of errors don't cause any major harm. However, some AI hallucinations can be hazardous for travelers, as seen in the aforementioned incident of the couple that found themselves stranded on a mountaintop in a foreign country. Therefore, Hewitt warns potential users, "AI can be a really fun tool ... for planning your trip, but proceed with caution."

Hewitt further explains that these tools "can be great for brainstorming [and] non-essential research ... Anything that has no risk of having a negative impact on your trip." Some examples of this non-essential research include key phrases in the local language, souvenir ideas, and a list of theatrical productions in the area. These types of queries are where AI chatbots really shine, especially if asked in a way that is specific and clear. But Hewitt's overall advice is still to "verify everything with a trusted primary source." This could mean checking the official website of the attraction, for instance, speaking with someone who has been to the place you're looking to visit, and using non-AI-generated, up-to-date online resources.

As for the future of AI, keep in mind that it's improving regularly and is already working to make travel easier. For example, Google Flight Deals rolled out a new AI tool to help you find affordable vacations, while American Airlines' innovative booking tool shows you flights based on experiences you want. The previously stated issues (hallucinations in particular) are certainly problematic, but they will hopefully be remedied in the coming years. In a blog post on this same topic, Hewitt leaves readers on a positive note, writing, "Ultimately, AI is a bullet train zipping down the tracks. We travelers have a choice: Let it whoosh right past ... or hop on board and figure out how to use it — and how not to use it."

You can watch the full episode of this show here. And on the Rick Steves Travel Talks YouTube channel, you'll find more educational, entertaining videos, including those that are part of "Monday Night Travel," the intimate web series with a fun interactive component and hidden treasures.